The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-24
ANOTHER VIEW OF THE CHEYENNE AFFAIR B,
AN INHABIrANr OF FORT ROBINSON.


To THE EDITOR HEnALD:--
The telegram. purporting to be official. published
your paper of the 18th inst relative to tho killing
of defcnccess Indians at this post by the military
in charge is so spccious and calculated to mslead
the public mind that it deserves a few remarks. It
was proposed to send all to Fort Leavenworth, Kan
December 1G. number Of the principal men wcre
to be retained and the remainder sent to the Chey
enne Agency. This proposition was modified by tho
Commissioner of Indian Affairs January s, and no
requested that oil full grown men should be taken to
Florida DRY Tortugss, 1t is supposedly. and there DO
subjected to the same treatment and discipline az
were the Indians who were sent thcrc in 1875 and the
remainder women and chiIdrcn) be sent to their
agency, meaning the Indian Territory. whence they
had fed to escape death from starvation and malaria
The nhumanity of this modified proposition can
only be realized by those who know something of
the treatment Of those Indians taken South in 1878.
1t means death--elow, but certain. Then tho vim
iciye spirit that could urge this reauestthe send.
ing of all male adults to lingering torture because
q few bad members Of their tribe had committed
murder while escaping from climate which was
killing their wives aud childrcn and from agency
where they were suffering from hunger and prva-
ton-is sad commentary upon tho justice of the In
dian Department and the nation which toerates it,
Again, the statement is made that, on the 30th Of
Dcccmber. clothing was solicited for these poor
creatures, who in climate where the thormom-
eter was thirty degrees below Zero imprisoned in
cold room, with the bare remnants of the clothing
worn in o southern cline IN the month OF
August This request considered seven
days; then tho authority to furnish clothing
given January6. January the officer in charge
asked how many mon. women. boys and girls werc
to DO clothed. January clothing ordered. At
q subsequent date this orsler countermandcd All
this time death nt work among these poor prs-
The rifles OF tho soldiory had laid thirtytwo
of the captves in tho grave. twenty-five of them nen,
women and childrcn), in one trench Others, desti-
tute of clothing, food and fuel slowly dying in
the guard house; while others STILL strong and moro
resolutc are fleeing for life to the frozen Businesses
of the mountains.
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs will probably
ascertain, IL he continues to wait till he III advised
Ms TO the actual number needing clothing. that the
number Is small indeed. Andersonvillc prisoners
saw disease and starvation Frustrating men. At
Camp Robinson hunger and cold impcl Indian cap
tvcs to break down the walls of their
prison, and tho rifles of the guard end
tho suffcrings OF men, women and children
The history Of the removal OF the Northern Chey
ennes from their former homes to the Indian Terri
tory; their suerngs during their stay In the South:
their escape and heroic march treecss plains for
more than thousand milcs, despite the whole milf
tary force the frontiers the capture of this band
of $50. while greater number escaped the capture
being effected by sending out Red Cloud, tho Sioux
chief, TO promise them home with the Ogallalas
and then dissrming and imprsoning .hein; subse-
qucntiy Furnishing them by withholding their sup
plies Of food, clothing and fuel till they sought to
escape, and their nhuman massacre. will all be made
known in due tinlc and viii prove lasting disgrace