The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-12-20
wINNEMUCCA's WIFE.
Details of the Ceremony of Stoning
Her to Death.

pearance OF Wlnnemucca wife
have now come TO light, and are re-
lated by half-breed called Grizzly
John, who is fully acquainted with
the circumstances of her death. He
was an eye witness of the horrible
scene, which he described to a Ga
zette reporter in passable English.
Immediately after :he affair he went
north on a deer hunt, from which he
returned yesterday.
The evening before old Winnie
mueca died about one hundred In
dians took the sgaw to a large spring.
where she had been ordered TO
battle. Other squaws stripped her
and washed her from head to foot,
and then sprinkled her with fine
ashes. Then they started for range
of hills a few miles from Copper
smith station, leading the squaw,
naked and barefooted. Upon arriy-
ing at chosen spot they lit circle
of fires. which lighted up space of
ground about 100 feet in diameter.
In the centre of this was a stump
eight or ten inches high, to which
the trembling squaw was securely
bound by one foot with raw hide
strap. She still held her child, a
bright little papoose about two years
old. When she had been secured
each buck sought for a certain num-
Der of stones about the size of
mans fist, and laid them in a pile
within the circle of fires.
When all was ready for the sacri-
fee the Indians joined hands and
began a monotonous chant, which
lasted for few minutes, when one
of them stepped into the ring and
began a harangue. As hecOntinued
to speak the poor, agonized squaw
gave vent to piercing shrieks, crouch
ing upon the ground and pressing
her babe to her breast. This lasted
for some minutes. Then at signal
there was silence, except the walls
of the intended victim. Suddenly
the speaker sprang toward her and
grasped the child. She struggled
frantically but unavailingly to re-
tain it, and was compelled by force
TO let it 90. The fiend Immediately
swung the infant around his head,
holding it by the ankle, bowling
like demon, and being echoed by
the red devils about him; but the
squaw did not raise her head nor
emit a single sound. Suddenly he
dashed the child upon rock and
killed it instantly. Then he resum-
ed his place in the circle, which
swung around again, chanting as
before, till the one who. killed the
baby came opposite the pile Of
stones he had collected. when the
movement stopped. Stepping for
ward he picked up stone, and 60
ing to within ten feet of the crouch
ing victim, he hurled it at her with
all the strength possessed by his
brawny red arm. The missile struck
her on the side. and was answered
by shrek of anguish. He return
ed to his place. and the circle re-
volved again until another Indian
was entitled 10 a murderous fling.
The wretched creature at the stake
was crouching in such an attitude
that only her side and back were
exposed. 1t was forbidden 10 hit
her upon the head, and the second
savage, chosing the most available
target, launched a rock at her with
the projectile force of a catapult,
striking her between the shoulders
and cutting fearful cash, from
which the blood flowed down her
back in a small rivulet. He then
retired to his place, and the circle
moved on as before. Thus they
continued their murderous psstime
until the poor, pitiful object lay
prone upon the ground, a bleeding,
senseless mass of mangled flesh. As
she lay upon her back, the savage
who had harangued the band at first,
raised large rock over his head
with both hands and inflicted the
coup de grace by smashing her skull.
Then there was pandemsnium for
few minutes, after which they dis
persed and collected wood for a pile,
upon which theremains of the luck
less squaw and her babe were burn
ed. A few were left to keep up the
sacrifcial fire, while the others re-
turned to old WinRemueca tC com
fort his dying moments with the as
surance that his young squaw had
preceded him to the Indian 5 happy I
and