The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-27
TIE DAYS DOINGS.

morals, and all the attributes of mankind
Every phase Of human nature is portrayed
from day to day, rare characteristics and pre-
JUDGES are revealed, and superstitions link
ing civilization to barbarism are shown up.
Last week an Indian warrior, a Comanche
chief, suffered an ignominious death
in a Texas hotel by his having
failed to turn off the gas when he retired. He
died with all his hair intact, but what a death
for a warrior" and hero! He could have
died at the stake without a whimper-could
have suffered himself to be torn to atoms
piecemeal by hostile squaws and children. But
to die thus in a bed, and with none of the fire
and red-lights surrounding a death on the
war-path Or in conflict must have seemed
dreadful to his disembodied spirit as it
made its way to the happy hunting
grounds. But his remains were carried back
to his tribe and the formal ~obsequies were
duly observed. An account of the doings
says that the friends and relatives went
through the most shocking ceremonies at the
burial. The squaws slashed their bodies and
faces until they were covered with blood,
and uttered the most unearthly walls and
shrieks. The "bucks' danced the death dance
and chanted the death song, and cut
their bodies and faces. All were naked
above the waist and all cut their
hoir cbnut oD1 ooyoroJ fbo,r ho,Jc 1vstL, J,e+
and ashes. There is a suggestion in this of
oriental origin, of rent garments and ashes
upon the head. In the grave of this warrior
were buried his war and hunting implements,
together with food for the long journey. And
when the grave was filled FIVE ponies were shot
over it, his saddle and bride broken and cut
to pieces and laid thereon, and all his clothing
and utensils have been destroyed. It
is also said that the members Of the
family have gone into seclusion,
and that they will continue in mourning for a
year. Indian and white man are pretty much
the same. The Indian kills and destroys the
belongings of the dead; the Monaghan, more
shrewd and economical, burns paper images of
the dead mans possessions, and the Caucasian
improves on this by burning and destroying
nothing. But in other things the grief mani
tested by wild man and white man belongs to
the same genus. The latter goesinto a forced
retiracy for so many months, and grief is
advertised by garments Of black and by hat
bands of extraordinary depth and Grape wells
that sweep the earth with gloom. The news
of the day has brought the people of the
Western plains face to face with those of India
and Egypt.
Another current paragraph announces that
the citizens of Silver City, N. M, have held
a meeting to urge the government to purchase
blood-hounds with which to track and aunt
down hostile Indians. The ready condemna-
ton of this mode of warfare is checked by the
reflection that for a century or more these
fierce brutes were employed to capture un-
armed, unresisting slaves. The news of the
day arouses the Indignation of civiliz ed hui
mainly, only to cause it to feel the blow itself.
The news Of the day reports a singular
crime at New Orleans. A young man, mar
bride, who took up her residence in a house
of questionable repute. This so enraged him
and her brother and father that they resolved
to kill her. Her father was coolly excused
from the bloody business, as he was too old
to live out a term in the penitentiary; so the
brother and husband of the erring woman
proceeded to the house, called her out, and
stabbed her to death. The news Of the day
reveals a very fine sense of honor where it
would least be expected.
The news of the day brings the confession
of William Sheehan, of Castletown-R Roche, Ire
land, who killed his mothtr, sister and broth
er because the first named stood in the way of
his marriage. When he had disposed of their
bodies by throwing them into ar old well he
gave out that he had provided them with
money and they had gone elsewhere to seek
their fortunes. The obstacle removed, he
married the girl he was betrothed to, and
lived in the family home for two years. That
was in 1877, nearly nine years ago. Two
years later he removed to Australia, and those
who succeeded him at the home place discov-
cred evidences of the crime, and he was ar
rested and brought back. The news of the
day shows how love and passion may kill love
and duty.
The news of the day tells how Cora B.
LETTERS, of Johnstown, N. Y, triAed with
Israel Wolinski until, driven to madness, he
tried to murder her and attempted suicide.
The girl escaped serious injury. but Wolipski