Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-10-25
TORTURED BY HER BRIDE.
Mojave Indian Girl Burned at the Stake for
Alleged Witehcraft.

AlItSeu N1tcUcfdlC.
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal.-The story comes
from good authority at Los Angeles of
the burning of a young squaw by Mojave
Indians, because she was accused of prac
ticing witchcraft. The scene of the tor
ture was near the Colorado river, in the
eastern end of San Bernardino county.
Recently strange disease had attacked
members of the tribe. It's spread at last
became SO alarming that the members of
the tribe became panio-stricken aud
slaughtered their dogs and burros as g
Sacrifices to appease the anger Of the
Great Father. This proving Of no avail,
council was held. Every buck in the
tribe was present. The medicine men sat
around huge hole which was filed with
herbs, while the bucks we're squatted in a
semi circle, some distance away. The
medicine men watched the steaming of
the herbs until the mess had been boiled
down TO teecupful of liquid. Then a
pigeon and his mate were taken from q
basket and held by the medicine men
while the liquid from the herbs was
poured down their throats. The male
bird when released, few away. The fe-
male bird huttered few yards aid then
fell helpless aud dying on the ground.
The medicine men now seemed crazed
with excitement. They leaped to their
feet and danced, while the bucks sat in
sulleu silence. While the medicine men
were in the midst of their orgie, they de-
clared that there was witch in the tribe.
The female bird had died, while the male
bird had flown away into the night. This
test determined the sex of the witch.
When the bucks heard the words of the
medicine men they became wild with rage.
Each brave suspected the othsr of har-
boring the witch in his tepee Or cabin.
But final test was to be made. With
yells and imprecations, the freDzied reds
drove their women to the place where the
council had been held, and where the
white pigeon still lay among the herbs
and grasses. The squaws were driven in
single file, with the medicine men watch
ing with nervous excitement the face of
each as she passed the bird. Finally
young squaw, the daughter of Creso,
sub chief, stepped out of the ranks and
was about to pick up the bird, when the
medicine men, with loud yells seized the
girl and pinioued her arms. The unfor-
tunate squaw pleaded piteously for her
life, which she seemed to fOresee was liz
peril, but her cries were of no avail, her
own relatives assisting N dragging her to
the council place. The death of the fe-
male pigeon was conclusive evidence that
a squaw was the witch. The first squaw
to touch the bird was the fatal test OF
guilt. The poor girl, who was bat
eighteen years old, was stripped of her
clothes, tied to stake and a slow fire
built under her.
For two hodrs she fingered in awful
agony, and while her death screams
filled the air the braves danced about the
fire and the medicine men muttered incan-
tations. When morning came nothing but
the whitened bones of the girl and the
black embers Of the fire remained about
the stake. The disease from which SO
many of the Mojeye braves died is be-
lieved to be malignant typhoid fever.
The details of this strange story were
brought to Los Angeles by ranchers who
had been attracted to the camp of the
Indians by the noise which attended the
terrible death OF the girl.