The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-11-13
A TERRIBLE STORY
OF Batbarism that Exists in
United States Territory.
HORRIBLE STATE OF AFFAIRS
Iu Alaska-Foul outragcs Perpe.
tratcd by Our Soldiers on the
Natives-A West Virginia
Lady's Sad Testimony.

New YoRK, Nov. 12.-Mrs. voorhis, {
well known lady of this city, has recent
ly returned from an extended toul
through the great northwest. To
IRorld reporter she related some OF the
experiences of her travels.
81 have iourneyed over $4,000 miles
by land and water,' said she, "but the
incidents of the trip haye been, l dare
say, much like those Of other tourists
who follow the same route. What has
impressed me most profoundly and fill
ed me with horror which grows with
the recollection of it, is the awful condi-
ton of the Indian women in Alaska.
Travellers hint vaguely at this evil, Off
cial reports allude briefly and apologeti-
cally to it, but the great world is ignor-
ant of its existence. II people realized
that in the wilds OF its Alaskan territory
this civilized, refined, advanced nine
teenth century United States, holds a
perfect inferno of crime and torture,
where helpless women and mere children
are being sacrificed and gradually eXter-
minated, surely some remedy might
be found.
"In all that country there is no law
there can be no restraint-and the low
est animal passions Of the rough miners,
trappers, hunters, soldiers and sailors
rage unchecked. The Indian woman is
considered the lawful spoil OF these men.
They steal them Of they can; II not,
they buy them from their parents for a
knife, n jug Of rum or string oil beads.
II these conditions do not weigh them
they make the old people drunk and
carry Off the girl. A miner will come
and dicker for child OF II and bear her
Off shrieklng with terror. She becomes
the slave OF the whole camp and is
finally sent back to her people to die. A
lady with whom talked OF these hor-
rors OF Sitka, told me OF case which
had come under her own observation,
and she could vouCh for its truth in
every revolving particular. This lady,
by the way, is the first white woman
who ever went to Alaska. OF course
there may have been some Russian
woman there before, but mean the
first woman from our country or Eng
land.
"Well, she knew OF little girl having
been carried off forcibly by some SOL
diers, and one day, few months after,
an Indian woman came to her exhibit
ing signs OF great grief, and begged the
white mother, as she called this lady, to
- .,,.l laaI, ~ ban IouubtnP vyIn tyar
dying. The lady went TO where the girl
lay on the ground, mass OF rags, filth
and corruption. She had been returned
to her people by her captors, to whom
she was no longer useful. Such horror
is felt by the Indians at the approach OF
any one afflicted us she was, that they
avoid the victim rs though she was
plague.stricken. In the case ofthis poor
child, who was only fifteen years OF age,
they had blilt stockade about the
place where she lay, completely enclos-
ing her. A small aperture had been
left on the side, close to the ground,
through which food and water were
thrust to her. The white mother
crawled through the hole to reach the
sufferer and do what was in her power
for the wrctched young creature. One
ear was entirely gone, and the girls face
horribly disfigured. Because she had
been Kidnapped by soldiers, the brave
white lady sent word to the garrison
that they must give medical aid. A ply
sician came, through whose efforts the
child was saved. This giil now keeps
yigilant watch over the young Indian
children in her vicinity. She is q pupil
in the school.
"When arrived at Tacoma, called
on Mrs. MacFarland, the lady in charge
Of the Missionary school. spent Sat
urday and Sunday with her, and /
learned some very startling facts regard
ing the life OF the people in that neigh
borhood. knew something about the
Indians before, but what learned from
her was new revelation. Mrs. Mac
Farland is a West Virginian. She went
out us missionary years ago
and has been working ever since.
She has started three schools for Indian
children and is regarded with the great
est esteem by all classes. | could not
repeat the details OF the dreadful story
she told me OF tho barbarous condition
Of life in that neighborhood. 1t is really
unspeakable. The story have just re-
peated is mild instance OF the brutality
which seems the birthright Of these poor
little squaws."