The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-10-04
The Indian Way,

Even the admirers of Lo, the poor
Indian. will not be particularly i'm
pressed with humanity of IA lot of
Moiaye Indians recently manifested
i'll Southern California. not far from
Los Angeles. And the unbeliever in
the Indians alleged noble traits of
character will find in the incident
new reason for treating the savages
less like Il white man and more like
an animal.
An epidemic OF malignant typhoid
fever ravaged this tribe and from its
effects many of the Mojave braves
died. No sooner was II Moiave
stricken with the disease than the
life was almost beaten out of him
with sticks i'll order to evercise the
evil spirit. After the beating the
poor patient was dragged through
the Colorado, River in order that the
cleansing process might be complete.
1t may easily be imagined that this
vigorous treatment did not have IN
ameliorating effect on the patient.
There being no cessation i'll the epi-
demic, counsil was held at which it
was decided that the disease wascaus-
ed by the presence of witch in the
tribe. How to find the witch was
the next proceeding. A large pot
was secured and filed with herbs.
| When the contents of the pot had
been boiled down to about teacup-
full of liquid. white pigeon and its
white mate were taken from bas-
ket near by and the decoctation
poured down their throats. The
male bird flew away he was released
and, naturally enough, did not re-
turn. The dose was too much for
the female pigeon, which died after
tiuttering about for few minutes.
This incident fairly frcnzied the
bucks. 1t was II sort of corrObora-
ton of the charge that witch was
i'll the camp and, farther, pointed to
the fact that it was II female witch.
| All of the women were driven out of
the tents to where the council was
held, and, forming them in single file,
the bucks drove the squaws past the
dead pigeon, which had not been re-
moved from the spot where it died.
One unfortunate Indian maiden, inn
PEELED either by curiosity or pity for
the dead pigeon, which looked like II
lump of snow III the moonlight,
stepped out of the file to pick it up.
This according to Indian logic, was
all the evidence necessary to con
vince them that she was the witch
Accordingly, with fearful yells,
she was captured and pinioned,
stripped of her clothing and then
and there tied to stake. A slow
fire was built under her and for two
hours she fingered in the most
frightful agony, the victims death
screams and the bucks vocal noises
making the night hideous. The
whitcned bones of the 1S-years-old
girl and the dead embers of the fire
told the story of her fate the next
morning with convincing eloquence.
The Indians are called the wards
of the government. Then the gov
ernment has control over them. Is
it not the duty of the United States
authorities to prevent such horrible
atrocities as this as well rs to feed
the Indian and to provide him with
shelter Because an Indian salts
iies his ridiculous belief by burning
this innocent girl does not make il
one whit the less murder. And il
it is murder why should not some
punishment be meted out rs Il warn
ing to future offenders If an In.
dian kills white man he is amen.
able to our laws. If he kills anoth
er Indian he should also be held foi
murder. The fact that there wer,
incantations and absurd tests EN-
ployed before this brutal sacrifice o
life does not in the least mitigat,
the offense. A wholesome dread OF
the part of these brutes of the pow
er of civilized society would be ben
y efcial. Punish some of the brave
!, who take part in like atrocitie
= and there would be less in the fu
Q ture to record. A civilized govern
|. ment should not permit such feal
ful o,tro na -, ;to ,,;Jot