Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-07-04
GETTING EVEN WITH THE INDIANS.
Hou Old Frontiersmen Prevented nm Up.
rising and Punished Murder.

Men who have had experience with
Indians hold that for every white per-
son killed by Indians about tea Iu-
dams will in the long run die by the
white mans agency. John Campbell.
formerly freighier TO the Indian
country and an Upper Missouri River
boatman. says that ho has witnessed
several incidents wherein savage bar
barity was pitted against the white
mans strategy. In each instance the
saYagcs were paid back in Il more than
decimally increased rate for the dam.
age done.
One case occurred in the vicinity OF
old Fort Boise. Indians had done
great injury To a mau named James
Beckwith. They gloated over what
they had done. They were large in
IN number the whites were small, and
for business aud other reasons it was
deemed impolitic TO wage open war.
fare. The situation however. was such
that it was deemed best To curtaiI the
power of the Indians, N they were in.
solent and threatening, as the North.
west Indians now are
Beckwith went down the Missouri
River 10 a place where smallpox ex.
,sted. lie obtained smallpox virus in
n form that could be easily transported.
Dnc story WAS that ha carried the
| poison Ia an air-iight, canistcr-likc ar.
rangement. When he reached his
| destination he infected some clothing
which was Immediately put in posses
sion Of the indians. so that the poison.
ons germs of the smallpox. which are
short-lived would not lose their Ell.
eacy. The result was that the epidemic
broke out and increased TO pestilence
In more than so per cent OF the eases
the disease assumed the conlluent and
the hemorrhagic forms and the fatality
was not far from 100 per cent.
In their delirum scores ran into the
river and death was thus accelerated
IN its approach. The white men shut
themselves up in what was called the
old fort. a large abandoned structure.
a large part Of which was made Of
fame. Here the Indians. pestiIence
stricken. locked. They humbIy came
to the white men whom they had so re-
Gently abused and cxulted over in their
brutal. savage way.
| After the abandoned old fort had
been converted from lazar house TO a
charncl house by the action of disease
the means OF egress were barred, and
in order TO stamp out the contagion
lire was applied. Scores OF dead bodies
we're consumed. The contagion was
thus stamped out the power Of the In
dians was broken without the loss of a
single white man, aud the insults
avenged. This occurred between forty
and fifty years ago.
On another occasion young Ger
man, who was employed in menial
capacity in private fort of A. NJ. Har-
vey, in ignorance or otherwise disre-
garded instructions given him and. on
"A certain occasion when there was
danger, strayed fIon the fort about "A
quarter OF mile. He was killed by
Indians aud cut into small pieces.
The mutilated remains were then left
as warning TO the whites of the In
dians' prowess. just rs in the small
pox case the whites did not appear 10
notice the indignity. the also as in the
smallpox ease Indians and regarded
this as an indication of cOwardice.
The Indians, however. kept away for a
short time after the murder to see vi hat
would bc done. Then they came around
to trade. This fort had an allev-like
entrance guarded by door or gate-like
arrangements 1T each extremity. The
sides were walled or boarded high The
white men managed TO get the alley
full of Indians.
They had previously allowed Indians
in here after the murder in order to
dsarm suspicion. The whites opened
the outside barriers but placed behind
thin inside barrier masked cannon.
This was heavily loaded with iron
slugs. parts of blacksmithshop refuse
aud material of that nature. Without
warning this was discharged into the
packed mass of savages. A moment
later the narrow way was filled with
dead and manglcd Indians. The outer
way was shut and others werc killed.
For long time after this the Indians
were we'll behaved
Froutiersmen say that il Eastern
sentimentality did not prevail 10 the
extent OF Interference with the army
movements and with the action of men
who thoroughly understand the Indian
character and who can meet and beat
the Indian ut every turn. the Indian
problem would soon be solved. and &c
this problem there is but one solution.
- Kansas City Star.