Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-01-21
"sANp CREEK" MASSACRE.
An Old Historic Case In the Court Of
Claims.

ClalmR.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 13-An interest
ing case is pending in the court OF
claims. 1t is brought by Col. John NJ.
Chivington, of Denver, against the
United States and the Sioux nation of
Indians for Indian dep-edations COM
mitted in April, 1867, in Wyoming. The
claimant alleges that the Indians stole
392 head of oxen and twenty-three head
of horses. of the value of s32, $50. He
asks judgment against the government
eral L. w. Colby, in charge of the de-
Tense of this class of cases, sets up
counter claim and set-off in behalf OF
the Indians, alleging the massacre of
large number of Indians, men, women
and children. at Sand Creek. Col. by
Col Chivington and his regiment or
November %, 1864, and the destruction
of property belonging to said Indians
to an amount far exceeding in value
that of the claimants claim.
This is one of the old historic cases,
and was known as the ''Chivington" or
''Sand Creek" massacre. 1t was report.
ed at the time that some 1. 200 Indians of
all ages and sexes were killed and their
scalps taken and bodies mutilated by
white men Col Chivington, prior tc
his location in Denver, was Methodist
preacher and the presiding elder for
that church in the South Platte county
of Nebraska for several years The
massacre is agreed by all to have been
one of the most foul and dastardly on
record. A special commission was ap-
pointed by the president to examine in
to this matter, consisting of Gen. w. I.
Sherman, n. j. Taylor, John B. Hen
derson, Gen. John b. Sanborn, Alfred
H. Terry and others A congressional
committee was appointed, after much
posed of such eminent statesmen as
Senators Foster and Doolittle and Ben
Wade. A military commission also in
vestigated the massacre, sitting seven
ty-three days at Denver and Fort Lyon,
taking testimony, and the evidence Civ
en- before this commission alone occu-
pies over 200 printed pages.
It appears that the Indians at the re-
quest of Gov. Evans, then governor of the
territory of Colorado. had come into
Fort Lyon for projection and had been
located on Sand creek. about forty miles
distant, and were under charge Of the
United States officers and agents. I hey
were anu cOLuul IO
dations, and had been there for months
subject to government control, with
their families, wives and children.
The United States flag foated over the
! camp and a white flag also, by direc-
ton of the United States officers as an
additional precaution. The evidence
! in the investigation shows that the In
dams were nearly defenseless and un-
armed as the United States officers had
! required them to give up their guns
/ before they went into camp; that at
| tack was made on them without warn
| ing, the women and children as we'll
| as men killed and scalped, their ears
and noses cut off; children shot at their
mothers breasts, and the bodies mutt
| lated in the most horrible manner.
| This case will doubtless become lead.
] ing one in this branch of Jurisprudence
| involving as it does the right of the In.
dams to set off damages sustained by
! them against the claimant, and to OBJ
| tain Judgment in their own favo,
against the claimant for injuries com
mitted against them.