Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-05-26
4 reRR,eLe REVENGE
msllpox.1nfected Blankets Destroyed
scores Of Indians.

smsiipoz.Infected Blankets Destroyed
scores Of Indians.
San Antonio CTex.) correspondent
IN the Globe.D Democrat: John Fer.
ria, the veteran stage driver, who in
the early sos drove the stage on the
overland route between lndepend.
ence, NO., and Santa Fe, was relat-
ing some Of his interesting exper.
fences to group OF friends the
other day when he told q story, the
circumstances Of which will be re-.
called by many Of the pioneer citi.
zens of St Louis and the Western
country.
THE smallpox outbreak among
the Comanche Indians In the year Of
1866" said he, ''caused q stir
througout the Western country. I
carried the first news Of that devas.
tating plague to the outside world. I
was making one Of my regular trips
from Santa Fe to Independence,
when I stopped at q small trading
post situated on the Neosho River.
There was great excitement among
the few white settlers ut the post,
and when inquired the cause Of the
cOmmotion was told that smallpox
had been raging for several weeks
among the Indians who thickly pop.
ulated that section. was taken to
the place where the dead redskins
hid been buried, and there were
hundreds Of newly formed mounds,
each Ut which represented victim
OF the scourge.
'Smallpox had up to that time
been an unknown disease among
these Indians, and the outbreak was
the result Of one Of the most terrible
schemes of revenge have ever seen
recorded. In tho spring Of 1885 two
young men Of wealthy families, whose
names I have now forgotten, went
out from st. Louis to the plains fol
the purpose OF spending o few
months, the object Of the trip being
for the benefit Of one of the young
mems health. They reached Council
Grove safely and decided to remain
there q short time. They decided
to get q taste of the sport Of hunting
buffalo, which ut that time came
within twenty or thirty miles Of
Council Grove In large numbers Ac.
cordingly they left Council Grove one
morning early on q two weeks hunt
They we're mounted on good horses,
which soon attracted the covetous
eyes Of struggling bands OF Indians
whom they met On the third day
after the young men left Council
Grove they came upon large herd
OF buffalo. and they had an exciting
chase. Tho invalid young man
killed one Of the animals and had
dismountgd to view bis prize when q
big, strapping Indian rode out of q
clump Of cottonwood trees, and with.
out warning shot the white man
down and then proceeded to take his
scalp The companion Of tho muir
dered man witnessed the horrible
crime and thinking that Q similar
fate awaited him II he tarried In
that section, put spurs to his horse
and headed in the direction Of Coun.
ell Grove. He was closely pursued
by the blood.thirsty Indian, who had
exchanged bis mount for that of the
man he had just killed. After q
hard and long ride the white man
escaped and reached Council Grove
In an exhausted condition. A party
was at once organized to 20 out and
bring In the remains. OF the muir
dered man, ana It was led to the
spot by the survivor. The body va.
found to be horribly wutilated, and
1t had been stripped Of every par.
ticle of raiment The companion oil
the murdered man vowed that he
would have revenge upon the whole
tribe OF Indians for the foul deed
which one Of the members had com
mitted, and he kept his vow.
''He returned to St Louis, and
when he arrived In that city HI
learned that the hospital there con
tained q number Of cases Of smallpox
lie made the acquaintance Of one o.
the attendants Of the hospital, anG
induced the latter to sell him mum
Dor Of blankets which had been useG
to cover the smallpox patientR HI
then boxed these blankets up secure
" and shipped them to Council
Grove He went out and PERSONAL.
distributed the infected blanket
among the Indians gratis, and re
ceived much praise from the INDIAN
and people generally for bis philan
thr0phy. When the necessary tim,
had elapsed after receiving th'
blankets there was a general out
break OF smallpox among the lodi
aus The disease spread rapidly ant
they died by the score. As soon o.
an Indian would feel the fever which
attends the disease coming on h.
would make Decline for the Neo
sh0 River, into which he woul'
plunge. He would die In q shor
time after getting out OF the water.
A Thirty -four Year Old Letter.
ut 10 an exceedingly rare thin
nowadays In any civilized cOuntr
for q letter, properly stamped, seale