St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-07-05
THE AGE OF MONUMENTS.

"hOlo 6oS chptive5 Werc SURRENDERED Oy
the Sioux Indians in 1852 To the Mime.
sofa troops under Gen. Sibley, at
Camp Release, was dedicated with APP
propriate ceremonies, and now comes
the news Of another monument to be
erected by the State of Iowa, at Lake.
Okoboji. In the northwestern corner of
tnat state. to commemorate the awful
massacre OF 1851. by InK-pa-du-ta and
his band of outlaw Sioux, on which
occasion about forty-two people were
killed. and four white women were
taken into captivity and detained among
the sayages for several months. and un-
til two of them were rescued. the other
two being murdered.
All old settlers will remember what
was called the Spirit Lake massacre.
which took place in the spring of 1857.
and was the first serious difficulty with
the Indians which our state encountered
after its first settlement.
Quite settlement had been made
near the head waters Of the Des Moinss
river In Dickinson county, Iowa. and at
place called Springfield in Southwest
ern Minnesota. A difficulty Of some
kind occurred between this rowing band
of Indians and the settlers, which cul-
minated in massacre of about forty
two whites. of all ages and sexes. and
the carrying off OF the four white
women. Messengers wers sent to the
Sioux agency on the upper waters OF
the Minnesota river, near the Redwood.
and arrived there after an exhaustive
tramp through the deep snow of about
100 miles ABOUT the last In March. The
news OF the massacre was communi-
Gated to Agent Flandrau, who was then
In charge of the Sioux. He immedi-
atelyi procured the assistance of Col.
Alexander, of the Tenth United States
infantry. then stationed at Fort Ridgley.
and proceeded to the scene Of the
troubles with one company Of infantry
and two guides, Joe Conosolle and Joe
LafrombOise, two Sioux half breeds,
aud often most laborious and painful
march OF over $50 miles through the
deep melting snow. the command ar
rived at Spirit Lake and Springfield,
only to find the people Of both settle
nents murdered. and the Indians sew
eral days on their retreat to the west
ward; a pursuit was attempted but
soon abandoned as hopeless. The
soldiers buried the dead aud leaving
guard returned.
The names of the women carried into
captivity were Mrs. Noble, Mrs.
Thatcher, Mrs. Marble and Miss Gard
ner. The Indians went to point
called Skunk Lake. where two young
Sioux of Agent Flandrau's Indians
found them OH their return from hunt
aud succeeded in purchasing Mrs.
Marble, whom they brought in to the
Yellow Medicine river and delivered to
the agent. who at once set about to
rescue the other captiyes.a succeeded
in liberating Miss Gardner and deliver
ing her safely into the hands of her
relatives. The rescuing party found
the other two women, Mrs. Noble and
Mrs. Thatcher, had been murdered by
the sayages before they arrived at the
camp.
The legislature of Minnesota was in
session at the time and made an appro-
priation Of $4,000 for the rescue of the
eaptives. but Agent Flandrau had an
ticipated their good Intentions and Sc
cured them before the news OF the leg
lslatiye action reached the frontier; but
Samuel Medary, who was then governor
of the territory, turned the approprfa-
ton over to Agent Fiandrau to use 1t as
he thought best, and il served to reim-
burse the OUTLAWS made by the agent.
a mi SciR arin nd 4 dnr in
ting out the resculng party and making
presents to the Indians who volunteered
for the service, the balance being re-
turned to the treasury.
Miss Gardner was. at the time Of her
capture, about fourteen or fifteen years
of age. She afterward married Mr..
Sharp. and she is now his widow. and
known as Mrs. Abbie Gardner Sharp.
She wrote narrative of her trials aud
captivity, and afterward purchased the
log cabin Oh the banks OF the beautiful
Lake Okobo]i, which was the home.
stead OF her parents, and where they
were killed, and whence she was car
ried off by the Indians. She has fitted
the place IN prettily, and resides there
IN the summer and sells to tourists h er
book and photographs of the various
scenes Of interest in that historic
neighborhood. The place has become
a great resort for pleasure seekers fro m
large part of the Northwest.
A few years ago Mrs. Sharp con-
ceiyed the project Of asking the state
of Iowa to mark the spot of so much
interest In its history by the erection of
suitable monument. to which the last
legislature generously responded with
an appropriation of $1,000 for the pur-
pose and appointed her as one of the
commissions and the contract was award
ed to our enterprising townsmen, the
Peterson Granite company, of Fourth
street, ST. Paul. 1t will be an imposing
shaft of Eastern granite. ifty-fve feet
in height and of the most graceful pro-
portions.
The Spirit Lake Beacon informs us
that on one side will appear the names
OF those killed in the massacre, on
another the names of the relief party,
on the third brief historical statement,
and on the fourth that it was erected
by order of the Twenty-fitth general as
sembly of the state of Iowa. From q
private source we learn that on the
south front of the monument will be the
following Inscription:
MEMORANDA.
miss Aoble Gardner. Mrs. Lydia
Noble, Mrs, Elizabeth Thatcher and
Mrs. Margaret Anne Marble were car.
ried into captivity.
Mrs. Thatcher and Mrs. Noble were
cruelty murdered by the Indians. Mrs.
Marble was released May q, and Miss
Gardner ON June %, 1857. through the
efforts of Hon. Charles E. Flandrau and
Gov. Samuel Medary. of Minnesota"
BOA is MAY KUN To MINNIE,
Washburn Does Some Good