Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-06-25
A TERRIBLE REVENGE.
smallpox-Infected Blankets Destroyed
scores of Indians.

San Antonia (Tex) correspondent
In the bc-Democrat: John Fer
ris, the veteran stage driver, who in
The carly sos drove the stage on the
overland Iouto between Independ-
ence, Mo, and Santa Fc, was relaJ-
ing some of his interesting exper-
lences to group of friends the
other day when he told story, the
circumstances of which will be re.
called by many of the pioneer citi-
tens of St. Louis and the Western
country.
1.-The smallpox outbreak among
the Comanche Indians in the yea7 CT
1885," sa d he, "caused stir
througout the Western country. l
carried the first news of that devas.
tatinG plague to the outside world. l
was making one of my regular trips
from santa Ee to Independence,
when lStopped at small trading
post situated on the Neosho River.
There was great excitement among
the few white settlers at the post,
and when inquired the cause of the
CONJUNCTION | was told that smallpox
had been raging for several weeks
among the Indians who thickly pop
lated that section. | was taken to
the place where the dead redskins
nld been buried, and there were
hundreds Of newly formed moc ids,
each of which represented Il victim
)f the sco,rge.
"SmallpoX had up to that time
Ocen 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 the spring Of 1885 Two
Foung men OF wealthy families, whose
names l have now forgotten, went
)ut from st. Louis to the plains fOi
.ae purpose OF spending a few
months, the object of the trip being
for the benefit of one of the young
mems health. They reached Council
jroye SAFELY and decided to rema n
there short time. They decided
20 get a taste of the sport OF hunting
buffalo, which at that time came
within twenty or thirty miles of
Council Grove in large numbers. Ac-
,ordingly they left Counc | Grove one
morning chrly on two weeks hunt.
They were mounted on good horses,
which son 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 excit ng
chase. The invalid young man
killed onGiof the animals and had
1ismountld to view his prize when a
big, strapping Indian rode out of
clump of cottonwood trees, and with
out warning shot the white man
down andlthen proceeded to take his
scalp. The companion of the muir
1ercd man witnessed the horrible
crime and thinking that similar
fate awaited him If he tarried in
that section, put spurs to his horse
and headed in the direction of Coun-
Grove. He was closely pursued
by the Hood thirsty Indian, who had
exchanged his mount for that of tho
man hi had just killed. Aftor
hard aid long rile the white man
escaped and reached Council Grove
in an axhaustcd condition. A party
was atonce organized to go out and
br ng IN the remains Of the mur.
dcrcd man, and it was led to the
spot ~ the survivor. The body was
rounC to be horri0lv mutilated, and
it hal been stripped of every par.
ticle of raiment The companion OF
the murdered man vowed that he
woud have revenge upon the whole
tribY OF Indians for the foul deed
whi,h one OF the members had com.
mitted, and he kept his VOW.
Ile returned to ST. Louis, and
wien he arrived in that city he
leIned that the hospital there con-
tahed number of cases of smallpox.
lp made the acquaintance of one of
tH attendants of the hospital, and
| iHuced the latter to sell him a mum.
lfr OF blankets which had been used
y cover the smallpox patients He
hcn boxed these blankets up secure.
" and shipped them TO Council
Grove. lle went out and personally
distributed the infected blankets
among the Indians gratis, and re.
ceived much praise from the Indians
and people generally for his philan.
thIophy. When the necessary time
had elapsed after receiving the
blankets there was general out
break of smallpox among the 1n1i
ans. The disease spread rapidly and
theydied by the score. AS soon rs
an Indian would feel the fever which
attends the disease coming on he
would make u bec-line for the Neo,
sho River, into which he would
plunge. lie would die in a short
timn after retting out of the water"