The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-21
LAST OF THE MIAMlS
DEATH AND BURIAL OF sAs-sA-
QuAs, An OLD INDIAN CHIEF.
Was Ccntennrinn and the Only
FuIl-Bloodcd Representative of
His Once Famous Tribe.
pecial to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
KOKOMO, Ind, Feb. 20-Sas-sa-tuas,
chief OF the Miamis and the last of his
race, died at the reserve last aeek, aged
about one hundred years His death cis-
liberated the original Miami Indians IN In
diana. Chief Sas-sa-quas better known as
Jim Sassafras, spent his early days in this
county, the principal village of the Tribe
being on the present site of Kokomo- Chief
Sas-sa-quas was a direct descendant f Lit
tie Turkey, whose defeat at Pressure Isle
by General Wayne is memorable history.
Sas-sa-quas became chief III 1858 on the
death of Pete Cornstalk, whose remains re-
pose under an unmarked mound the
banks of Pete's run, eight miles west Of
this city. Sas-sa-quas himself Killed four
white settlers. 1t is told that on the Geath
Of Cornstalk, Sas-sa-quas' predecessor, the
latter hired two white men with team and
wagon to haul the dead chiefs remains to
this city for interment. The men. instead of
coming here with the remains as instructed
inferred the body in secluded spot twenty
miles west of town and robbed It of its
ornaments, SaS-sa-quas, on learning Of the
deception, killed the robbers, Draining them
with his tomahawk. Some t.ma later Sds-
Sa-Quas killed two other men caught in
the act of dasecrating Indian graves and
abstracting weapons and valuable rehcs
With the MANS grave robb'ng WAS the
most heinouS offense recognized ard the
ghOulS were killed on sight.
The city of kokomO derives its name from
Co-co-ma, brother Of Chief Sas sa Guas,
VINO was himself a chief. There were five
Indian villages in this county N the tanks
of Wildcat river, Kokomo creek and Sete's
rum The last collision between the whites
and Indians in this county was in 1874. one
of the early settlers, JAMES .. Fry, stdked
off a claim near the village of jerome, III
the center of what turnet out to be a
skins. This so enraged the Indians that
they gathered up all the Young braves and
began raid of destruction. cabins, FENCES,
barns and other newly erected buildings
were burned and live stock was rounded
up driven into the indian camps. The
whites sued Tor peace ana onee re TO pay
to relinquish all claims to the land ii the
whites would give them d load OF hay for
Indian camp and peace AMI harmony was
restored. Two years later the tribe, three
hundred in number, Was removed 10 the rev
reservation in Miami county
Chief Sas-sa-quas, whose life was p9lonsed
to round out a century, was We'll educated
and accurate hist ,rlan of his people;
He was possessed of model physique ana
was noted for his feats of strength and
powers of endurance He was buried Sat
urday in the Indian cemetery on the Godfrey
farm. The chief was the last o. the Old
stock to pass to he. happy hunang
the younger ones nave by intermar 'age
with the whites blotted out nearly all trace
of Indian blood. They are frugal end in
dustrious farmers and good peaceable cit-
zens, attending strictly To business and liy-
ing up to the average type of civilization.
Funeral of American Horse.
NEW YORK, Feb 2o.--American Horse,
the full-blooded Indian, who died at his New
York home, on Broome street, was laid at
rest last night in lonely grave in Ever
green Cemetery. Although American Horse.
whose civilized name was Thomas Dibeaux,
was a Roman Catolic, there were no reiig-
ious ceremonies either AZ the house or
the grave. Father Chris, of ST. Alpa ,nsus
Church. attended the DID man during his
last illness and after his death ON Sunday
read prayers over the body. There we're
no other ceremonies except those held by
a number of American Horses Ie.atives
and friends. These ceremonies were held by
the Indians alone and they ref lssd . say
what had taken place, except that to-na-
hawk had been placed in the coffin and
that there had been d chant ii when che
of the men led. The ceremonies lasted about
half an hour. In the room during the GER
einonles were tie widow, Droopinis Ecugh,
White Cloud, ner brother, White CLOUD. r.,
two other Indian men and women. When
the coffin had been placed in the nearse
White Cloud, his son, Dropping Bo|ch emu
one of the Indian women got into the only
carriage in waiting and the small procession
started for the cemetery. AT the cemetery
there was no ceremony whatever. American
Horse was a Canadian Indian, sixty-five
years old. He was scout in the late
war and drew q pension of S12 month
from the government. He was said to have
been a member of Grand Army post.