Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1896-02-28
A HOUND OF DEATH.

\ From the ST. Louis GlObo-DcmOcrat.
Slaughterings IN this country like
those in Armenia; Il christian village
wiped out in a single night and the
people burned and tortured. The
idea seems incredible.
Yet such massacre, in which more
than COO people lost their lives, &C.
Cured In northeast Arizona in the
year 1900 The site of the martyr viii
lagc is marked by great heap, which
ls known to the indians today as the
"Mound OF Death" Up to now, how
ever nothing has been known definitely
about the mound. The old Spanish
records speke Of the destruction Of
the town OF Awatub at the period
mentioned, by seven other Moqui
towns that combined to attack 1t, bit
there was no other Information, save
such as could be derived from abOrigi-
nal legends. liut an investigation set
on foot by the bureau OF ethnolVgy
has brought everything TO light, and
digging in the mound has revealed
plenty OF evidence respecting the rag
ic catastrophe.
EthnOlogist j. Walker Fcwkcs has
just returned TO Washington from the
Investigation. During the last sum
Iuer aud autumn he has been engaged
in general examination OF ruins in
the neighborh0Od of the present Mo-
qui villages. There are seven modern
villages Of these Indians who number
about 1000 souls. Formerly they were
much more numerous than at present,
occupying, perhaps one-feurth OF Ari-
z0ua. All around them arc mounds
which are the remains OF towns de-
serted and extinct. OF these the most
remarkable arc the rains OF Awstobi
and Sikyatki.
AwatObi signifies "placc Of the Bow
People" According Ia the MoQui leg
end it was destroyed because wizards
lived there. The people OF the tSwn
welcomed tho Spanish priests and ac-
cepted the Christian religion. From
this cause arose much trouble. The
rain stayed away aud so many annoy
lug things happened that the seven
other villages decided to wipe out
AwatoM. They combined in a night
assault, when most OF the men Of
AwatObi were engaged in religious ex-
ercises in Il suhtcrranean ceremonial
chamber. The Invaders being admit
ted by treacheTy through the gates
surrounded the underground chamber
and, having cut 0ff all means OF escape
for the occupants, threw blazing fag-
gots down upon them. They also cast
in quantities OF red peppers to add to
the tOrtures OF the burning victims.
Most OF the people in the town we're
massacred, though the children aud a
few OF the women were saved.
Dr.Fewkcs made up his mind to dig
into the mound OF death. II there
was any truth in the legend he ought
to lnd evidence. lie persuaded an
aged Indian, who seemed To be well
acquainted with all the traditions 0f
the tribe, to accompany him to the
ruins OF AwatobI and point out the
approximate location Of the 'kiva"
or ceremonial chamber, referred to Ia
the story. Then, with the assistance
of ferce of natives, digging was be.
gun. To remove the debris and SUI
perincumhent sand OF the mound was
Il big job, but the labor was we'll re.
warded, for the excavation Mt length
disclosed the walls Of tho "kiva." 1t
was room Of large Size and At the
bottom were found great quantities Of
human bones, evidently representing
scores of individuals. Many OF the
bones had been charrcd by Ore. In
short, It was demonstrated that the
legend was no idle tale. Here, caught
like so many rats in a trap, perhaps
hearty 100 men had met their fate un-
der conditions the most horrible that
csuld be imagined. Not far away,
near the gate of the town, DR.. Fewkes
found evidences of another massacre,
immense numbers OF human bones
forming ghastly accumulat tion. In
this place, as in the ceremonial cham
Der, the bones we're mixed up higgledy
piggledy, In such faanner as to pre-
clude the notion OF mere burial. 1t
was case OF promiscuOus slaughter,
bloodthirsty and ruthless. Among
the MOqul the dead are buried ordin-
arlly with the most respect and even
reverence, being laid in the graves
with ceremonies as elaborate as are
those which prevail among the Chris
tians.
Dr. Fewkes obtained a complets
story OF the massacre from an old
You Can BeIisVs
The testimonials published in behalf
az VOndsa - a rua M riiia T'haV nra