The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-16
" EDUCATED" INDIANS
An Account Of the Murder and Gre
nation of Mrs. Mary ]. Platt.
A NOBLE-HEARTED WOMAN
The Tragedy Occurred In Southern
California Three Years 400.
and the Red Fiends Have
JUST Been Caught.

While on tour through souther,
California In September, 1893, Attorne,
II. Is. Howell and party from Butte
visited the government school on tn,
Pachango resevertion and formed th,
acquaintance Of Mrs. Mary ]. Platt The
teacher, who made their visit an eniov.
able one. They found her a noble.
hearted woman and a splendid enter.
tainer. She had been bereaved of hus.
band and children early in Ne and had
given up her time to teaching. and 70,
three years had been teaching on the
reservation. She was devoted to her
work. and was the only white person on
the reservation.
Mrs. Plat entertained the visitors
with narratives Of her work among the
Indians and the history of the Teme-
cula Indians on the reservation. of
whom Helen Hunt wrote in Ramona. 4"
AS Is well known, the ancient tribe was
elected from the lands they had occu-
pied for many generations and their
property destroyed, and were driven up
into the Pechango valley. The Indians
, felt that they had been robbed and
plundered and always bore a deep feel
ing or hatred towards the whites
consequence was that the teachers sent
10 the reservation never remained long
until Mrs. Plat went there. Mrs.
Flatt pursued fearless policy towards
the indians and at the same time she
Taught them to love her. In recounting
the story of her life among the Indians
she became an object of admiration to
her visitors, and friendship was formed
That continued during her life. Mr..
Howell, after his return to Butte. re-
ceived several letters from her. and he
followed with interest the work of the
noble and self-sacrificing tacher. The
last information he received of her was
contained in press dispatch which re-
lated that during the night of Sent %
1894, she was foully murdered and her
body and the school building burned to
ashes The crime bore all the evidence
OF the cunning work OF Indian fiends.
and created the greatest excitement in
Lower California.
AT the time of the murder a young
niece OF Mrs. Plat lived with her, An
investigation of the crime developed the
fact that the unfortunate woman was
called from her house and then seized
ana dragged some distance down a gull
ley, where she was horribly maltreated
and finally killed. The body was then
returned TO the house, placed in the
center or a room covered with wood and /
saturated with OIL after which the pile
was set on fire. While all this was go
ing on the little girl was asleep in an
ADJOINING room and was awakened by
an Indian who came in and ransacked
the apartment in search of valuables.
She ran out of the house and passed the
burning pile i'm her aunt's room. but
not Knowing at the time of the dreadful
crime that had been committed
many or the Indians on the reserya-
ton were arrested for the murder. and
one, Mateo Pa, an old man and friend
or the murdered woman, was finally
PUT on trial Mateo had on the day of
the murder asked Mrs. Plat for some
money to go to a fiesta some distance
away. He was refused the money and
acted very sullen. other circumstances
were also brought out against him. The
main witness against him was Francis
go Guavish, but so unsatisfactory and
were his statements and
his own villianous appearance was so
much against him that the jury acquit-
ted Mateo Pa. 1t was attempted to be
SHOWN that Mateo in a Mt of anger at
Mrs. Platt for espousing the cause of
an enemy of his and for refusing him
money, had caused her to be outraged |
murdered and burned. After the ac-
luittal of Mateo the authorities almost
rave up hope of finding the murderer
put now interest in the case has sud
ienly been revived and Mr.. Howell is in
receipt of information that indicates
hat the murderers of Mrs. Plat are at
asst in custody.
Ever since the trial Of Mateo some
II the authorities have suspected that
iuaVish knew more about the crime
nan ne had told, but no evidence could
'e obtained against him. A few weeks
go Mexican herder. and a companion
4 Guavish surprised the officers by in
orming them that the Indian had
made partial confession to him and
lad implicated two other Indians. NAM
d Francesca Rodriguez and Venture ,
ialido. On the strength of the infor-
nation the three Indians were arrested.
lalido was put in a sweat box and a Z
ull confession was wormed out Of him.
Chief Mateo PA and ad-
hitting his own completely in the crime T
nth Rodriguez and Guavish The
rhine was planned by the latter and
ruely and -bloodedly carried out. +
he victim was tortured and maltreat-
for an hour and was then choked to
cath by Guavish and her body drag +
ed back to the house and burned Qua
ishs motive for trying to fasten the
rime on Mateo Pa was because he 3
oped to succeed him as chief. After
Ialido's confession had been obtained
lavish also offered to confess on con- +
deration that his neck would be SPAR
!, but his offer was declined, and il is
kelly that Mrs. Platt's brutal murder
i'll soon be avenged. An interesting
lct in connection with the crime is
lat Guavish. Rodriguez and Malido :,
re educated" and civilized" Indians 4
fact which seems to raise a doubt
lat General Sherman's aphorism, that
lie only good Indian is a dead Indian | =,
entirely wrong.
Ia Ia q