Graham guardian., 1902-03-07
The Yuma Indians t ,uk the tt ibal Doctor
over the Bord er for Good.

/
ords show, the scourge of smallpox
has not been stayed, although that
was the object of putting out the
light Of the medicine man.
Padre" he was called. During
long winters and hot summer
Padre ministered to his always
dirty and sometimes aillng chill.
dren. Snake charms and Incanta,
tions worked admirably so long as
there was nothing serious the mat
ter, and all went well in the settle
ment Of the aborigines, near Yuma.
However, few weeks ago there
was CONSERVATION in the Indian
huts when one after the other sue
cumbed to the dread disease small
pox. Old and young were alike
attacked, and inroads were being
made on the population in start
ling manner. those who recover
ed were SO deeply "pItted" by tho
scars Of the disease that the marks
seriously interierred with the con-
tlnuity Of the indelible tribal and
family marks with which the In
dams line their faces at mouth and
eye corners and on cheek and
forehead.
All thi> time Padre kept W. his
muttering incantation, distributed
his charmcs and fed the sacred
fires, but to no avail. Then began
u mutterlng among the Indians,
and this grew to woll-developed
revolt against the authority and
teachiugs OF the medicine man.
Padre knew eaough OF his tribe
to appreciate the danger OF its
wrath, so be fed to the bills. Af
ter u few days starvation stared
bin in the face. Game was scarce
and he was without the means of
killing it for food. Cold nights in
the mountains chilled his desire to
retain authority and lead an easy
life.
Shivering ana hungry he made
his way back to the camp with
visions of at least enjoying the,i
warmth Of his smoke stained hut
and, perhaps, assuaging the gnaw-
ing pangs that made him realize,i
Tao Importance of . food supply.
When the smallpox began to
spread Padre had been consulted |
freely, and he had rs freely pre-.
dioted that by his magic and the
following OF his directions he could !
free the village Of Inc pest. Now
ne was willing 10 admit his error, I
- orIer to regain admission to the
tribe he offered to humble himself!
and become lowly member.
But the tribe members would
have none OF this. Padres past
record was recalled, and it was set
down against him that he had
made nine false predictions This
alone was enough to accomplish
his official dow tal, without the
added failure to stop the smallpox
scourge.
A council was held and the In
dians decided that the scourge of
sickne was due to the sins of the
tribe. Nothing but blood could
eXpiate these sins, and it was de-
Clded that the blood must be that
Of a tribe member. Padre pleaded
for mercy, but in vain, as he was
decided to be the most available
sacrifice.
SO he was seized and bound
hand and foot. Then delegation
of Indians set off with him across
the Mexican border They came
back without the medicine man,
but what was his fate is left large
ly to conjecture.
From hints let fall by some Of
the younger members of the sacri-
tical party it is supposed that he
was bound to a convenient tree
and tortured to death. The death
dealing necessarily meant blood
letting, and it was here that the
fendish ingenuity of the Indians
was given full play. FIRST, it is
said, the balfstarved medicine man
was, Tantalus like, given u vision
Of a beautiful meal just without his
grasp until he was wrought up in
t. frenzy. Then the sharp
knives Of the Indians began the
blood-letting Of the human sacri-
fee.
" hether they carried their cut
ting as far as deliberate murder is
not definitely known, but it is sup
posed that the tortured medicine
man was left in his weakened con-
dition. Anyway, the delegation
returned satisfied with its work
and content that the smallpox
epidemic had been checked
1t is probable that would-be
medicine men will be slow in of
fering themselves in that capacity,
and for time at least these Yumas
will have to depend upon natural
means for recovery from sickne SIS.
THE delinquent list of Graham
county, published in the Era last