Evening journal., 1902-07-28
eREwsoME7 INDIAN, CHARM.
Its Loss ,Led the Cheyenne braves
toALcavc the Nhrpzth.

to'Lcavc the Whrpzth.
OF all The grcwsomo tlnngs In the
Nationallmusoum thcinecklace present
ed several years agolby Captain John
G.. Burke of 'thc Urr9ded States army
stands unequnled as ihonument TO
Indian cruelty,and superstition. This
necklace consists first Of all of a long
huckskin cord made by rolling up a
large strip oftskin and sewing It along
the border sol that throughout It's en-
tire lepgth It will measure something
over an inch inl nlcircumference. or about
a third Of an inch IN diameter This
cylinder of hmkslin Is covered with
boadwork so that no partiof the skin Is
exposed. The lbcads are. sewed on In
rather tastefuh patterns, ,the colors of
which are whitciand bluel A thin buck
skin string is attached TO either end of
this thick, bead incrusted cord. by
means Of which the cylinder is tied
about the neck oflthe woarer.
Hanging from the umderside of this
necklace and running throughout its
entire length are tNelve human fingers
and several small flint 'arrowheads Of
peculiar shape and Workmanship at
tached by buckslxln strings. In the
middle Of the necklnceJ depend three
small medicine bags made Of the
tanned hide or skin ofahuman beings.
These bags contain. .charm stones and
other paraphernalias Of the medicine
man.
The human iingersA farming the most
conspicuous feature of the necklace,
are complete, having been cut Off be
tween the middle jolnta and the knuc-
llle They have been dried In such
manner as TO preserveNthelr natural
color, finger nails. ETC. and look as
fresh as though they had been re-
moved only a few hours.
During General Crooks campaign
against the Sioux and Cheyennes IN
1876 the Fourth cavalryTand detach.
ment of Indian scouts under Colonel r.
I Q. Mackenzie surprised and stormed
the chief town and principal strong
hold Of the Cheyennes. During or
rather, after this engagement one OF
the Indian scouts, Bnptlste Pouvler
better known as Big Bat, entered the
lodge Of the chief naediclne man OF tn,
deserted village, nmd among othel
things that the medicine man had over
looked in his hurried flight frsm th'
town the scout foundsthis curious neck
lace. Big Bat gave the necklace L
Colonel Burke, who lasier turned It owe
TO a student OF Indian religions and su
persutions. and he in,turn presented
. 10 the National museum.
Subsequently something Of the his
tory OF this necklace was learned. Tn
i, fingers were these Of famous enemie
: noted for their superior courage an
4 bravery whom the Cheyennes ha
killed In battle during tholr varlou
s wars. whilo the human skin of whlc
& the medicine bags weremade was ais
y taken from the bodies OF enemies slal
in battle. The necklace is very old an
was looked upon by the Cheyennes q
n thing endowed with miraculous pow
ers. Prior to ifs capture by Big Bat
O. had belonged to n famous medicin
. man Of that tribe who had never a
= lowed any whiterman 10 lay eyes ON /
d and its loss put very sudden an
abrupt end TO the Cheyenne war. III
Cheyennes tried hard ITO get 1t bacl
Offering n large sum ~ money and
great many horses for its return. bl
i- this was refused. and since then II
Cheyennes have remained at peaS
~ with the Observation-Disclosures Post.