Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-02-08
sQUAWs UNDER THE HAMMER.
Features OF the Annual Sale OF
Brides by the Comanche Indians.

Features OF the Annual Sale OF
Brides by the Comanche Indians.
The annual distribution Of Comanche
Indian brides has just occurred at the
Saddle Mountain mission, in South
ern Oklahoma. Fifty of the prettiest
women Of the tribe were sold at public
auction as the wives Of tribesmen who
; bid them in. This barbaric custom was
to have been discontinued by the Co.
inanches last year, but it went on more
boldly than ever this season, being con-
Quoted under the very eyes Of the white
settlers.
The festival Of the Comanche pony
smoke" as this ceremony is called, is Of
more than passing interest. Seldom
are so many young squaws auctioned
off as was done this year, but the sur
plus was great and needed thinning
out, according to the head men Of the
tribe. Their parents, refusing to keep
them any longer, the girls naturally
needed homes somewhere, and 1t was
deemed best by the medicine men to
auction them off as wives, the highest
bidders to take their choice. Big Bow,
a monstrous fat and ugly redskin, act
ed as the auctioneer. He was assisted
by number Of medicine men, who per-
formed the marriage ceremonies after
the sales had been made.
Five hundred. Indians gathered at the
Saddle Mountain mission last week.
This mission is located 30 miles direct
ly south Of Mountain View, and on the
range Of the Wichita mountains. The
in lodge for three weeks prior to the
meeting, and were we'll fed and ex-
tremely well groomed. They were all
clad in gay colors, and their hair ar
ranged in perfect Indian fashion. 1t
was plain to see that their parents had
prepared them to bring fancy prices.
The girls were In various moods; some
hysterical, others calm, and not few
delighted with the experience.
Among others was a daughter Of the
famous Quahnah Parker, the noted Co.
manche Indian chief. This daughter,
whose name Is Amy, had displeased
him by attempting to run away and
marry white man and a cowboy at
that, so Parker decided that the best
thing would be to sell her at auction.
This Is the first time Parker, who Is
counted by his white neighbors high
ly cultivated red man, has ever allowed
any Of his relatives to be sacrificed at
the auction block. But the wrath Of an
Indian parent knows no bounds.
Sad and silent, Amy Parker was led
to the block for sale. The first bid was
II ponies. Jack Wild Horse, a we'll
known scout Of the tribe, was the bid
der. He was Immediately raised by
rival, likewise scout. This latter
claimant bid Is. Others then cut in,
and Miss Parker was run up to so po-
nfes. Her face grew pale when she saw
that Wild Horse was determined to get
her, as he Is known as the most des-
perate savage on the reservation when
has killed three wives when drunk.
Wild Horse, however, won the young
sauaw for SO ponies. The stock was
turned over to Parker, and medicine
man married Wild Horse and the squaw
according to the Comanche rites. The
couple then went to Ell Reno, where
regular marriage license twas issued
and the ceremony repeated by pale
face minister. Although the marriage
took place only three days ago, dis
patch from Lawton says that she at
tempted to commit suicide after fail
ing in an attempt to kill her new hus-
band.
Other young women objected quite as
strongly as Miss Parker did to being
auctioned off, but 1t did them no good
whatever. big Bow went ahead with
the sale until every one Of them was
sold. The lowest bid made for any Of
them was 20 ponies. This was the
price paid for half-breed woman who
had been married to white man, but
the latter having died, she reverted
back to her parents again.
In all over 1,5O0 ponies changed hands
in the three days Of the big bridal auc-
tion. Not for many years have the
squaws commanded such spirited bid
ding and big prices as in this latest
event Of its kind among the Conan
ches.-Chicago Inter-Ocean.