The Tucson citizen., 1902-07-11
Chicago Inter Ocean.
GREWSOME INDIAN CHARM
Hta Losn Led the Cheyenne Braves
% Leave the Wnrpath.

Gta Losm Led the cheyenne Braves
10 Leave the Warpath.
or all the grewsome things In the
National museum the necklace present
ed several years ago by Captain John
G. Burke OF the United States army
stands unequaled as monument to
Indian cruelty and superstition. This
necklace consists first of all OF a long
buckskn cord made by rolling up
large strip of skin and sewing II along
the border so that throughout its Ell
tire length IL will measure something
over an inch In circumference, or about
q third OF an Inch IN diameter. Thts
cylinder OF buckskin Is covered with
beadwerk 80 that no part OF the SKIN IN
exposed. The beads are sewed on In
rather tasteful patterns. the cotors OF
which are white aud blue. A thin bcc&
skin string Is attached TO either end OF
this thick, bead incrusted cord. by
means of which the cylinder is tied
about The neck OF the wearer.
Hanging from the undeTside OF this
necklace and running throughout It's
entire length are twelve human fingers
and several small tiint Hrrow heads OF
peculiar shape and workmanship at
tached by buekskin strings, In the
middle Of the Efscklace depend three
small medicine bags made of the
tanned hide or skin Of human hesng~
These bags contain charm stnnes and
other pafaPhernaila OF the medicine
man.
The human fingers. forming tbe rcst
conspicuous feature Of the necksace.
are complete. having been cut of be-
tween the middle joint and the k1uc-
kle, They have been dried In such
manner as 10 preserve their natural
color finger nails, etc. and look As
fresh as though they had been rs-
moved only few hours.
During General Crooks eafnpasgn
aga inst the Sioux and Cbeyennes In
1876 the Fourth cavalry and q dstscn-
ment OF Indian scouts under ColoDei 4.
G. Mackenzie surprised and storned
the chief town and principal strong
bold Of the cheyetnea, During or.
rather. after this engagement one Of
the Indian scouts Bap'iste pouvtes.
better known M Zig Bat. entered tb*
lodge OF the chief medicine man Of TIE
deserted village. and among cthes
things that the medicine man had over.
looked In his hurried fiIght from The
town the scout found this curious neck
lace. Big Bat gave the necklaces IN
Colonel Rurke. who later turned II oves
TO student OF Indian religions and su-
perstitions. and be In turn presented Il
TO the National museum.
Subsequently something Of the bis
tory OF this necklace was learned Ta
fingers were those OF famous enec iss
noted for their superior courage and
bravery whom the Cheyennes bad
killed in battle during their varioes
wars, while the human skin OF whiek f
the medicine bags were made Was alse
taken from the bodies OF enemies s.sis s
In battle. The necklace In very old and
was looked upon by the Cheyennes 50
a thing endowed with miraculous pov.
ers. Prior TO its capture by fig Ba,
had belonged 10 famous medicine
man OF that tribe. who had never sf
lowed any white man to lay eyes OF Il
and Its loss put very sudden and
abrupt end TO the Cheyenne war. Th
Cheyennes tried bard to get II back,
Offering large sum Of money and .
great many horses for It's return. bet
this was refused. and since then ,hs
Cheyennes have remained at peace
with the whites. Washington Post