Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-05-26
FROM The sioux city Tribune.)


tFrofn the sioux City TribuBe.)
Decatur. Neb., special-Appalied by
the fatal termination of a tremendous
spree In which the Indians of the
Omaha reservation INDUCED W weeks
ago tonight. during which six or them
died. the white people. of this COM
munity rose in their wrath and closed
two saloons which have been aecuseu
OF much Of the debauchery or the
wards of the government during the
past two years.
Added 10 the deaths last week three
murders during the past year are at
tributahle TO ~fire-water. a total OF
eight natural deaths was of itself SUI
ficient to rouse the slumbering con-
science Of the whites.
But what probably had more to do
with the sudden determination or the
authorities to put an n TO the de-
plosable conditions was the reign or
terror which prevailed here a week
ago tonight, when a white oma dar-
ed not venture ON the street and the
appearance OF white men was q signal
for what might have been called an
Indian outbreak in the days when the
redskins, armed with tomahawks and
guns, were wont 10 lift scalps.
Whites Were Terrorized.
With brains fired by the poisonous
liquor doled out with liberal hand by
the saloonk eepers, who regarded them
selves privileged TO sell TO Indians UNI
der the recent decision Of Judge Brew
er of the supreme court, the Indians
reeled madly up and down the prin-
cipai business streets OF the town.,
shrieking wildly and fighting among
themselves and occasionally varying
- .aA - Iat- Ln Gf ne.- NfEH M
the streets.
Indian women screamed in a frenzy
Of excitement, bucks muttered In
maudlin rage or laughed i~nsanely, In
dian children. brought TO town by their
parents, cried pitifully as they swung
dizziiy upon the backs of their drunk
en- mothers. TO this was added the
hoarse commands Of determined
attempting TO qnell the dis
turbance and restore in some measure
order out OF chaos, while the motley
chorus rose from the little plain like
the shrieks Of the damned from the
pit OF the inferno.
Dante, in his most inspired moment
describing his visit 10 hell, did not sur
pass the horrors Of the night In De-
catur when the saloons celebrated their
last day OF license and the Indians
themselves into a state OF stupe-
from which six of them sank
never 10 rise again.
Death Was q Relief.
Far into the night the orgy contilu-
I'd. Barrel after barrel of the william
ous liquor sold as whisky to the In
dams was gulped down. Crazed only
FOR a short time, the strongest redskin
500 overcome by the poisonous
stuff and dropped In his tracks, there
- w..ot. ar1 4, xyHIIa hf1 lahnwnI
breathing told Of the struggle of ut
ragged nature TO throw off the Effects.
The overworked hearts Of the reds,
their blood running like molten lead in
their veins, In most instances fought
back death, but six OF them died the
following day. their copper -colored
upturned To the sky In mute pro-
test against the avariee OF the In
white man who had sold to
them the poison which robbed their
debauched and degraded them
and at last dealt the death blow. When
hey had gone TO the happy hunting
grounds of their fathers. doubtless the
relatives Of the dead felt that death
preferable TO the living misery of
the days following the orgy.
And yet, when the following Satur-
lay came, many OF those who INDUCED
In the fnghtful drunk of such fatal
consequences were back again In De-
catur, begging for more liquor. The
saloons were closed, but throughout
the town u and bucks at the
back doors OF houses where bootleg
gers were known 10 reside, offered
fabulous sums for more OF the poison
Gus stuff. The black, beady eyes OF
Indians blinked feverishly with tx
pectation as they peered greedily in
kitchens of the whites or shook
trembling fingers toward the barns
on occasions they had been able
TO purchase the fire-water Of passing
pleasure. But, remembering the *
perience of & week previous, the boot
We're WARY. They declined to
sell or give away the liquor, If they
had any in hiding, and so the Indians
went home last Saturday night grum-
bling and threatening to withdraw
their trade from the community.
Beer Sold From churns.
In q few instances a limited amount
OF beer was dispensed to the Indians,
who. however. were insistent upon pur-
chasing whisky, brandy or pure alco-
hol. So depraved have the redskins
become that they buy perfumery, lem
90 extract OF patent medicines which
contain alcohol or whisky. Even this
was denied them last Saturday, and
so the thirsty of the Indians had to
content themselves with lager. Some
OF this was Struggled into Decatur
from Onawa.
1t was brought in churns and wash
Ing machines and bailed out at 25
cents a dipper.
Liquor Is Real Poison.
The liquor sold the Indians IS about
the vilest poison possible to %concoct.
just what the Ingredients are no one
seems 10 know, but the general opinion
Is that Ii Is composed OF the cheapest
alcohol or Columbia spirits, tobacco,
flavoring extract and burned sugar for
cosoring. Whatever ii is, the drinker
soon after imbibing becomes crazed
for q short time and then is attacked
by violent nausea. The stuff attacks
the lining OF the stomach. a high In
Illumination following. The 6rinker
soon vomits blood and for days after
the debauch Is unable to retain food
even liquids. Great exhaustion fol-
lows a debauch, the heart action is
slow and q high fever prevails.
White Man Couldn't Take II.
The whites shun the Indian booze as
they would rank poison. but not long
ago an old settler here was induced
10 accept q bottle Of the liquid light
ming dispensed 10 the Indians. 1t was
presented to him by an Indian high in
fEA aAt.ngflc ~ htq f~thn o~1 tho cnf-