The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-02-16

habitants were engaged in disin-
terring the dead citizsns, who were
buried in the street, for reburial in
a more appropriate burial place.
Seeing US passing by, they rushed
forth with clubs, stones, knives and
guns, to attack the prisoners, who
were the brual murders of their
dead relatives.
Many of them. including the rene
gade negro, Bodfrey, were known to
the settlers at New Ulm, and they
crouched low in the wagons as they
were whirled past the infurated in
habitants.
The number of prisoners tried by
the commission were over four hun
dred; of whom three hundred aud
three were sentenced to death ard
eighteen to Imprisonment.
The records of the testimony and
sentences of the Indians was sent to
President Lincoln, who finally
ordered thirty-eight to be executed,
Dec 26, 1862. On receiving the tes-
timony, transmitted from the mill
tary commission, Pre- sident Lin
coin placed it in the hands Of i'm
partial men, with instructions to re-
port the cases of those convicted of
participation in individual murders,
or who had violated the person Of
white women.
Acting under these instructions,
thirty-eight cases were reported,
and the names of those Indians
were enumerated, all of whom we're
ordered to be executed. But among
SO many it was difficult to identify
all the condemned, as there were
several Indians of the same name.
To avoid making mistakes, each
individual charge was closely ex-
amined, and Joseph r. Brown, an
Indian trader, vas instructed to
assist Rev. Stephen R. Riggs to
select some of the condemned war;
riors who were to be executed.
We find in Riggs FORTY Years
With the Sioux" the following
statement in which the old Indian
missionary says:
Extraordinary care was meant
to be used; but after it was all over,
when we came to compare the
stories and the confessions of the
condemned made before their death,
with the paper Of condemnation,
the conviction was forced upon US
that two mistakes had occurred
among those ordered by the presi-
dent to be executed Upon close
investigation of the charges of con-
domination, before the execution,
Ground Wind was reprieved by
order of President Lincoln, reduc-
ling the number that were hung to
tnirty-seven.
| This Indian was condemned on the
testimony of German boy, who af-
fiirmed that he was the man who
killed his mother, near New Ulm.
But it was afterward shown that
the boy was mistaken and that
Round Wind was not present at the
time his mother was murdered.
! AS the day of execution approach
ed, many of the thirty-eignt con-
demned Indians manifested desire
to make confessions to Father Raw.
oux and DR.. Williamson, their
spiritual advisors, q great portion Of
what they said being put down in
writing.
| Arrangements we're made for the
hanging OF tie thirty-eight Indians
upon large scafold; where they
were suspended in mid-air by the
cutting OF one rope. letting the slid
ing floor drop down beneath them.
Father Ravoux spent the snigh,
preceding the execution among TIT
doomed Indians, talking with then
concerning their fate. The con
demned listened With marked atten
ton, and, at the approach of day,
|
bid him and the night guard last
farewell. exhibiting no visible signs
of fear Of the dread event.
4 They added some fresh streaks o.
war paint to their faces, as fame,
suggested, evidently intending t.
fix themselves as gay as possible fol
the coming tragic scene.
AS the hour of half past sever
O'Clock was announced all person.
were exclude from the prison room
except those who guarded th,
doomed warriors.