The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1907-12-04
MURDERS DAUGHTER
In Order to be Able to
Cast Out Devil.
WAS DEuRIOuS WITH FEVER
Young Princess of Canadian
Indian Tribe Sacrificed
TO Tribal Custom.

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Nov. 20
through the death of a girl at the
hands Of the chief, her father, the
practice of casting the devil out of
the Fiddler indians by death, is be-
lag Investigated by the mounted po-
lice. The chief and three Of his bucl;
councillors are now under arrest.
Word that the Fiddler Indians west
of Hudson Bay were putting mem
bcrs of their tribe to death when they
became delh'ious with fever, reached
the authorities from guides and half
breeds. Two Constables were sent
out from the post on the northern
shore of Lake Winnipeg to the lone
NUrthland
As they proceeded on their journey
the country being too wild and over
vi horses, they picked up a half-breed
interpreter, as they learned the Fid-
dler Indians were unable to speak a
word of English; in fact, SO remote is
the district in which they live that
L.at many of them have never seen
white man. They are surly race
OF people AMI are avoided and feared
by the other nomads.
Ytt with the grim courage which
has always distinguished the red-coat-
ed mounted police, these two Consta-
blcs went into camp and arrested four
of the tribe including the chief and
his nephew. Though these people had
never come in actual contract with
the mounted police, a generation of
rigorous justice had instilled fear in
to the hearts of even these people.
AS soon as the son of the chief had
been installed as ruler of the tribe the
party set off on the return journey.
The long tramp back was severe
one, mosquitoes threatened to eat the
men alive, and for the last three days
of the tourney neither. policemen nor
lIlSOu6lS udu al DllS Vi ipoN'
According to one of the prisoners,
the little daughter of the chief was
taken i'll with some complaint, and all
the incantations of the medicine men
failed u give her any relief. Daily
she grew worse, while the medicine
men watched over her for the delir-
-, ,,,1; ,t.n,,1H ,,pna1aiO, The arrival
of the "We-te-go' in her body. 1t was
her death warrant when the m dicine
men impaired the information to the
chief.
Al once arrangements were complet-
ed for her execution, ard as soon as
the fever had disappeared all the tribe
assembled in an open space and wait
ed patiently for the performance of tn
rites. FUrsmCst among the spectators
was the childs mother, it being the
mark OF a coward for any near rela-
tive not to attend the execution of
one possessed of the "We-te-gO.' La
ter came the medicine woman. bearing
the sick girl from her tepee. The
girl only too well understood tbs
dire preparations for the awful sac
rlfice, but her feeble struggles were
silenCed by word and a blow
Tha form was laid at the feet of
Tie chief and his nephew, Jose, and
while the Indian braves held her,
these two strangled her to death with
a hempen cCrd. Two days of wild orgy
were necessary to complete the cere-
mCny.
II is claimed among the Creeks that
the tulrrit should no more be held re-
sponsible than a Government hang
man who hangs condemned man.
The Indians believe the devil pos
sessCs himself of the bodies of peo-
pie in exactly the same way as was
done in the days when Jesus walked
on the shores of Lake Galilee and
drove the devil into the herd of swine
ofGennesaret and thence into the lake.
When an Indian becomes feverish, he
Is watched carefully, II being be-
lieved the devil is trying to possess
him.
If delirium comes, the devil wins,
ana it is believed that if the victim
lives he becomes raving maniac and
a ferocious cannibal. Hence the
prompt execution for the safety of this
savage society and to relieve the vic
tim of further suffering and agony.
The indians are helpless in case of