The Topeka state journal., 1911-08-12

sition in the cemetery here, and on
September 80, next. thiriy-three years
after the massacre. the event will be
commemorated by the people of the
northwest.
The names of those klIled, 10 in all,
are engraved on the monument On
the north side of the shaft are the
names of John Young, James G.
Smith, William Lang, sr., William
Lang, jr., John G. Lang, Freeman
Lang. On the east side al le the names
Of Ferdinand WestphaIen and son,
Marcellus Felt, John Irwin, John
Wright, Edward Miskelly, Frede erick
Hamfer. On the south side: John
Humphrey, E. D. Humphrey, John
y: Hurdson, George F. Walters, Moses
Abernathy, Mr.. Lull.
Were 400 Indians In Raid.
It is thought the main band of In
dians. about 400 In all. including
squaWS and papooses. were some six
or eight miles from OberIin They
had become dissatisfied on their In
dlan territory reservation and started
north to Nebraska, crossing the Union
Pacific road near Monument It was
a few who broke away from the main
band who massecred the settlers.
Ihey spared the women, but shame
fully mistreated them.
The first white man killed was John
G. Hudson, and he was about six miles
from Oberlin. James G. Smith was
shot seven times. four bullets and
three arrows being found in his body.
He died the day following, having
craWled about two miles. 1t is said
that Mrs. Lang, the wife and mother
or the four Langs massacred by the
Indians, became violently insane and
died some time after. All their prop
erty was destroyed, entailing a loss of
about $2.70O. In their destruction of
household property the Indians cut
open a feather bed and emptied the
contents on the ground and watched
the feathers blow away, which seemed
to amuse them.
A remarkable incident was the es-
cape or two young boys, Eddie Race
and Elwin Judkins, who were riding
ponies and were on their way to Ober- |
lin on an errand. Their ages were
about IL and IA years. They came
upon the Indians. not knowing they
were IN this section. Some of them (,
stepped UP to the boys, took their pon-
les, and pointed them to the way back. |
They were hardly old enough to real |
1ze the situation at the time. 1t is not |
known why the boys WEI not killed. |
There are a number of residents of /
Oberlin who were here September 80 |
and october 1, 1873. when the Indians |
raided the Sappa and Beaver creek |
settleme ents- There are j. k Stiner /
and Wife and their son, Charley, w. J. |
O'Tooie, Fred Bliss. Captain J. w. AL |
len and wife, J. E. Love, William Love /
and wife, George Miller, W. E. Ufford |
and wife, Mrs. H. o. Douglas, Mrs.
w d Street. Mrs. Robert Harvey,
Mrs. Grant Ellison. daughter of J. G.
Smith, killed by the Indians, Mrs
Frank Borthwick. Mrs. Charles Hull,
Mrs. Belle Livingston, W L. Riley. J,
V. Riley, J. NJ. Griffin, Harry Anthony,
Mrs. Lester Parker and James Redd.
Street Not at Home.
One of the prominent pioneers of
4 northwest Kansas and Decatur county
IS William D. Street. At the time of
he Indian raid he was absent, a cow
BOY on the Texas cattle trail. His cat
lie were with those of John Bright,
who was killed by the Cheyenne In
1ians. Mr.. Street was returning to
he Sappa, and when at the forks of
he Beaver he learned of the Indian
aid. He at once joined a party of ;
cowboys who pursued the Indians
lorthward to the Republican river. II
where he was employed by Major
Mauck of the Fourth cavalry, who was
n pursuit of 'Chief Dull Knife" to i,
larry dispatches to the railroad He
would have preferred to take the
chances of fight with tEe Cheyennes
han to go back over the country made B
lesolate by their savagery. The trip
rom the forks Of the Beaver to the
Republican river in Nebraska neces-
itated an almost continuous ride of j
Lbout 135 miles in saddle, and the li
ime on the trip was about % hours. /
IN the ride he changed horses three