The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-07-25
WILL Die THERE
COnley Girl, Near End of Fight,
Will Give Life.
Sisters, Battling for Burying
Ground, Face Failure.
DECLINE TO SELL IT
The Descendants Of Huron In
dians Still on Watch.
Sale, Sought by Realty Dealers,
Anglers Them.

Kansas City, July ga block away
the band played; garishly lighted shops
stared hard and unwinking opposite; the
crowds passed and repaSsed; the foun-
tain splashed in Huron park, next door,
and idle people sat about-but up there,
above the street Level, Tragedy sat en-
throned in the old burial ground of the
Wyandottes, which is about to become
prey to the spoilers, as the Conley sis
ters wandered about like wraiths
through the trees and long rustling
grass.
For the order of the federal courts
has gone forth. The visible sign of
their position as caretakers of the GEM
etery-the little frame shack long
known as the watch tower''-must b.
torn down. The end is near.
To these three-Ida, LYDIA and Helena
"a final adverse decision ordering the
immediate disposal of the cemetery
given their ancestors. the Wyandotte
Indians, by treaty, and the removal OF
the bodies of their family would seem
more than can be dreamed Of But re-
Gently, in speaking of that probable
outcome. LYDIA Conley-she who
studied law solely to defend title to the
cemetery-said:
She Would Die There.
eff the worst comes to pass, and the
courts of the land uphold the uncon-
stitutional act of congress ordering the
sale of the cemetery. I shall"
she paused.
what will you do2" her interviewer
asked anxiously.
I shall die-up thereon. the little
plateau of the cemetery-up there on
the sacred ground the nation gave my
race years and years ago. That may
prove strong where our previous efforts
have been weak. That may go abroad
in the land-may rouse the people as
nothing we say can do That may
save the bodies of our dead from
Dissertation"
Nothing Of drama-just a plain state
ment told in cold, matter-of-fact way
that shows it has long been considered
pro and con-
And that is the Tragedy that sits on
Huron cemetery; that sat there While
all about it the city played.
Across little parkway in the rear OF
the cemetery is a huge pile of masonry
\ and brick monstrous in architecture,
bold and stern as a Rhine river
castle. Lights come and go at night;
oftentines there is feaSting and music
there; again the rites and ceremonies
of an ancient order are carried OMIT IS
temple of Free Masonry. And facing
it. on the south end of the cemetery,
dingy and implanted, is a little wooden
shack where never music is played nor
laughter 5,eard-a place for tears. This
! is the shack the mandatory edict Of
Federal Judge John @. Pollock com
mands shall be torn down. 1t repre-
sents the Conleys' occupancy-and Ii
stands above the graves of father,
mother, sister
Uncle sam Breaks Faith.
| Tt seems a little thing the Conleys
ask. when all is said and done. Just
that Uncle Sam shall keep the faith he
pledged the Wyandottes in the treaty
of 1855, when he gave them the plat
for burial ground for them and their
| children-forever-
But covetous eyes have long been
upon the cemetery Standing in the
heart of the city's business district, tile
cemetery has ''impeded progress &C
cording to real estate dealers. And so
came the act of congress in 1905 al
nulling the original federal grant and
ordering the sale of the land at mini
mum price of $4,000, the money to be
divided among descendants of the
Wyandottes. It has been recNoned that
these descendants would receive 53
cents each from such a sale.
Fighting desperately through every
court in the land, LYDIA Conley, who
studied law only to defend the resting
place of the dead braves of her tribe
! from dissertation. has almost reached
the end