Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-03-08

ing 10 the FoX band Finding them
little different from Indians they had
already met. and speaking another di-
alect The French asked them their
name and the reply was tlat they
were Foxes Thus they went into his
tory, they were So known TO the early
historians and all Of the treaties made
by our Government with them have
been 3s Foxes These Indians. Whom
any question arises IN regard to their
relations with the Government, espec-
ially in contradistinction with the Sars.
proudly assert that they are Fes:es.
but otherwise, they give their name as
Musquakies. and also seem 10 be proud
of the distinction.
Alnng in the '5os when we were liz
ing IN the southern part of Buchanan
county a few OF the neighbors met at
my fathers cabin for the purpose of
organizing Il new civil township. All
Of tile preliminaries had been attend
ed 10 ard several names were suggest
"a, when Henry Grimm stated that
the summer before a band of Mus
quake Indians We're camping on the
bank of the Wapsie and that their
chief by the name of Como. was taken
suddenly tit, and died, and was buried
somewhere along the river. lie sug
gested that the new township be Civ
en- his name. The suggestion was inn
mediately agreed upon. and to this day
that township bears his name ] Re
member distinctly that as boy When
out hunting the cows, especially after
dark. we were in great dread Tor fear
we would stumble over Conos last
resting place, but never having found
it we finally concluded that like Mo-
ses no one knew the place OF his sep-
ulchre. Incidents of our youth nat
ualiy cluster pretty closely around
our memories and along I'm the sas
when I accidentally heard the namesof
Cone mentioned in the presence al
colonel Davenport / spoke of him as
being buried up near my old homo.
You are mistaken" said the colo
mel Our Indians never bury their
dead in remote place except updef
most pressing circumstances Como
sleeps over here III the bluffs in CUP
Indian cemetery
Was he chief" I asked
Yes. Il chief by reason of his bray
cry
OF course my curiosity was aroused
and ] was rewarded by the following
story:
About the year 1910 our Indians
We're located in southwestern Iowa and
northern Missouri. There had been
several partial treaties between the
two tribes ana often they had been
broken. which resulted i'll now and then
a slzirmish, but nothing serious. At
this time however, we were on very
friendly terms with each other, and
the hunting grounds all over the por-
ton of Iowa that lays south of the
neutral strip WAS common hunting
and camping grounds for the Sac and
Fox IF the Iowas.
IT seems that about this time a par
" of MusqGakies were out on the
chase and fell in with a party Of
IoNas Their meeting was entirely
pleasant and for several days both
parties occupied the same camp On
the last day a quarrel arose between
one Of the Io4Vas and a MusQuakie;
knives were drawn, and the Iowa re-
ceived = stab that resulted in death.
This might have been overlooked, but
the Nus59alie in a moment Of frenzy
Slipped his knife under the scalp Of
the dead Iowa and removed that en-
hlern Of manhood from his fallen foe.
This was an utter breach of good
faith. and rs soon as IL became known
at the home Of the dead man it at once
began to make trouble.
THE Iowas took the matter up as u
tribe and delegation was sent to con-
fer with the Musquakies and demand
redress. The Musquakies proposed to
settle the matter by offer OF ponies
saddles and other personal property
but these offers We're peremptorily re-
iected and the demand made that the
guilty person be turned over to them
to be dealt with as they deemed best.
OF course this meant series of tor
lures ending mp with painful death.
"'Fhe matter hung fire for some time,
but according 10 international Indian
law there was no other alternative
and the Masquakies finally agreed to
the terms with the condition that the
victim should have at least one month
to fortify himself for the terrible Or
deal that he must 20 through and fl
nally. prepare himself for death. The
Iowas accepted this provision and
day was set for the final delivery OF
the offending Indian over to his per
seeutors.
But just about week before the ap-
pointed time the victim was taken sud-
denly i'll. ere long his illness eliminated
IN a raging ANA burning fever. This
presented perplexing question 70 solve
70 send q messenger TO the fowas MAX
ing a statement of the case would at
once arouse their suspicion that the
Musquakies were not acting in good
faith. ON the other hand, If he were
sent there in mis- present condition i
would be a direct Insult TO the Whole
tribe.
1.-The Musquakies were in solemn coun-
ell, debating tho matter, when Como,
then just upon the threshold OF manhood.
interrupted their deliberations by walk
ing iii and saying: There are no squaw
men in our family. / viii go in my
brothers place
''He WAS such a fine specimen OF attn
Ietlc manhood that the members of the
council urged him 10 withdraw his pro-
posal This he declined to do. Then
they most wildly portrayed to linn the
sufferinga and fortunes that he would
have to pass through. and finally wind
ing up with death. He told them that