The Washington times., 1924-07-18
ANCIENT ARNOR
Of SPA|V|ARDS
ISFOU|ND
Evidence That Nebraska Was
Scene Of Massacre Of
Early Expedition

50 ~ AAtgAAtNtbyuAA 1NCNtu 6DNNNGDs 80
COLUMBUS, Neb,. July 1s.--An-
cient Spanish ar1nor and military
equipment unearthed near Genoa.
Neb.. and the discovery Of an his
toricaI American manuscript BY q
French editor IN French archives.
telling of q Spanish expedition up
the Loup River Valley in 1870,
brought b. 3. Blackman. curator
for the Nebraska Historical So
Getty Lincoln. to Columbus. on his
way to Genoa, to spend several
weeks. Il necessary. In an expedi-
ton Of exploration and excavation
in the Loup River Valley.
Blacknan, after q short visit
with Captain L. ii. North. Column.
bus pioneer plainsman, left for
Genoa, declaring the purpose OF the
expedition was three-foId.
Seek Old Relics.
The first IL to ascertain more Of
the Spanish relics, locate the place
where they were found ana exca-
vate Tor more evidence OF Spanish
military expedition.
BlaclEmaYl declared that IN I72O
Spanish expedition came from
Santa Fe to the mouth OF the Loup
and went up the river some distance
IN search Of lead mines they Be.
lieved, from French reports. thew
would find In this section. along
with gold and silver.
The Central West at that Time
was contested territory.
The French were friendly with
the Otoe Indians. The Spanish 81.
petition, arriving here and think.
ing at the time they were with
Pawnees. told the Indians that
they would attack and kin the
The otoe Indians agreed that il
was q good idea for the Spanish
20 do Il and said they would have
war dance. They told the Span.
tsh that at the time OF q war dance
II was considered polite to Law
dance.
The Spanish did as they were re-
Quested and the Otoes made short
work Of butchering them on.
Find Old Paper.
Such wass the story, BIacknan
said. told by manuscript written
BY one Of the officers Just before
the expedition ended so disastrously.
The manuscript finally found its
way to st. Louis and was un.
earthed by a French editor. The
finding OF the manuscript and the
finding OF the military Spanish
relics near Genoa thus became the
inspiration for Blackman's expedl-
ton.
The second purpose Of the expe.
dttion Is to conduct q further re-
search into the mound houses Of
the early Pawnees. Blackman saws
that on the E. J. Burkett farm. a
mile ana q half west OF Genoa, the
Pawnees had mound town Of
forty acres or more. Twenty-Five
years ago, BlackTnan says, he took
many relics from these mounds ana
VIII now resume the search.
Indians There Early.
The presence Of the Pawnees In
the Loup River Valley. Blaclxman
declares, is believed to go back
from A. d. 1541 to A. d. 1900. Coro.
nado's men found the Pawnees in
this section In 1641.
The Skeedee Indians came about
100 years before the Pawnees and
when the Pawnees arrived from the
Brazos Valley of Texas they alb
sorbed the Skeedees eventually.
The third purpose Of the expedi.
ton IL to find traces Of early mill
tary operations along the Loup
River Valley.
Rlaclxman carried tents and fun
camp equipment with him., He viii
first make preliminary surveys and
says that after that he viii proba.
bly, employ a force Of men for ex-
cavation under his direction. He
will be assisted In Genoa by ]. w.
williamson, Of that city. and says
that the least time he win spend
will be four weeks, and II the expe.
dition gives signs Of success he
may devote the entire season to
working down toward the mouth Of
the Loup River.