Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-02

Within a foot or so of the table, Os
ceola turned swiftly to the agent OF
| the Government and said: The land
| is ours: we do not want an agent.
| Then as quickly whirling about, he
drew. with one passionate movement
| mis- long sheath-knife. and raising it
high over his head thrust it through
| the paper, through the table. exclaiil-
ing with the super-human stroke:
| This is the only way will sign
The Government agents were aghast.
The meeting broke up in the greatest
confusion, and Osceola was at once
| arrested and placed in irons for his
| untoward independence. He was kept
thus for four days. AT the end of that
period, he was loosened and let go
home to his people. Shortly after
that, the proud spirit of the Indian
| was again humbled in the same man.
ner when he went to the Government
| fort, nearby, to protest the treaty
which had been entered into by un-
authorized fellow Indians. The irons,
twice applied, burned into his soul; the
injustice and inhumanity to one not
guilty of aught but love for country
was more than he could bear: and 1t
is recorded that, as he left the fort
the second time, after such bitter
treatment, he turned. some hundred
yards away. and. facing it. let forth
the blood-curdling war-cry of his peo-
pie. "Yo-ho-e-he"' The die had been
cast; eternal hatred and enmity had
been established.
"Yo-ho-e-he!" has cost the Govern
ment over $50, 900 900: it produced a
war that lasted from 1862 to 1851
war that cost many a life and
brought no glory to the American
Flag. Osceola said that he could
maintain it for five years against
the whole United States forces: and
after the battle OF Withlacoochee
River. he sent a characteristic mes
sage to Gen. y. l.. Clinch: You have
guns and SO have we; you have men
and so have we; your men will fight
and so will our until the last drop or
the Seminole blood has moistened the
dust of his hunting grounds"
So 1t was literally to be. Osceola.
however, did not live to see his five
year prophecy carried out. He was,
before that time had elapsed, pris-
oner of the Federal Government. by
ain act of treachery unparalleled in
the annals of civilized warfare, in
what is now Fort Marion, at st. Au-
gustine, Fla.
ne capture VI OSCGOld IOlIOWCu q
flag of truce, whereby the Indian
chieftain had come to Fort Peyton,
seven miles from st. Augustine, to
discuss the surrender of King Philip
of his people. held in the old fort. A
witness of that eventful action has
written:
Il shall never forget that day. nor
the sad, disappointed faces Of Chief
Osceola and the other Indians. l
thought it too unjust for anything"
Thus ignobly was conquered this
Indian lord, of whose people it has
been said that in their warfare against
the Government of the United States,
lasting over a period of 20 years or
more, there is no recorded instance
of the violation of a truce.
From Fort Marion Osceola was later
removed to Fort Moultrie, situated on
Sullivans Island, opposite Charleston.
S. c. Here the noble spirit, brooding
over the wrongs inflicted upon him
and his people, pinned in body and
soul until death came to relieve his
physical and mental anguish. The
character of the Indian is cut deep in
the memory with chiseling words,
spoken at q time when he might have
had his freedom from Fort Marion.
by escaping wish a number of his
companions. Upon being questioned
by one Of his guards later about the
incident he replied: II have done