Smyrna times., 1934-03-14
INDIANS OLD
AT KIDNAPPING
Savages of Columbia Have
Distinct Ideas on the Sub
ject, 'Tis Said
MORE A TRIBAL CUSTOM

Panama.-Kidnapi is not con-
fined to the United States or other
civilized countries. The savage In
dams who inhabit the Goajira PEN
insula In Colombia have some adj
yanced ideas on the subject, accord
ing to discoveries made by the
Weston-Carr expedition now en-
gagged in exploring this little-known
region of Colombia.
Recently a young girl was car.
ried off by an enterprising young
Indian Of another tribe and as q
result the offended tribe demanded
a big indemnity In the form Of sew
eral horses and cattle, the return
of the girl being of secondary i'm
portance provided their wounded
pride was suitably compensated.
This the offending tribe refused,
and, their refusal being tantamount
to a declaration of war, the others
lost no time in swooping down upon
one of their enemy's outlying viii
y
hunting, and carrying off several
women and more than a dozen
young children whom they threat
ened to put to death unless a very
large ransom were Immediately
forthcoming. They also made 1t
clear that any attempt at rescue
would result in the early death of
all the prisoners.
Tribe Lacked Money.
AS it turned out, the tribe to
which the women and children be-
longed was not wealthy and was
unable to raise the required num-
Der Of animals demanded as ran
som. They therefore made up their
minds to fight and try to recover
the captives by force.
At this juncture. news of the i'm
pending inevitable deaths of the
captured women and children
reached the handful of Capuchin
monks who, not far from the small
border town of Riohacha, have es-
tablished small orphanage for
abandoned Indian children where
the children are trained to fend for
themselves in farming and so forth.
A couple of the monks were dis
patched posthaste to the scene of
the impending conflict with instruc-
lions to save the lives of the cap
tured children at all costs. This
was easier said than done. The
chief in whose power they were
was quite willing to surrender the
children If the ransom, amounting
to a large number of cattle, were
paid, but on no other terms.
The monks thereupon got busy In
true Christian spirit, and returning
to their headquarters. they and
their fellow-workers mustered all
the wealth of the orphanage In
terms Of cattle and had these de-
livered to the Indian chief In ex-
change for the children. who were
promptly rushed away to the safety
Of the orphanage.
Fighting Lasted Three Months.
Unfortunately. the meager re-
sources Of the monks made II Inn
possible for them to ransom the
women. whose own people, persist
Ing In their endeavOrs to rescue
them, plunged both tribes into a
deadly tribal conflict which lasted
fully three months. during which
many Indians were killed on both
sides.
Eventually the Capuchin fathers
again interviewed and managed to
persuade the two tribes to make
peace, which was done to the &C
compartment of considerable pal
aver and a vast exchange of cat
tie. which. although impressive to
the eye, really left both tribes no
better Off than they were before.
Peace. however, had been achieved.
The monks having already paid
the ransom for the children, 1t was
agreed by the Indians that the chill
dren belonged to the monks by
right of purchase. and as the self
sacrificing Capuchins considered
the welfare of the children Of more
Importance than their lost cattle
which had been used for the ram
som. they decided to allow the chill
dren to remain In the orphanage,
where they are now being educated.