The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1950-02-09
Exodus

SenecdS QFlIIeu IN from Lewiston.
The tribes were gathering there to
begin the long trek from their old
Ohio hunting grounds to the West.
Treaties had been made with the
Indians in August, 1881, by James
Gardiner and John McElvain, on be-
half of the u. S. government,
through which the Indians consented
to give up their lands and move
west of the Mississippi River. The
Shawnees then had about $4,000
acres in Auglaize County, and the
Senecas, 10000 acres at Lewiston
Removal of the savages was to open
the country for settlement by the
whites.
After the treaty, the Indians had
just year during which the United
States was to support them here as
they collected at the rendezvous for
moving Wapakoneta was then an
Indian town, not inhabited by the
whites. At Wapakoneta however,
d. NJ. Workman and David Robb,
government agents for their removal,
were with them.
Even after all congregating at
Wapakoneta, several weeks were
consumed in getting over the effects
of their ceremonies, religious and
otherwise, by the savages. There
were many things to be done before
leaving forever their old homes. One
of them was drinking up all the
whisky remaining in the neighbor-
hood.
Whites Sell Whisky to Indians
,Quite lot of unprincipled whites
came to Wapakoneta to trade with
the Indians getting ready to leave
principally trading in whisky, which
they hid in the woods from the In
dian agents. The Indians knew
where the whisky was and kept 60
ing there like bees to a hive, day
and night. While the orgy kept up
the officers could do nothing with the
Indians.
They were uncertain too, as to
just where the drinking was going
to lead the red people. The govern
ment was bound by treaty to support
them only for a year before their
leaving and the year fast was slip
ping away and winter drawing near.
Workman and Robb got the chiefs
together, pointed out to them that in
winter the Indians could not travel;
the government support would have
expired; it would then be too late
for the Indians to raise a crop ana
they would go hungry-out of bread.
On the white mans promise that
the government would pay the white
bootleggers for the whisky destroyed
and the damages incurred, leaving
the Indians blameless, the chiefs took
their warriors out to the whisky
depot that night, had one more
glorious drink then tomahawked the
head of every barrel, bottle and jug
of liquor they could find.
Just one little cog slipped some
where-that night one savage
brought Robb a half-gallon jug of
thewhisky, got quarter for it and
went off happy. Robb went to sleep
and in the morning found that the
same Indian had come back, stolen
the jug and sold the whisky to the
Indians at shilling dram. Just
before leaving for the West he told
| Robb about it. The tale was toe
good to keep.
Say Farewells
One of the Indians first acts was
to take away the crude fencing
from around the graves of their
fathers, level the mounds to the sur
face and cover them neatly with
green sod, so that not trace of the
graves could be seen. Then few
of the chiefs and others visited THEN
friends at distance, gave anc
received presents with chiefs OF
other nations and said their fare.
/ wells.
| Among the ceremonies was dance
in which none but the warriors tool
part. They removed all their clothe:
except the breechclouts, painted Their
faces and bodies Enthusiastically witt
pictures of snakes and other repul
sive animals, then with war club.
swinging wickedly began to dance
| Yelling, shouting and grimacing will
already distorted faces, the dane,
was terrible one. One chief ex
planned that it was the one the In
dians used after returning battle bu
the Indian agents learned otherwis
it was the Shawnee war dance
used just before going on the wa
path.
Later the Indians did dance tn
victory dance-quite a different one
In it both sexes took part and ther