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GUARDED THE TOMBSIndian Girls Keep Watch Over Ancestors’ Graves.While the Garrison Made a Sortie for Legal Defense, a Marshal, by Court's Order, Demolished the Fort.Kansas City, Kan.—After four years of unceasing vigilance the garrison of the iDdian fort in Huron cemetery was defeated by a trick and Uie building demolished. The three Conley sisters, defenders of the burial ground or their ancestors, were tempted to make a general sortie for the legal defense of their home, the first time it bail been left without one of the sisters in charge. Meanwhile another brancn of the law visited the fort and lett It In rulns.Whlle the three sisters—Ida. Lyda and Lena—were in the Wyandotte county district court hearing the arguments In the last legal step taken to bind the cemetery. W. 11. Mackey. Cr.lted States marshal, and two deputies tore down the fort.'' In accordance with an order Issued by Judge Pollock In tbe federal court the marshal and his men removed the building. broke It to pieces with axes and threw the pieces Into the alley in the rear of the cemetery. The men bad finished their work and left the cemetery before the sisters knew what was happening.Miss Lyda Conley said her mother's grave rested under the bullding-The spirits or my rather and mother. said Miss Lyda Conley grimly, and the spirits of my ancestors told me to build this watch tower and protect the noble Indians who He burled here.The old Huron cemetery Is In the heart of the business district of thiscity. At one side Is the Carnegie library and beside It the Masonic tern-Lyda Conley and the Fort.”i pie. the finest in Kansas. The princl-| i’.il business street of the city border* It on one side.Husmt-ss men who wanted the plot prevailed upon Congressman J. D. ilowersock to get a bill through con gress fur the sale. The toO.OOO to be pnltl for it Is to be divided among the surviving Wyandotte Indians, the holies of the dead Indians are to be | retnovi -I and the place converted into a site .'or a kuslness block.The Conley sisters Immediately took up the light. They tried every resource cl the law unsuccessfully. Miss Lyda appealed in person before the Supreme court of the United States, the first woman to be accorded that right, but was unsuccessful, although the court. In sympathy, told her It was driven to decide against herThen it was that tbe three built their watch tower and began n shotgun pnlrel nf the cemetery. The matter was finally decided in the courts, when Judge Pollock issued me mandate setting the time for vacatlon.Turn and turn about they took In the watch tower they had built In the center of the tract, the sentinel always having a loaded shotgun near her. Each one swore no United States marshal should enforce ibe Wderai court’s decre% finally dispossessing them of the land.The basis of the Cohley sisters' claim wns that their grandfather, who once owned the whole state of Ohio. a chief of the Wyandottes, signed the treaty with the government in 1S5S In which this cemetery was given to the Indians.Prom a legal standoplnt we are entitled to this small tract of ground, Miss Lyda Conley said. at least you would think so when the bones of onr 1 people already He burled there. This turn the thing has taken simply means that the Uniled States government Is once more breaking Its faltb with the Indians.
Newspaper Details
The Hays Free Press
Hays, Kansas, US
Sat, Oct 28, 1911
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Bettizane S.
USA 13 Mar 2025
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