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Archiver > OKGEN > 1999-04 > 0925440091


From: Sharon Crawford <>
Subject: [OKGEN-L] Wow,Blackfoot punishment
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 21:41:31 -0500


Don't know much about Indians but recently going through an old family
bible belonging to families Plymell, Emrey, and Hatchett.(not my family)
Someone had cut out a large article and put it inside the bible, on the
flip side was following article.
Didn't name the town or state just said

>From the Troy Times
BLACKFOOT TRIBE, dated October 1887.

Violation of the marriage vow by an Indian woman is regarded as a very
serious crime, and invariably receives prompt punishment. The squaw is
arraigned before a tribunal of native chiefs.
If convicted of the offense alleged, it is decreed that she shall lose
her nose, and the outraged husband is authorized to carry out the
sentence of the native court.
Then and there he proceeds to amputate the nose of the woman by means of
a sheath knife; and, the operation performed, his domestic honor is
supposed to be thoroughly vindicated.
We saw several women without a nasal organ while we were inspecting the
Indian village of Piegan and presumably they had been compelled to
suffer the penalty above described.
Such creatures are held in great contempt by the tribe, and we were
informed life to them was scarcely worth living.
In former days the penalty for this offense was invariably death, and
the sentence was carried out in a most cruel manner. The woman was
tortured in every conceivable way - arms, legs, nose, ears and breasts
were amputated one at a time, and then the eyes were fairly cut out of
their sockets. But the presence of Government soldiers has compelled the
Indians to abolish this custom, and instead of murdering the wretched
woman, her nose is taken off and she is marked for life.

--
Sharon Crawford, Asst OKGenWeb State Coordinator
http://www.usgenweb.org/ok OKGenWeb
ICQ#18100823 "mailto:"
OKbits: http://www.rootsweb.com/~okbits/
MailListowner For: Garvin Co. and Pontotoc Co.
Garvin Co. http://www.rootsweb.com/~okgarvin/garvin.htm
Pontotoc Co. http://www.rootsweb.com/~okpontot/pontotoc.htm
Researching Burnett, Wright, Underwood, Crawford, Gosser

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