The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 29, July 1925 - April, 1926 Page: 193
330 p. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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The Jacksboro Indian Affair of 1871
former was agent of the Wichita reserve, and had sought faith-
fully to put into force what was known as the "Peace Policy" or
"Quaker Policy."48 On the other hand the latter had relentlessly
followed up hostile bands of Indians and punished them when-
ever they raided the settlements. So notable was he as an Indian
fighter that he was highly respected even by his foes. It was the
testimony of these two witnesses that resulted in the conviction
of the two Indian chiefs.
The trial of the two Indians for the Jacksboro massacre was
not only a matter of local interest but was an incident of national
concern, for it was realized that the case might become a prece-
dent by which other cases in the future would be tried, and it
was not known just what effect this summary punishment of two
of the most notorious raiders would have on the Indian tribes
north of the Red River. No sooner had the sentence of death
been pronounced on the prisoners than Enoch Hoag, Superin-
tendent of Indian Affairs, Larned, Kansas, was beseeching the
President of the United States to intervene and save Satanta
and Big Tree from the gallows, giving as his reason for the re-
quest that if the two chiefs were put to death,49 war would un-
doubtedly follow. Not only did he express his fears for the
frontier of Texas, but his own state as well.
Still another individual favoring the mitigation of the sentences
on the two chiefs was Laurie Tatum, agent of the Wichita reserve.
Being a Quaker,50 he was opposed to the death sentence on gen-
eral principles, but in a letter to S. W. T. Lanham, he reminded
the prosecuting attorney that one of the traits of the wild savages
was to seek revenge; and since this was true, he feared that if the
death sentence were carried out, the Kiowa and Comanche would
wage war on the Texas frontier. He also called attention to the
fact, that since another characteristic of the Indian was a great
"The "Peace Policy" was inaugurated when President Grant deprived
the officers of the army of the right to act as Indian agents and distributed
such appointments to the various religious denominations. The Quakers
were the first to receive such an appointment, hence the name "Quaker
Policy." For fuller account, see Personal Memoirs of General W. T.
Sherman, II, 436-437.
4"At this particular time the Indians north of the Red River were more
troublesome than they had been since the war.
"The Quakers were opposed to war in any form and were generally
opposed to the imposition of the death penalty for any crime.193
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 29, July 1925 - April, 1926, periodical, 1926; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117141/m1/213/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.