March 16, 1899 - $25 paid in 1836 for Indian scalps

Scalp Hunting for Pay

1899 March 16, The Evening Democrat 

It is not generally known in latterlay Minnesota history that the state treasury once paid out cash as bounties for Sioux Indian scalps, just as this and many other states are now paying for wolf scalps. State Treasurer Koerner, in looking over the 1836 report of State Treasurer Charles Schaff, discovered the following item among the disbursements of that year: 

                       “J.C. Davis, Sioux scalp, $25.”

This item occurs in the list of disbursement’s amounting to $7,870.06, under the head “Suppressing Indian War.” 

The $25 paid to J.C. Davis for the Indian scalp in question, therefore, had its niche in the cause of suppressing, or spreading the Sioux outbreak. It doubtless strikes the general reader that $25 is rather small inducement for securing Sioux scalps. Few hunters today would care to contract for belts of that kind for that figure. – Minneapolis Times. 

1899 March 16, The Evening Democrat 

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