A New York Times article reports that “settlers in a small town in Colorado Territory had recently subscribed $5,000 to a fund ‘for the purpose of buying Indian scalps (with $25 each to be paid for scalps with the ears on)’ and that the market for Indian scalps ‘is not affected by age or sex’.” The article notes this behavior was “sanctioned” by the U.S. federal government (Kakel, 2011).