Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-01-01
5GG&CGIJT
From the De6ltqg,e Herald.
The Indian runner.

Z
amicably adjusted by a visit Of the chiefs 10
Washington accompanied by Gov. Cass,
Sioux Indian while hunting near the mouth
Of Root river, shot and scalped q Winnebago,
which act he attempted 10 Justify by saying
that the Winnebago had wrapped around his
4 person the blanket of an Indian, who 4 short
/ time privious had murdered his brother. The
+ Winn6bagOes became indignant of the act
and about two thousand Of them assembled
I al Fort Crawford, and demanded Of Col. 1ay-
/ Tor the procurement and surrender Of the mur-
deTer. The officers of the fort apPrehensive
that new difficulties might arise with this fac
4 ticious if their demands were unattended to,
concluded 70 make an effort TO obtain the
murderer. Accordingly an officer was d-s-
patched to demand him of the Sioux nation,
/ who Immediately gave him up and he was
brought down the river and confined at 1T.
/ Crawford. Soon after his arrival at the fort
( the W InnebogOes assembled again and inSls-
/ ted upon the unconditional surrender OF the
prisoner 10 them, which Col. Taylor refused
to make, bat dispatched Lieut.. 4. and Doct.
Eluise, the surgeon Of the garrison, to have
a talk with them on the subject. AZ the con-
ference, the Winnebagoes talked IN threat
ening manner,and irsisted that nothing would
I satisfy them but the taking Of the life Of the
Sioux in their own way and by themselves.
At length Lieut.. r. proposed that the Indian
should have q chance for his life, IN the toI-
lowing manner
Two weeks from that time he was TO be led
OUT on the prairie, and in "a line with him, ten
PAGES of, was to be placed upon bis right and
left, twelve Of the most expert runners OF the
Winnebago nation, each arsaed with toma-
hawk aAd scalping knife.
At The tap Of the drum the Sioux should be
free TO start for the home Of his tribe, and
the Winnebagoes free to pursue, capture and
scalp him if they could. To this proposition
the Winnebdroes accedcd at once, and were
much pleased with the anticipation Of great
sport, as well as on easy conquest Of the
prisoner; whose confinement IN the garrison
during two weeks, they believed would pros
trate whatever running qualities he possessed.
Their best runners We're immediately brought
in and tried every day III fun sight Of the fort
Lieut.. r. who was somewhat Of sportsman,
and who had warmly enlisted IN the cause OF
the Sioux. determined 10 have his Indian IN the
best possible trim. Accordingly Doct E!uIse
took him in charge, prescribing ms diets reg
! ulatiEg his hours OF repose' and directing me
rubbing Of his body with flesh brushes twice
dav, Immediately before he went upon the
parada ground, to perform his morning and
evening trainings. In fact, 50 carefully was
he trained and fitted for the race Of life or
: death that he was timed upon the parade
ground, the 18th day before the race, and per-
formed the astonishing feat Of forty-One miles
in two hours apparently without fatigue
The dav AZ length arrived. Thousands OF
2 Indians, French, Americans, ana others H-l
assembled to witness the scene. In TACT IL
was REGARDED as gala day by all, except the
S avenger Of his brother Sue. Lieut., On the
part Of the prisoner. and the celebrated war
chiefs Observation-Disclosures and Pinetop on
: the part Of the Winebagoes, sperlntended the
q arrangement of the parties upon the ground
The point arreed upon for starting, was upo"
the prairie a little to the north Of IrarIe du
: Chen, and a few rods from the residence theI
occupied by Judge Lockwood, while the iFdch
lay along the Nine Mile Prairie stretching tC
the north. and skirtiug the shore OF the MIS-
sissippi The Sue appeared upon the ground
accompanied by guard OF soldiers who were
followed BY his twenty-tour antagonists
q marching in Indian Gle, naked with tile eX
ceplion Of tie Indian bTeechlet. Their rl5.
were painted white, while their breasts Were
adorned with a number Of hier0glyEIcal paint
inrs. Across the face alternate stripes Q
white and black we.c painted, ID parallel lIhe
extending from the chin 70 the forehead.
The hair was plated into numerous thong
trinred with bells and tasseled with 4 red o
Write feather, while their moccasius wer
rs corded tightly around the hollow of the foot
as well as around the ankle, with the sIHeW
Of the deer. In the rightthand each carrie
his t0mahawk, while the left ETasPod IN
sheath that contained the scalpinr knife
The prisoner was about tweuty-thlee years q
are little less than slX feet IN height, oi
muscular well proporuoned contour, ana man
ested In the easy movements Of his Oody
WHY and agile command OF his muscuId
u rowers; his countcnancc presented a wan an
i3rgara appearance, as he stood upon th
GROUND, owing partly TO the ngld discipiin
Us he had undergone in tIalulng, and partly
his having painted his face black, with Ill
q fr,~e ot horseshoe IN white upon his tore
head which denoted that he was condemned {
die. with the privilege Of making an effort
= save his life by heeuness; aTonnu ms nee
q he wore narrow belt Of WampnH, 70 WHO
he appended the scalp he had taken from III
~ Soon ait:er they had formed line, Lieu
3. came ur and took off enc of tie mocasIHs
,he Indian. and showed the chiefs that
thought il contained q thin plate Of steel, an
asked if they objected TO IT, % which they a
swered that he might carry as much IRON
- he pleased. Lieut. Il. having noticed at q
same time that the cCun'eH3uce OF the Iuoia
,,resenfed down cast appearance, rcqueStt
s. Doct. Eluiuc to come forward, who, after G.
emininr his pulse, reported that he was niue
excited. and that his nerves were in uem
lows condition. Lieut.. X. Immediately TOO
hmm Inv the arm and out some dlstande lu fro
~ of lhe line, where lie asked him through b
'' irrarnreter. if he was afraid 20 ran; 20 wh.,
he replied that he was not afraid to run WI
any Ninnebago on tcot, but he was aIIaid
-@-lf not o,tTun all the horses that We
mounted with armed Indians. The lieutc
"a am saw al once the cause Of his alarm, a.
''- ;alarIsed hin, that they should not interfeT
He intended 10 ride the foetest horse up
The ground. and keep near HIM. as he
.rl ,,-.fi armed would see that 80 EcTsoinau a
nr7rcbed with hostile intentions. II this 2
nouncemeut the countenance Of the Indi
ent G-inbtene8 uD with a smile; lis whole 2,
sen seemed lifted from 'he ground, as he
~ turned to his position n the ine WIN a -
,yart stride The chiefs and Lieut., X SO
- after mounted their horses and took their J
si.ion directly in the rear Of the prisoner
na Srecta,ors We removed from the front VI
let. Iieut. r.. gave the signal; the blow =
ly srareeIv rsched the drum, when The prlsof
dar,ed from his antagonists, "lh a ecu
J. As-oud the reach OF