The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-06-24
THE NESToR OF THE PLAINS
OLD SPOTTED TAIL.

OLD SPOTTED TAIL.
HIS WISDOM IN CoUNCII-PUNIsHMENTo OF AN
INsoLENI sUBoRDINATE-HIs DAUGHTERS
LOVE AND DEATH.
From the advance sheets of Cen. Busbin's
book, this account of the famous Sioux
chief, Spotted TAIL is taken: We were
obedience to orders Tor all Indians to re-
move from the country lying between the
Union Pacific and Kansas Pacific railroads,
Spotted Tail. with his band. had come in
from the Republican. be bad about 5000
followers, and reluctantly consented to 90
upon a new reservation. His tribe was di-
vided into two bands, Brule and 0gallsllah
Sioux, and there was so great a
feeling of hostility between the bands
that they did not camp together and
held little intercourse with each other.
was told Spotted Tail was the chief of both,
but that they seldom met and had not seen
each other for some time, until they came to-
gether at our camp. In hunting Spotted
Tail led one of the bands, while Walk Under
the Ground beaded the other as q sort Of
/ lieutenant to Spotted Tail. The OZailaIl2hs
or Walk Under the Grounds band, had only
come in In obedience 10 the express, orders
| OF the head chile, and were restless and dis
satisfied There were some stormy scenes
| between Walk Under the Ground AID Spot
I C6U Ial, ana ola w &lky'' as bD6Y called
| him, seemed several times on the point OF
rebelling against his superior. Walk Ua-
der the Ground did not wish to leave the
| Republican country, and although his chief
was reluctant TO part with his old hunting
grounds, still be knew 1t was useless-Do con-
tend against the government, which declared
/ they must go, and had already brought its
troops upon the ground to enforce its orders.
Spotted Tail used every argument to con-
vince his lieutenant OF the folly OF resistance,
| but Walk Under the Ground was sullen and
would not be convinced. About this time
two things happened which added greatly
TO the i'll feeling existing between the chiefs
and speedily brought matters to head.
| A Brute had some time before stolen an
| Ogallallah's wife, or, as the Brules told the
| story, an Ogallallah's had run off from her
husband and come to live with q yOung
| Burle warrior, with whom she was in love.
Be this as it may, the bands had not been
many days in camp when, one morning, the
| deserted Ogallallah husband armed himself
aud going to the Brule camp entered the
lodge of the despoiler of his happiness and
shot him dead, the squaw barred her bosom
| and called out, "Since you have killed him,
kill me too" The enraged husband took
her at her word, and drawing a revolver
shot her through the heart. AS the hus-
| band ATTEMPTED co leave the Brule camp the
brother of the murdered man attacked him
and fired several shots into his body, from
4 n
ments. These
| TRIPLE MURDERS
caused great excitement in both camps, and
for some unexpected reason Walk Under
the Ground made this a cause Of complaint
against Spotted Tail. The old chief said the
matter had been settled in blood; that the
whole affair was alike disreputable to both
bands, and that he could not take any no.
tice OF the occurrence in the council. He de-
clared the tribe was we'll rid of such lewd
and lawless persons, and that being dead the
offsnse should now be forgotten by all par
ties, or, If remembered at all, only as an ex-
ample and warning to others to lead peaceful
and virtuous lives. Shortly after the oc-
currence above related, Walk Under the
Ground came to the cavalry
camp, and, entering an officers
| tent, began to converse with him.
The chief asked for drink
OF whisky and was given one. Presently he
asked for another, when the officer, know
ing the Indians failing, promptly refused to
| let MIN have any more. Walk Under the
Ground soon became grossly insolent and
abusive, and so enraged the officer that ne
arose from his chair and kicked the old fell
low out of the tent. On his trying TO re-en-
tersthe officer drew his saber, and, turning
| the fiat of his blaze, caught the Chief ana
gave him a tremendous thrashing. The In
suited Indian went at once to Spotted Tails
camp and related what had happened, asking
| in conclusion, if such outrages were TO be
calmly borne. Toe old chief replied that he
was sorry TOR the i'll treatment his lleuten-
ant had received, and The affair Was most
unfortunate, but Walk Under
the Ground admitted be had grossly
insulted the officer he had no one to
blame but himself for the un-
happy manner in which his visit to the
cavalry camp had terminated. As Walk
Under the Ground expected much sympathy
| from his chief be was greatly enraged at this
decision, and began to abuse Spotted Tail.
The chief calmly replied: "When 60 to see
the white soldiers do not drink their fire.
water, and they treat me kindly and invite
me to eat. When you go TO their camp you
get drunk and become insolent. LII you had
| behaved yourself in proper and respect
ful manner you would have nothing TO COM
plain of from them, but as you got drunk
and involved yourself in quarrel you
should not come here to make IL matter OF
complaint TO me. You are troublesome
old man, and when you are drunk you have
no sense left in your body. Because you get
the worst of it in row of your own max
ing it is no reason why 1should either
sympathizs with you or bring your -
DIsGRAcEFUL CONDUCT
before the council. You have more than
once occupied tie time OF the council with
trifiing and vexatious questions, and 1t Us
not proper that you should do so again. Go