The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-09

with each other nave nothing TO say about the
white swlndIers who ply their calling under tue
protection OF the government. 1t Is such things
as these that made Red Cloud tell the President
that ali white men are liars. These outrages
the beginning OF massacres. 1t is common say
ing that Indians nave no sense OF honor, and can
not be trusted. The Hudson Bay Fur Company
has traded with the Indians for 200 years, and
there Is no case on record where an Indian has
hurt single white man employed by that COM
pany.
SOLDIERS OPINION.
l now come to the statements OF a prominent
and well Known ofilcer at standing Rock, whose
name can be given If necessary. He stands nigh
IN the estimation OF such men as Terry, Custer
and other leading military gen tlemen in the West.
The former agent Edward Palmer. of the Indian
Department In Washington, wrote follows.
HIS letter was dated Grand River Agency. Stand
Ing ROCK, December 80. 1874:-
The quantity OF supplies hand at this agency Is less
articles ana parity because of Inc close OF naviga
ton only naf ratons have been issued for
VIII
before spring.
rue officer says that there was no porE nor
bacon In December Boef gave out in March. In
April the agency bought seventy-dve cows and
calves with a lew oxen. They were killed about the
LIST OF April About the l5tn thirteen steers were
only quarter rations. They had no more meat
until the 1st Of May. During the last two weeks
In April they got little sugar, tobacco, salt aud
beans. which was all they nad to live on except
their ponies and dogs. Flour gave out on the Isl
OF April. Early In January the Indians began
complaining to the soldiers OF hunger. They
thought that the Great Father intended them
to nave enough, but It never reached
them. They said they were poorer
than ever before. Commissioner Smith said
in his last report that he would send men to teach
them to farm: that they should have Industrial
schools and stock. But they mad nothing but
promises and starvation. The game nearly
gone, and they had neither horses nor ammun-
tion. The principal chiefs said that no doubt the
Great Father had set apart money for them, but 1t
had been stolen The ration, SAID the oflcer, al
lowed them was not enough. 1t was one-fourth
less than any ration in some things and one-half
less in others.
The Indians have good memories. While they
were waiting for food they repeated what had
been told them 30 often. They SAID, ave don't
see the ploughs that were TO be sent US, nor he
men who were TO snow us how to use them. We
did have an Industrial school at Grand River; but
they told ne that 1t was NOT good place; so they
brought us here. where we have nothing" The
Indians complained Of not being allowed voice
half OF the sgners to the Laramie treaty In 1858.
Tie Commissioner would not send for them now;
he ignored their wishes entirely.
BEGGING FOR BREAD.
When the Indians were out of nour In April
they came to the soldiers and begged Tor bread.
They brought in their haichets and beads and
pipes ana trinkets and sold them for less tn ian
they paid. The little money they received for
skins did nog go iar toward buying food wnen
bacon was ifty cents pound and crackers eight
cents apiece. cowhide brought a few dollars
but goods were given In exchange at profit OF
from 100 to 800 and 400 per cent. One man, an In
dian, paid 81 for cotton handkerchief and two
yards OF cheap cloth. Fllmsy calico OF doubtful
colors was sold at rs cents yard.
AT the opening OF navigation this spring the
first boat brought rs barrels OF PORK, $500 sacks
OF nour and 200 sacks OF corn Tor the agency. 1t
was landed before sundown, but tae agent said
he had no time to give out any OF the provisions.
as he had not examined and checked the invoices.
and he told them to come the next morning. Kill
Eagle one OF the Backfeet Chiefs turned on his
heel ana told his people that they had starved for
one moon ana could starve one night longer. The
Uncapas and Yanktonas said that they could do
what the Blackieet could, and they went to their
lodges
An onlcer who Indignantly Witnessed the scene
says :-'It was the most heroic exhibition OF ior-
bearance that 1 ever saw. IL put the Pennsylva-
MA mlners TO shame. and they have committed
more acts of violence. Tor less cause, than all the
on the Missouri River. Since the trea ty
was made In 1868 thousand starving white men
would have sacked the agency In ten minutes.
There were 5000 Indians, but they went BACK TO
their tents and ate their dogs. The soldiers would
never have submitted TO such treatment" said he
The officer spoke warmly OF MRS. Galpin. 'Atter
the Slbey-Sloux war two white women were
captured in Minnesota" SAID he, and carried
away by the Indians to Sitting Bulbs camp. she
went out with load of goods to buy their free
dom. Sitting Bull gave her body guard and
helped her 10 find them, and the guard accom-
panied her back to Fort Rice she took the cap
tves 20 Sioux City, where they met their nus
bands ana were restored to their families. The
paror was filed with people when they came.
One OF the women threw her arms about Mrs. Gal
pins neck and kissed her, and they could hardly
be separated. The scene," said the of1cer, "was
so affecting that the men had TO leave the room"
This is the MRS. Galpln whom the government has
forbidden to trade with those or her own blood.
Congress voted an appropriation fer her. 1t gave
her the price OF the goods with which she ran
somed the captives.
The oflcer says II Is well known that arms, am
munitlon aud whiskey have been brought up the
river In false packages and sold to the Indians py
the Illicit traders ut the wood yards. WhisKey
from Bismarck has been sold for enormous prices
on the reservations by outsiders who are continu-
ally talking about the quarrelsome savages.
When the Indians were suffering last winter
Agent Palmer reported that the agency had 500
barrels OF pork, $50 barrels of sugar and other
articles at Sioux City, but the river was frozen so
that the boats could not run. 1t lay there for six
M nj "A the wuq 10 mn
Strange to say $4,000 worth OF the pork mas not
been heard from to this day at the agency. Per-
haps the Ring can account for 1t. Notwithstand-
ing the arrival OF the delayed provisions, which
rightiully belong to the Indians, they get more
than the usual ration, which Is nearly one-fourth
less than Ine soldiers ration, and yet the Ring
apologists complain because an Indian eats as
much as three white men.
THE INDIANS THRIFTY.
The ofiicer afnrmJ that the Indians are not nat
urally wasteiul they save strings and buttons