The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-09
BEGGING FOR BREAD.
"Sitting Crow" Addresses the
Herald Upon His Wrongs.
WHAT 1.-TWO BEARS" SAYS
The Life of the Sioux on the
Reservation.

STANDING Rock, Dakota June IT. 1876.
crowd OF passengers and Indians were stand
Ing around stove IN the leading hotel In Chey-
enne two years ago. Among them was young
dandy with his hands full of shears He offered
them to one OF the Indians. As the saw
age stretched out his hand the Caucasian struck
him a spiteful blow across the knuckles with the
shears Had the Indian Knocked him down or
shot him there would nave been a fight on the
spot, aud the citizens would nave teegrapEed
over the country OF an unprovoked Indian assault.
] have recalled the circumstance many times.
and now, on investigating the frauds oil this
agency, 1t strikes me as lair Illustration OF this
whole Indian question.
The whites are generally the aggressors. No
candid and well informed person on the frontier
doubts that the Indians have been unJustly dealt
with by the government and its agents.
INDIANS AND WHITE MEN.
The President recently told the Sioux chiefs
that they had been fed for the last two years
Kratultousy. This, however does not excuse the
Indian Department for its shameful nagement
OF indian affairs. So long as 1t pretended to pro-
vide for them II Ia bound to do Its work faithfully
and employ honest agents. Inc prevailing senti-
ment among q certain class is that the Indian has
no fights which white man ought to respect.
They say that he is dirty, cowardly, lazy, cruel,
dishonest and treacherous The gentlemen VINO
are 30 anxious 10 Take possession OF the BLACK
Hills regardless OF treaties have profound ana
deadly hatred for Indians and Indian sympa-
thizers. In their estimation yellow dog is more
respec able than a red man. did hear a man say
the other day that he would like to live In hay
stack all winter with an Indian girl ana q barrel
OF bourbon, but In other respects he was no friend
oil the Sioux. l was surprised to find the soldiers
on good terms with the Indians. They talk and
laugh with them and race their horses in most
familiar way at the agencies. ana when they are
In trouble they go straight TO an officer for advice
As rule the military deals justly with them
and treats them kindly, while III most cases the
ordinary citizen looks at them with contempt and
WILL have no intercourse with them especially
with the males. Still there are exceptions. l will
cay at the outset that indians steal and lie, and
that they are dirty and treacherous; but they are
not more so than white people would be II placed
in their circumstances. Some negroes and whites
are as uncleanly, and the average Indian con-
tractor Is as accomplished rascal as the worst
OF :nem.
TnE sUFFERINGs OF THE INDIANS LAST WINTER.
TEe HERALD has published Il brief statement
from General Custer touching the suferings OF
the Indians here last winter. That the public
may know more fully about 1t VIII give the re-
suit OF a few days. investigation on the ground.
have interviewed army officers and citizens, as
well as chiefs of the Blackleet, Uncpapas and
Yanktonas, which are OF the great Sioux or Da-
kota tribe. they call themselves "Lakotas," and
the word 'SiouX" Is seldom used by them.
The sun was nearly down when our steamer
came in sight OF the lodges OF the Yanktonas, four
miles above the agency. TWO Bears Is the head
chief The encampment Is at the foot OF high
grassy hills which slope back from the timber
groves OF the Missouri AS the boat swung ma
jesticay around the bend a line of Indian boys
cottonwoods. Tney were robed in darS blankets
and most of them had bows and arrows. Otner
sncampments came in sight, and lar away to the
south white conica tents tepees) dotted the green
carpet under the horizon. The bluffs at the land
Ing swarmed with Indians OF all sizes and CON-
pexions. They crowded the shore, and groups OF
Them extended O ong the crest OF the hill for half
mile.
The agency buildings comprise hollow square
Of hewn log houses, occupying ABOUT as much
ground as New York block OF stores. The
agents ONCE and dwelling quarters are in the
right hand OF the block. and the rest OF the
rooms are used for Indian and quartermaster
stores. The soldiers live in the houses forming
the western side OF the square. TIE traders
store stands about 2U0 feet to the north 1t Is OF
logs, with slockade in the rear. Less than one
hundred soldiers were stationed here when I
arrived. put one or two companies from the old
Grand River agency came mp to-day to take the
place OF company that went to Fort Lincoln yes.
terday. Not more than one hundred men are
here now. Colonel POLAND Is in command, ana he
begins to erect new quarters to-day. A steam
saw and sninge mill is on the ground, ana In a
few weeks the troops viii be living in houses OF
their own and no longer dependents on the agency
barracks.
This Standing Rock agency was moved hither
from Grand River two years ago. Tho agent, Z.
Palmer, formerly clerk In the Interior Depart
ment At Washington, resigned last fall and sent
MS baggage ahead. His resignation was accepted,
but no one came to relieve him until late this
spring, when the present agent, Colonel Burk, OF
Omaha, took charge There IS less open drunk
enness at Standing Rock than In any place OF its
we In the State OF New York; yet the little whs-
kcy that has already been Struggled in has caused
one or two murders and much scandal. The men
VINO have done the most drinking are the
agents ana their interpreters. barrel OF
whiskey In this Indan country means fraud
ana bloodshed. The largest steamers on the Mis-.
sourt River have placard In every cabin warn
ing all persons against selling or trafickug Ia In.
toxicating liquors under penalty oil being turned
over 10 the nearest military post. The Indian De-
Dartment and the military authorities nave
wisely adopted these measures to preserve peace
and prevent wnttO men and Indians from pIunR.