Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1876-08-16
THE SIOUX INDIANS.
DESCRIPTION ny AMAN WHO LIVED WITH
THEN ron FIVE YEARS.

THEN roR FIVE YEARS.
tProm tho 81. Louis Globe Democrat
| A reporter of tho Globe. Democrat met
Mr.. j. ID. Keller, n gentleman who re.
sides at i,922 Morgan street. in this
city, and who possesses q great deal Of
interesting information about the Sioux.
Mr.. Keller was from 1868 To 1873,
clerk Of the agent ut Standing Rock
and had ample opportunities TO get nc
quainted with this tribe OF bloodthirsty
savages. In fact, he lived among them
so long that he learned TO speak their
language like native, and was great
favorito Of tho big Chiefs who came to
the agency. They called him Mime
hua 0chila" (tho writing boy. The
word Sioux means cut-throat." Ac-
cording TO Mr.. Keller's statement, the
various bands Of Sioux number from
49, 900 to $4,000, and arc divided into
the following different tribes Unka-
papa Black Feet, Sans Arcs, Two Ket-
ties, Upper Yanktonais, Lower Yank-
tonais, Santee Sioux, Burgglys, Min
Conjoux, and Galkas. Part Of these
live east and part west Of the Missouri
river Tatonka Otahka (Sitting BulD
who led the savages in the fight against
Custer belongs to the Unkapapas (dried
beef eaters). Mr. Keller knows him
well. lie has o large head, eyes and
nose, high cheek-bones, ono Of his legs
is shorter than the other, from o gun
shot wound in the left knee. His
countenance is of an extremely savage
type, betraying that bloodthirstinejs
and brutality for which he has been so
long notorious. He has tho name Of
being one of tho most successful scalp
crs in the Indian country. There has
been standing reward Of 81 900 offer
ed for his head for the last eight years,
by the Montana people, who have spe-
cial cause TO know his fcrocious nature,
some of our worst deeds having been
perpetratcd in that Territory. The
Sioux, when on the warpath, black their
faces from the eyes down, the forehead
being colored bright red. When in
mourning, and very eager 10 revenge
the death Of friends or relations, they
cut their hair short and daub their
faces with white earth. Their feats of
horsemanship arc wonderful. They
consider the greatest act Of valor TO be
the striking Of their enemy with some
hand instrument while alive, and wheth-
er alive or dead, it is the first one that
strikes the fallen foe that "counts the
coup" and not the one that shoots him.
They do not always scalp Their OBJ
ject in scalping is to furnish proof of
their deed, and give them to their wo-
men to dance over. They always at
tack in a sweeping, circling line, eagle
like, give volley, pass on, circle and
return on different angle. When
they kill one Of the enemy there Is
always a rush 10 get the first crack at
him, so as to "count the COUP" and
then some Indian who was disappoint-
ed in getting cut at the victim while
alive scalps him. The Sioux always
camp with tepes (lodges) in circle,
making, as it were, stockade, and
when on dangerous ground they picket
their ponies in the centre. Mr.. Keller
disastrous encaaement Of Cnster occur
rod Concery;Sg ,h;s be said @Mv
idea of the Custer slaughter is that the
Indians had no women and children in
their lodges, and had parapets dug un-
der the LODGES ont of sight Custer.
th;nI;no !, Sas samilv eamn rnshed
in the Contra Of their fnyt wbere resist
anco would necessar;lv nrove fatal
His onIv means of escsna was after
finding himself in this fT N run RIGHT
tbrouSb and ont and not stop TO figbt
but ioin Reno's command and retrest5
Gen1 q Harnev Terry sherman and
San Aubprn constituted the Military
Commission who. in 1868. formed a
treaty with the Sioux atFort Rice in
Dakota According 10 the terms of the
treaty the sioux were TO have ali the
country extending from the Running
Water north TO fifteen miles above
Heart river east of the Missouri river
including the country known as the
Black Hills.
Tho trootv o,so c.,,ed an arrr;tv
of nror;s;nns oio,h;nr aar;cnl,rraI;n ~
NJ oidpn,onts por "a aroniora5s Lnown as
~ tra;nars % taocI snch az ,vonId
oonsont o1s 90 oona down .nd nd i;ro a, ~ ,ha
aoanc;os tbe mode Of earning a i;vsl;
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