Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1875-1878, 1876-07-19
Indian Agency Votes, Etc. Y

4 AAuAdA IASCAASy ASOCOo9 A1SNs E.
I Col. Burke, agent at Standing Rock,
vas in the city last week.. The Colonel
does not deny that : few Of his Indians
are in the hostile camps, but Insists
they are not generally ! absent, as has
been represented. He says several par
ties are and have been out hunting, and
insists that in view Of the short supplies
they were forced to hunt or starye, but
in their hunting excursions they have
not left their reservation. He says be-
cause the Indians are not in camp at
the post it is assumed by the casual OBJ
server that they are with the hostiles,
but the conclusion does him and them
Injustice. About four hundred lodges
are in camp east of the river; about 70
lodges on the Cannon Ball and other
parties at different points on the reser.
vation, though some distance from the
post. Having represented, and believed,
as it generally is, that these Indians
were operating with the hostiles to the
extent of thousands, We give the Colonel
the benefit of his statement. Colonel
Burke urges a vigorous prosecution of
the campaign against the hostiles, and
estimates their effective fighting, force
at near ten thousand. He says there
will be Indian depredations and Indian
troubles until the hostiles are brought
into subjection. As it is now there is
no remedy for existing evils no pun
ishment for crimes against the whites
or for crimes committed by one Indian.
.gsinst another, for tho reason that the
culprit can without difficulty reach the
hostile camp which, IN the beginning.
was largely made up of renegades and
and fugitives from justice. The Colonel
SAYS there is much uneasiness, at the
agency concerning the future, as the,
Indians know that this massacreawill
result in a changed policy, particularly
as no provision has yet been made for
them, and they are out of supplies and
have been for some time, though for
present relief the agent has been au-
thorized to issue beef, and with that
they will get along very we'll for time.
Some of the Indian chiefs expressed gen.
aine sorrow over the death of Custer
and his band, and realize that this is the
beginning Of the end. Other Indians
talk of the massacr efreely to others but
not to the Colonel, and some are foolish
enough to think the whites are already
crushed, but they are like the few
whites who gloried when Lincoln was
murdered: The Colonel thinks these
Indians will not be concerned in any
hostile movement unless driven
to desperation by hunger. An agency
employee informs the writer that q few
from the hostiies have sneaked into the
agency, and one of them reports that
the Uncpapas alone lost 100 men in the
Custer battle, and that there were por-
tions OF nine bands engaged though the
Uncpapas were by far the most numer.
ous. He did not know the loss sustain.
ed by the other bands. This Indian
admitted that one of the three princi-
pal chiefs, at first supposed to be Sit.
ting Bull. was killed, The troops found
the body and it answered to the descrip-
tion given by Girard, Courtenay and
others who personally know him, of
Sitting Bull, but the Rec scouts who
know him better, insist that the body
is that of great chief but not Sitting
Bull. So it IS possible Crazy Horse or
Black Moon are now in the happy hunt
I inc ground-possible that Sitting Bull
sleeps the long sleep. Certainly one Of
the three have gone where the wood
bine twineth never. .s..s
A gentleman writes from Standing
Rock to say that the commandant re-
fused to listen to the complaints Of the
Indians made on the 4th, and did not
issue commissary stores to pacify them,
as stated last week, or for any other
purpose, but about that time the agent
issued beef, which satisfied them for
the tine being. The TRIBUNE did not
hesitate to use the statement to the
contrary as it came, substantially as
printed, from citizen not in sympa-
thy, particularly, with either com,nan.
dant or agent or in any manner related
to the agency. #4,ola se.
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