The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-23
SPOTTED TAIL INTERVIEWED
NOTES OF RECENT CHAT WITH THE
FAMOUS OH sIOUx CHIEF.
The Last Honors 60 Crazy Horse Dancing aud
uowlins-The Grand snchem In the Bosom
OF ais FamIIy-An Autobiosrapbicnl Talk.

OPoTTED lAIL AGENCY, NED, Sept lo'-i
arrived too late to attend the funeral of Crazy
Horse. and perhaps it would not have been adj
visable, up here. to participate in his obsequies
They were very solemn and imposing-to the
Sioux. of whom large number assembled to
do honor to the dead chief The commanding
officer at Camp Sheridan furnished the best
coffin the Quartcrmasters department could
turn out. This was elevated about three feet
above the ground by means OF rude scaffold,
an unusually low grave for an Indian. many Of
whom sleep their last sleep In the tops OF trees.
Here upon an exposed mound or blum. not Tar
from the Agency rcposc the remains OF the
famous Minncconioux. who is said to have
taken the scalps Of thirty whites with his own
hands. To secure him immunity from fatigue
and cactus. and enable him 10 outstrip his enc
mics in iourncyng through the happy hunting
grounds his favoritc war pony was led TO his
grave and there slaughtered. In his coffin were
placed costly robes and blankets TO protect him
from the colds. II pipe and some tobacco. n bow
and quiver of arrows. Il carbinc and pistol. with
AN ample supply Of ammunition. sugar. coffee.
and hard bread. and an assortment of beads and
trinkets with which to captiNatc the nut-brOwn
maids OF paradise. The Sioux idea of heaven
is II vast prairie covered with buffalo and other
game. Unlike the Bnsh- Bazouk. he il not con-
tent with peopling il with hours he must have
enemies there. too What would heaven he
without themy He believes IN no he'll. but tina,
all Indians enter the abodcs of bliss save only
those VINO nre scalped or stranglcd. the latter
mode of death cfreoiuay preventing the escape
Of the Spirit through the mouth at the moment
Of dissolution. What theology.
The grave was left in charge Of the chief
mourners. the remainder dispensing. In the
several villages they have been dancing night
and day. this being an exhibition of grief rs well
"a of gladness. Indeed. a Sioux dances upon
any occasion. and TN" at in no manner betravs
the character of his emotion. Meanwhile. with
ont food or drink naked. and hideously black
ed eight figures lcnroundthc corpse and howl
Night and day they do nothing but howl. aud
every Sioux. be IT Il buck or Il squaw. who pass
- near, howls too. The women delight in H.
suspect these fellows who mourn assidu
ousy about the dead Chief are the principal sub
scrib.is 20 his equipment fund. and stay there
70 look after the property. or course. the lastto
leave vii "onfiscatc Il.
With nvicw II closer inspection requested
thu agent 10 accompany me to the grave; He
asked me II wa bald II would appear that u
try. and confess | prefer To- live whore II ~
worn On the top Of thr heal i was then ~ue-
ees'ed that We visit Spotted Tail instead. 10
from Red Cloud Agency. | had seen little 10 note;
7 Ten miles ea-t W. had pissed lon. mas q
/ rock called Crow Butte, or Ilanrtts Hin. when
/ has a history. The l,geri l. that a party of
! Crow Indians. being pursued and molly pushed
lA tltlr enemies. illfs SIOUX. TOOK refuge upon
the elevated but contra'tod ami almost mac
/ ccs-ible plat 'au. II sre they were brsirged. 80
assured al their success We're the Sioux that
/ they amused themselves by grand war dance.
which continued might and day. Finally, when
they supposed their miserable victims had dlrd
uf hunger and thirst. they rushed NJ the BLUM
/ To find that the Grows had flown. They had
| them. and let themselves down the pcrpeidicu-
lar and therefore unguarded face ~ the elf 10y
/ night. Upon the Shadrow. bordeaux. and
/ numerous other creeks flowing between the
] l Ella. mn al
( Camp sheridan had proved pleasant enough
,ivlc post. but very dun CrazS Horse; ~
g,ther was beginning 10 experience sense
/ 81 Professional di-rlI"intmrnt 1T III" m.agra
results 81 trip. when Tia" visit To- spotted Tail
/ was proposed This chief IL viii fe remem.
! h"rel. was declared the Grand Sachom Of the
sioux NATION 10y i1e auth9riiy 81 the President
/ on the 18th ~ h.-t october. Gen. Crook was
/ present. and the ceremonies partook somewhat
/ 81 the nature II "a c'rYnailon. The General
/ evidently desired 10 make q profound impress
sion upon thu unttor'd minds OF the assem-
BLEED -Nag.s. AMI apparehlly succeeded. From
! thgi event dates IN" policy now pursued ~ these
agencies. Rcd ClOud was deposrd. Spotted
u" fate II the former. had hc lived. Touch
! the-Cloiid. u man ~ magnificent physique. is
the rising man of the MinnocoutouX. set he ren-
ders true Hlleg!an q" 20 spotted Tail. who cXhih.
pride. hi- catoraf'y decorated and carefully
preserved parchment commission.
7 W" found him NOT far from the agency. and
/ inr'un"trb, SURROUNDED - mo royal family.
! His countcnance Impressed me by rs thought
! iul and benevolent aspect. and his speech and
/ manner betrayed an earnest cunsciousnoss OF
hl, responsibility. The conventional breech-
clout mo "'asin~, aud blanket ~ the Sioux
comprised his attire. His several wives. ap-
| yaTcntly about thu same ign. struck m" A. being
better looking than the average Indian women.
I Two girls in their teens were. present and their
I quiet ana modest drin"an"r WAS in murked
| contrast 10 the bold stare Of the sIuuws They
wore their hair in real Marguerite brails. and
/ hHrharous bangles upon their slender yet
| shap"ly wrist. The smaller progeny. dirty
and half naked. their black eyes sparkling With
/ ian and mischief. played in and ont Of the
lodge leaving til" imprint of their feet in the
moist earth. lhaNeyti 70 sec h4ndsome buck
or beautiful spnaw although have enconn-
In our talk elected much and varied nfor-
nation upon the subject Of Indian affairs but
~ thistime desire 10 present the personal his.
tory 81 the famous Sioux rs related by himself
and never before published. In a few days he.
with twenty othrr chiefs. will start for Wash
ngon; j autohiugrauhy II. therefore. timely.
spotted Tail i iiiiy-iour year Of age, having
nrIn hnrn ia AuguI'. lsz5. NJ mat time r.,
81 the timber upon the Niolrara Riyer-thr
l'unning Water or can Iui cours oi the Cana
miles from THIS agency. HIS father was u
chief OF the laohfc,t. called Tho Man who
Shot-at- thc-rigrr meaning. ~ course. some
similar American anmall His mother how
/ ever, Wa Il Bruie sioux. and bore n very euphO-
Spotted Tail had one brother and one sister but
/ they drd when he was seven years old. and
were soon followed 10y the father The latter
was a great trader and upon one occasion Wis
tied the city Of 81. Louis. then frontier town.
DiscOnsolatc and among strangers, tn, mother
returned To- her own people. the Brufs. who
have since become the individual and especial
band OF her remarkable son. Spotted Tails
name is attributable 10 q very ordinary circum-
stance. On the night of his birth a white man
shared their lodge. and paItoOk Of It's rude hos
pitality. His father had killed Il large wild cat
with n beautifully spotted tail. and his heart
was glad. He cautiously arkcd his guest L.
name the child and he replied: Can him Gin
lag,a-s kah-the Spotted Tail The young
buck. with others had som" trouble with the
agent ~ Horse Crock and was sent IL Fort
Lcavcnworh for trial but aitcr short inpris-
onment he was relrnsrd I'd. and spent two winters
with the southern Cheyenne and onr with the
kiOwas. When eighteen years of ag" he Joined
n war party against the pawn"cs. and twelve
months later led a success jul attack upon THEN
villages ana returned with "A large amount al
captured pruUcrtv, including many punir :
Here he first stru', his living enemy. which il
u" greatest feat a SIOUX warrior can perform
. Il" fOltuuni" termination ui these and many
: other similar enterprises secured him riches
and renoWn ~ q daring horse thief. aud. by q
generous distribution Of th'' plumber he attain.
td 90 Ill h lniulnrlty that he WAS elected chin
! Ot his aioli'd iuno. ANA soon became one al
the prin'ilHl men If Ia" nation.
Ot late Year. his .r-s has been confined t.
the council. and no treaty with the Sioux has
d h'cn ,t proposed Nul,out has sanction. 81
4 Inns nsidN several 4.-.t- to Washington. and
ll.t a. ~,