, 1879-04-01
The Unhappy Ponca Indians Hold
a Council with Gen.
Crook.
Driven to n Hot Country, Their
Hands Fall to Tlleir
Sitlos.
Their People Sickcn and Die,
and There Is No Help.
Gen. Crook Fn1l Of Sorrow for the
Victims, but Really to Obey
Ortlcrs.
Peculiar Speeches Of tho 0hiofs, Submitting
to Inoxorabls Power.

6psei1' Dtndtch to The Tribune.
OMAHA, Ncb., Atareh 3i.-The furtnn1 council
With the band Of rouca Indians t,o,s ,uts was
held this morning by Gen. Crook IN tht pres
ence Of several officers and nine Indians.
Standing Bcar, the Chiuf, Was drcstcd In a red
blanket with necklace Of bear's claws and 4
broad bib Of beads. The ouler Indians vego in
cittzens' clothes. Standing Bear said:
"FRtaxDs AND BnoTnERs: The Almighty
created Us Indians. We arc as He made US.
The Almighty has given to The whites a book
to read, and they have plenty Of thImge to work
with. The Indian has no book. lie cannos
read. Hero Ia why I attn weak aud yuu
arc strong. I never eco book
or paper OF nny kind. but think ft is good
thing, to let You know all tlat Is going Oh iu tho
world. want my children to live 10 read.
while ago VIC came from tic great water, tou, III
the East,
NE KEpr coMlH0, COMING. CoMtsG
West until re got 10 Dakota. I made good
ltr'ug there. Thc,1, since, power took hold o.
tic o. By tho arIn and tnRde mo to stand up, and
told me to co South. They toole US to very
bad u!ace. They took our plows and all our
farming utensils, uni lociscsi .l,cm up. have
never seen them since. After 20 to tho Terri
tory, went to sec tic Qrcat Father ut WASH
inEton. When went into tie Office be took INC
BY the hand. Sid to tho Great Father: MY
people arc much wrongcd, as,d hope rou will
do something for me.
II AM IN AH AWFUL dad rkAuE.'
l told him that befurc / went to tho Territory
Ind good house and burn, which 1 had built
with my own hnutls. l Ind cattle antl hogs, md
all Ands Of stock, a,!d somebody cat,e AMI
took nil my things nway, md my Great Father
stood ZIP A,ltl said: slIow Is tlst l will order
IN Inspection told him l was in bad Tx.
lie told nc to "a and sec II could !inl eomr
good land ncar where VIC then were. went
back. started 10 lock for lind. found somu
land that looked good. We moved to II, but
since, unseen force calne down op us aud crushed
US 10 the earth.
oNK HUNDRED Asp rlFTr-sEyEN or our rEo-
PIE DIED.
A fow days passed by, and IN inspector came
from Washington. told him I would like to
move back to my old hone,-that lsc saw We
were III a dreadful place. lie answered in th!s
way: Il viii do oil rau. will Try whnt 1
can do for you.' Ile did not say he could do
anything, but he would 70 baclt to Washington
al,t1 tell them what q bud pluce It wns. But /
was like ono in haste. wuntesl to save tho
lives OF Iny people,"
STANDING HEAR
askcl permission to speak to tho officers prcs.
cnt, which was granted:
"iY FRIENDS AND BROTHERS: am now
with tho soldiers and officers / want TO 70
back to my old place north. want to save
myself and my tribe. MY brothers, It seeu,s to
nc Us II stood In front Of great pratrIe fire.
would take up my babies untl run to suyc tllcir
lives; or Us II stood on the brink Of an OVER
flowing river, and would taku my people nlll fly
to underground. Oh, MY brothers, the Almighty
looks down OIL INC nn1 knows what 1
mn, anl knows my wor]s. aluy the Almighty
send good snlrit to brood over you, my broth
crs, to move you to help Ine. IL wIite man
had land, unl some Quo should swlnd,u him,
that man would try to rot 1t back, uad you
would not hlasno lin. Look OIL nc. Take
pity on me. mil help nc to save the lives of
the women and cllEldrru. Ny brothers, power
which l. emit resist crowds me down to the
ground. need ltc1p. haye donc.'
nurvALo CHIPS.
Following is Buffalo ClAps' speech:
sin tho start knew nothing OF what was 60
Ing on. sas holding the handles Of ny plow.
had horsc. built d good stahlc. raised
cattlo and hogs, nl,l all kinds Of stock. l brolir
land. 81 these things lost by sone bad mar.
Any ouc knows to take lnan from cold
climate md put him 1T d hot sua down In tho
South II would kill him. Seven lolgcs refused
to 70 down theru, Vo afterwards went down
to SEQ our friends and see huw they liked It.
Brothcrs, comu home now. I touk my
brothers and friends mud ratne back hero.
VII WANT TO WORK.
/ had hold Of tho handles at my plow again. It
at.s
70 hack, but t1llnk tt would bo better plan
for nc to 20 to work to ratso something 10 live
on uoxt wIuter. Down thera 1t wcAkcns mo all
over. Ny hallls droop down by my stucs, and
cannot use them. We all feul sick all tho time.
dea.re to stay here, where can work and ratse
rlc1ty to uat for my tatnltg."
CoLtoQuY.
Gen. Crook-How loug since sou went down
thesst
buffalo Chps-In 1677-May OF June.
Gun. Crook-l havo heard all thts story TO.
forc. 1t Is as represented. 1t has been reported
10 Washington.
Buffalo Chips took his sent, and Gen. Crook
said: "It's very hard casc. but cap do moth.
Ing myself. have received IN order from
Washington, and .hust obey It. They hayo all
tho facts In Washington, aud II would do no
Eran, but Us
L1xBLr TO no MORE HARM THAN ooop.
You eau stay here few days and lat -FOUR stock
Strengthen up,"
Standing Dear stated that he would like to
say few moro words, aud Gen. Crook gase Aiua
permission, lie said:
~ have beau wandering around for thrco
years. have lost all my property. My con-
8tant thouuht tg. Whst man hns 1pud THAI
OF COURSE know caunot saY 'No.' Whatever
they say must do. In4ult 10 Il. ! know you
bage M order to send ~ 10 tho Indian Terri.
tory. and wa ,nu.t oteY It. bare this request
10 make. Tic Great Father orders III to
60 back to tho Indian Territory,
lie should glyo vi some money topsy our az.
peases aud buy such things ~ We need on the
way. Half OF my pcopla hero arc atck, md ot
course they will diu before We get hcsc, a1ltl
TuHr MuGr Iii BuAlHD.
Wish tho Great Father would giyo III money
to pay tho necessary expsuses."
Gen. Crook" All NO eau do Ia to give you
hat ffrna rn,, 0Ll9 too,,fxa nn f,a ~ d.up