San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-03-01
SITTING BULL.
4 Hdmd-so- Hand Encounter With tho Old
Miner.

(Chcago Times Interview with Frank 0irard. tho
Famous SEOUL
The reporter asked the plucky scout
il he had ever come across Sitting Bull.
"les," was the reply. Il once had
hand-to-hand encounter with him. In
the spring of 1864, q body of Sioux
camped on the opposite side of the riv-
or, within mile and half of the fort.
Sitting Bull and party of twelve came
on visit to the Berthold Indians, who
were still in their winter quarters. They
afterward came to the fort, and told
Sitting Bull that could only allow
himself and a few Of the principal men
of the tribe to come inside and trade.
He knew that regulation was customary
when we were a little weak, and he made
no objection. further told him to 90
into the store and trade ut our regular
prices, and when he was through
would satisfy him by giving him any
thing that'he wanted, but I could not
permit him to fix the price. He went
into the store and got some Iroquois
shells, which are largely used by the
savages for purposes of characterization
He offered five buffalo robes for them,
but the price was ten. and the store
man would not accept his offer. Sitting
Bull came into my office and said he
would not give more than five robes for
the shells. I told him he could not
have them for the price, and took the
shells away from him. walked to-
ward n bureau to put the articles away.
Knowing the treacherous nature of the
Sioux, I watched him over my shoulder.
He had his arms crossed on the stock
of double-barreled gun, the muzzles
of which were resting on the floor. As
1 stepped away from him, Sitting Bull
raised the gun and was bringing it to
bear on me, when I dropped the shells,
seized and threw up the barrels of the
gun, and knocked the caps off with my
thumb. While was doing this the
second chief of the Rees, who was in
the Office, pulled out his revolver and
covered Sitting Bull, asking me in In
dian, What do You say?' thought
second or two and the friendly chief re-
peated his question, but I answered
No"
The newspaper man suggested that
Mr.. Girard had missed q glorious op-
portunity of Kidding the United States
army of one OF its most dangerous enc
mics.
"Well," said the scout, smiling, Eve
don't always know how things will turn
out. had considered the situation,
and thought if Sitting Bull was killed
inside the fort there were sufficient In
dams in his camp to have smoked us
out. He left shortly after this little
episode, looking anything but pleased,
and he sent word by Bloody Knife that
he had an arrow in his culver which he
would never use until he met me again.
l returned the compliment by sending
him word that I had rifle which al
ways spoke the truth when it spoke,
and that when saw him he would hear
of it. This challenge remained in force
for two years, when Sitting Bull was de-
sirous of visiting the Berthold Indians.
He sent two runners with q pipe of
peace and asked me to smoke and ter
inmate the feud. With this pipe he
sent two fine American horses, as sort
of inducement for us to smoke. At the
solicitation of the chiefs of the Berthold
Indians / smoked the pipe, and gave
the horses to the head chiefs at the fort.
1 sent word to Sitting Bull that as he
came, so would receive him; if empty
handed, so would I be, but if he had
bow and arrows, would have my pis-
toll. From that day to this 1 have never
had the pleasure of meeting Sitting Bull.
/ understand that he came to the vii
lagc at dark and always returned to his
camp before daylight"
/ Ar Providence, Il. T., the other week,
t l.