Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-06

ueseooeGs clnGeIAla c. TT M.
4 lew Facts fer the Csasiasratisn .
gaHeais Dsanste ~ The %. PAsl Pie
assesersss-LikswsSs essrssary sehars
Aaeyoss Psrss and akssaax.-For som,
time past the press Of this Territory, espe.
slally the Yankton papers. have had caus,
70 complain of the troubles Of the settlers o
the upper jim. caused BY the king Of COTE,
coolers, Stormy Goose, or o. be now stylel
himself, Drifting Goose. Now, for tn.
benefit Of your readers and the information
Of his hackers, I Vill give you . bit of hi,
history. He came to old Graad Rive,
agency 10 1869 and camped on the east aide
of tho AlssourL. driving his regular ration,
and clothing for his hand.
The agen. Major Hsrn. refused TO give
him ratious several times. telling him he
belonged to Grow Creek. To this Drifting
Goose objected. saying all his people were
1t Grand river. AZ he 10 closely connected
with Bulls Chest, Black Tomahawk, and
several other Yanktonais chiefs drawing "a,
tions at that agency. he finally vent ia
Grow Creek and stayed there some time
making short visits to tho Jim river 10 the
spring and fall to hunt ducks and trap. Hi,
|staysahoWsvsr oessr extended over . few
months nsthe year. How he or his band
could farm to any extent I would like Ia
know.
II the interior department officials would
like to know Why this band.o Of pets, love the
Jim river valley 90. I'll tell them. Since
the agencies have been established on the
Missouri river large herds Of Texas cattle ars
sent to supply the Indians. These cattle are
Kept there till November then they arc
killed and frozen for winter use. Before that
time arrives We generally have severe
storms from the northwest. The cattle
coming from . warm climate can't atand q
Dakotsl blizzard. They drift with the storm
and where do they 90! Why. look at the
map and you will see. They driit right to
the dirt lodges on the Jim river, where
Drifting Goose and his drifting baod are
patiently waiting for the drifting cattle.
Oh! they have q high old time farming. I
know Of one instance where 4l2 head Of
government cattle got lost In a storm on
Swan Lake creek. below Grandrlvsr. They
were trailed near jim river and then oil
track Of them was lost. They fell into
Drifting Goose's care. He played sgeut
aud had a little freezing time of his own.
This 10 Why this band of Indians think SO
much of their Jim river home, as they call
it.
The Dakota Herald Of this week has an
extract from a letter supposed to be written
BY Capt. E. Bennett, of the 18th infantry,
cpholdinR this band of robbers in their
claim to the Jim valley. If Capt. Bennett
would look back to the time when he was
10 command at Grand river aud Jog bis
memory q little he would find there we're
two yoke of work cattle stolen from the
corral with the Jokes on them. Where did
Capt. Bennett find themi He found them
in possession Of those cattle thieves at the
dirt lodges, on the jim river. But these
Indians claimed they fond them. They are
big on the find.
Another instance of their love for the
which Capt. Bennett claims they
will be remembered BY Mr.. Drift
ing Goose and his soldiers. They came
rom the agency 10 Swan Lake creek TO
'unt. A white man kept a ranch there, q
vav station for the U. 8. mail. Those no
lie reds ordered him to make them . feast. !
lie offered than some bread and antelope
neat. This they refused, unless he cooked !
hem coffee. 1t was eleven to one, still our
brother backed up to the bed. mutter-
nk I'll cook your goos., d-n you" When
hey saw him fooling with q 16 shooter
hey retreated in bad order.
This band are moi professional scalp lift
re-. Then If Capt. Bennett would take The
rouble to ask Black Ant Zone of the handy
ow many white men be has killed be
'ould hold up i've fingers and give HIM
ay and date for each one. This is q true
tstement of facts Zoo hearssy about it) by
who has reason to know this band and
ont own an acre Of land on the Jim river
Yours, &c,
W. w.
Iankton, Sept. 6, 1879.