Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-02-20
THE STORY OF Wild HOG.
Why it was That he Stabbed
Himself Rather Than
go Back.
From the Herald.


From the Herald.
OMAHA, NEB., Feb. 1O.-At 2 d.
M. on Saturday an ambulance brought
Capt. Vroom, of the Third Cavalry,
intr1sted with the duty OF bringing
the Cheyenne prisoners from Camp
Robinson to Sidney. The Indians
were in two canvas-topped wagons,
each followed by strong guard of
cavalrymen, and the train, with pro-
visions and camp equipage, was i'm
mediately behind. The Indians were
taken Immediately to the guard house
and unloaded. The party comprised
Wild Hog, his wife and three chill.
dren; Big Crow, wife and two chill
dren; Big Head (for Tangle Hairy,
wife and three children; Fact Whirl-
wind; Porcupine { or the biacksmith) }
and his wife, called The Enemy |;
Buffalo Calf, Left Hand and his wife,
and one orphan child-21 in all, 7
bucks and IA women and children.
Wild Hog, bent double by wounds,
was handcuffed and double shackled :.
He has good features and well shap-
ed head. He is six feet four inches
in height, and is magnificently pro-
portioned. Big Head, wounded
through the fleshy paU of the thigh,
was without irons. He limped pain
fully, and moved forward with the
assistance of rude stick. Buffalo
Calf has serious wound near the
knee, which will leave stiff Joint.
He limped with even greater difficult
ty. Wild Hogs eldest daughter, a
girl Of 16, is of an exceptionally
beautiful type, and was taken from
the intrenchment after the last fight,
having a severe flesh wound in the
arm, rendering her sick. She was
helped into the guard house. The
remainder of the bucks were hand.
cuffed, except Old Crow, who was al.
ways friendly and lived at the lower
camp with Wild Hog at the time oi
the first outbreak at Camp Robinson.
The men were confined in one cell
and the women and children in anoth-
er. 1t was considered unsafe to
place them together. With the moan
ing and crying of the children and
and the crippled men, the scene was
most touching, bringing tears to the
eyes of several spectators, including
officers. The children alone gave
evidence of discomfort by audible
sound. Immediately after their ar
rival they were fed with crackers.
meat and coffee, eating with great
voracity, the children clamoring
principally for coffee. Finally the
doors were closed and barred and the
guards were left in charge.
At 10 O'Clock yesterday morning
your correspondent called on Capt.
Vroom, with John Farnham, an in
terpreter, and was given an opportu-
nifty to learn from the Cheyennes
what they wished to say. Wild Hog
said: II was raised up among the
Northern Indians. When went
down South I was homesick. AL
great many of our people died. We
did not get enough TO eat, and were
troubled with feas and vermin. We
we're not used to it. We had many |
relatives in the North, and we had ai- |
ways been well used there. When / |
went South they told me it was a |
good farming country, but when we
got there we found the country was
no better than this up here. I was
married to Sioux woman, and NV
children were born up here, and they
preferred to live with the Sioux. The
sioux women and children had always
,ienty to eat at Pine Ridge Agency,
md they wanted to come back where
hey would be used well. We did
lot think of doing anything bad. l
TiIl tell you the truth about our sup
lies. as you have asked it. They
ave us corn meal ground with the
OBJ, such as a man feeds his mules,
ome salt, and one beef for forty-six
ersons, to last for seven days. We
te it in three days, and starved four
avs. They gave US coffee some
ines, but no sugar. A great many
tarved to death. We had goods and
rovisions in the commisssry, but
ur agent used them. The grass was
D poor our horses died, and there
as no wood.
81 do not know what our agent did
ith the goods he had. He gave
one to us or -four, though he had
Ienty. wanted to ccme to the
ioux where my people al were, and
ork on the agency where my wife's !
lends and relatives were. ] was al
ays willing to work and have always
ayed on the agency, where i had
rough to eat and have been good
ldian. You can ask the officers and ],
ey win tell you SO. Now, ! am in ! 1
hurry for this trial, and would soon . !.
have the President hear me than 9
ose not 90 high in authority. i
s.The Government had not kept Z
treaty with as, and still we stayed :
ere, waiting until we had used up 4
erything We had buying provisions. :.
hen We had sold everything and !.
re starving ourselves we had to :. !.
me. We had nothing. We had <
a everything. We came up poor.
) thought We had the right to cone, =,
casse the geyernnaent bad not k<pt ~
treaty viii = "a anY reaps ii5