The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-01-20
MAD SPOTTED TAIL.
The lanktOnais Sioux SHOW Utter
Contempt for Him.
lankton %. T.) Press.

1ankton %. ~ Press.
\ correspondent writes Of the grand
council of the Yanktonais Sioux as fol
lows: Led by White Ghost and Run
ming Bear, the chiefs, one after an
other. gave Spotted Tail to understand
that he was an interloper and a med
dler, and they wanted nothing to do
with him in the consummation of the
contract under consideration. They
told him the land on the opposite side
of the river was as much theirs as it
was his and Red Cloud's-that they did
not use it and seldom went upon it,
except to make visits, but it was theirs
Ill the same, and they proposed TO have
their share Of the pay for rail-
road right of way across it. Spotted
Tail was told that the government had
given the Sioux nation much money,
and that he got the most of it. He had
moved his Indians from place to place,
each time on a speculation, and he
had sold the Black Hills, the property
of the Sioux and the former sacred
abode OF the Great Spirit, and they had
received no benefit from these sue
cessive transactions. Finally, as j
clincher, the venerable Running Bear
said: You have plenty Of money.
You do not work Wher- do you get
it," The Inference was that Spot was
thief, and it made his royal highness
mad. He advanced to the centre of
the dusl1y throng. threw his blanket
upon the floor and stood with naked
shoulders before them, an attitude
which every Indian understands to be
one of defiance. Then he opened with
one Of his eloquent hArangues, and for
i time the Crow creek hills trenbled
to their foundation He told the Yank-
rorais if they opposed the construction
of the Milwaukee road through the
reservation (which they have no in
tention of doing, and Spot knows it J
that he would visit upon them the
direst vengeance He said: Myself
and Red Cloud have iorty-fve hum
dred braves al our camp. They are
better armed and mounted than ever
| Indians were before. They are sol
diers, and always viii be soldiers, and
viii never work for i living [ viii
bring them down upon you, and we
viii see if you viii do as [ tell you to. y
- Il Ii LII klsL1HIOiIctI NOIuS llOWc1 lOElli
the Yanktonais chiefs one by Que silent
ly rose from their places and glided out
of the room until there WAS no one left
but Spotted Tail and the agent, who
was taking notes of the remarks on
both sides This action on the part
of his audience is the Indian way Of
evincing contempt for speaker
Spotted Tail continued for moment
after the room was deserted and then
halted his remarks, and quiet, almost
painful silence prevailed. Then turn
ing to the agent he said: write down
this silence; there is more to it than
anything they have said" So saying
he gathered his kingly robes about
him and stalked forth into the open
air, where he Numbered his defiance
to the few lettering Indians, and left
the agency
The incident is significant. II shows
that the river bands are determined tc
cast off the authority of Spotted Tai
and set up business IN their own way
In the ranks OF his own Immediate fol-
lowers, the Upper Brules, there i:
! much dissatisfaction over his mer-
cenarv ways, and grand revolt against
his chleftalnshIp is imminent.