The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-09-15
Spotted Tail.

YAH ndLlOH, mas lOSt remarkable man
in Spotted Tail, whose life reads like a
romance. He was the chief OF the
Brule Sioux, and the ablest representa-
tive Of the Sioux nation. His name
has been intimately connected with
the Indian history of this country
for thirty years, and he met his death
BY assassination at the hands Of Crow
Dog. Spotted Tail was born some
where in the Republican river country
about iifty-iive years ago. OF his
parentage and early history little is
known. In 1854 he was at the head of
a band of warriors sent ont by Rcd Leaf
TO aveuge the murder OF Brule In
dian By the whites near Fort Laramie.
He once captured an overland stage
coach, killed the passengers, and OBJ
tanned $500. This was one cause Of the
Indian war which soon followed, in
which Gen. Harvey defeated the Sioux
at Ash Hollow. Spotted Tail was cap
lured, tried, and sentenced 20 death,
but pardoned by Buchanan. Since that
time he has been friendly to the whites.
His daughter, like Pocahontas, was
largely the cause Of this, having fallen
in love with an officer Of the army, and
X is said, died of broken heart. She
was buried among the soldiers, leaving
request that her people should always
remain friendly to the whites. In 1867
Spotted Tail took leading part in
the great peace council at North
Platte, Neb., when he made most ia
vorable impression by his eloquence -
The treaty made by this council gave
Spotted Tail and his associated chiefs,
Red Cloud, Turkey Leg, and others,
the land north OF the North Platte.
which they have since held. In 1875,
when a council was held at Red Cloud
agency, for the sale of the Black Hills,
a massacre was contemplated by Little
Big Man and his warriors, when Spot.
ted Tail, with his decision and self-as-
scrtion, cowed the hostiles with pow
erful speech. Gen. Crook, of the army,
says of him; 'IIe was the noblest In
dian of them all. The white people
never knew how much they were in
debted to him, and the Indians will
never look upon his like again In
1877 he succeeded in detaching some
of the tribes from Sitting Bull, which
compelled that warrior to give up his
war and 90 to Canada. When in Au-
gust of the same year Crazy Horse
came to the Spotted Tail agency to get
up a stampede among the Indians,
Spotted Tail stepped to the front and
said TO them, while Crazy Horse and
his braves had their guns cooked; 81
want YOU to understand that you cant
come here and make trouble between
us and the government | am chief,
and want YOU TO hear, or I'll give you
ears In many other instances since
that time Spotted Tail has served the
government by bringing the Indians to
terms.
He was very eloquent, and often wit
ty. He once said TO Crow Dog, his as
sassin, who once before attempted to
kill him, having pointed his gun at him;
IF point my rifle at mans body,
make his heart bleed; If | point my
rifle at mans head, make his brains
fly. Are YOU squaw that you are
afraid to freP' Once in the gallery OF
the senate at Washington, he said; 81
notice that most of your great men are
bald-headed 1t reminds me of stand
ing on a hill and looking down upon
| the rocks around which there is ne
grass growing. understand many OF
these bald-heads are thieves" Once,
when taken through the Jail of Wash
ington, he asked if anybody was there
for stealing from the Indians. When
| told that honest men used to have Q
bunch of hair growing in the palm o.
the hand, he said; II used TO have ,
great big bunch OF hair in the palm o
my hand, but it has all been worn OF
by shaking hands with the whites.
When suspicious Indian agent wa
explaining to him the benefits OF educa
ton and religion, he said: when yol
90 back, tell the great father to hurr,
up and send school-teachers here 4
teach my people 10 read and write, 3
they can commit forgery and maxi
living like the whites"
Spotted Tail was about feet 81 incl
rs high, and weighed about 10 pounds
He is said to have looked like Itnr
Ward Beechcr. He had three wives n
the time of his death, and eight or to
grown children. One Of these latter
named Spotted Tail. One of his daugl
tiers, Shaunkoo was to have entered
convent, but was stolen by her love
the night before, which ended the pre-
ject. - chicago NecS.