Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-03-20
SIOUX INDIANS.
Some Accounts Of Their Social Relations and ,
SuperstitiOns-The Custer Massacre.


On Sunday last Pioneer reporter
enjoyed lengthy conversation with
Joe Hoskiss, lieutenant of Indian
police, stationed at Cheyenne river
agency, who is now in attendance as a
witness upon United States district
court. Joe is a half-breed, who has
lived with the Sioux greater portion
Of his life, yet he is very intelligent
person and a ready and entertaining
conversationalist. He was educated
at st. Louis, speaks several languages
fuently, and ehas had extensive eX
perience On the frontier.
The Sioux are very superstitious.
are controlled by legends in whatever
they do, and never embark in an
undertaking without first having the
assurance that they are in the right.
In their way they are very religious
people cherishing the greatest respect
for the rights both of property and
person. of every member of the tribe.
The chastity of their women is also
noteworthy, and even their mode of
warfare is in accordance with the
teachings Of the great spirit. True,
they are often accused of great
atrocities, buff history was searched,
it would be found that members of
the tribe had suffered similar torture
and death at the hands of the whites,
the circumstances of which had been
remembered and retaliated at the first
opportunity. The Indian has the
utmost reverence of the 'sGreat
Spirit, but no belief in the existence
of an evil one. They use no profanity,
nor anything corresponding to white
mans oath. Their ideas of the here
after are vague. but impressive
nevertheless.
They believe that every act and
episode Of life below will be repeated
n the g happy hunting grounds, even
to the minutest details, hence the
burial of implements Of war and toll
with every deceased.
Probably one Of the noblest
actions in Indian history was the res
cue, in 1862, Of eight persons-two
woman and six children-from the
Santee camp, at the mouth of Grand
river, by -Four Bears, now in this city.
The captiveS were adopted into the
tribe, and one, Julia Wright, forced
to marry 81 son of Black Hawk, then
prominent chief. -Four Bears procured
their liberation partly through pur-
chase, giving four horses,) and partly
by strategy, and after passing through
many perils, returned them to their
homes. For this noble act -Four Bears
was promised remuneration by con-
gress, but the promise has never been
fulfilled. During his recent trip to
Washington he brought the matter
before Secretary Schurz, when assur-
ance was again given that the reward
would soon be forthcoming.
The relation existing between men,
bers of "a family are very peculiar.
For instance, brothers and sisters do
not fraterniZe-are very distant
scarcely recognizing each other.
Mothers-in- law are also ostracised i'm
mediately upon the marriage Of their
children.
Marriage is nothing more than pur-
chase and sale, negotiated by the near
est friends of both parties, but the
relations assumed are considered sa
cred, and are seldom violated.
The Custer massacre, in which many
of the Cheyenne agency Indians par
ticipated, is seldom mentioned, and
never only in the most cautious man.
ner. It was not at the time considered
a victory, nor is it remembered as an
event rejecting honor upon the tribe.
On the contrary, such few accounts
as have been CLEANED from those who
participated. indicate that rout of
the Indians was nealy accomplished,
and would have resulted had Reno
not shown the white feather. His
Battle, head warrior of the tribe, is
very emphatic in his denunciations of
Reno, and says that Clusters death
and many of his command is attribu-
table to his Reno's) cowardice. A
map is now being prepared at the
agency showing the position of the
Indians, both when the charge was
made, and soon after. when Reno
attacked form the south. Custer led
the charge to the head Of the draw
and ordered volley fired into the
lodges opposite. Immediately two
thousand braves arose from the sage
brush in the rear of the soldiers and
began their terrible work. Custer
gave the order to about wheel and
charge, and, with the three hundred,
galloped towards the foe The latter
were too numerous and too thoroughly
armed; the onslaught was checked
the enemy came up with a yell the
field became a scene of the widest
confusion and death. Clusters horse
fell mortally wounded, and as the gal
liant officer endeavored to extricate
himself from the ENHANCEMENT. a |
bullet passed through his leg, and,
while sitting there beWildered, faint.
and helpless, q boy quitely approached
from the rear, and delivered a death
blow with dubbed rife. The battle |
was over; humiliation was complete,
and the search for plumber began.
Almost the first body examined was
that Of the heroic officer, from whose
pockets they took a package, carefully |
opened it, and beheld the long auburn |
locks SO characteristic of the general,
and which had been cut only day or
owo before. The Indians at once
recognized their victim, and, respect
ing him in life, they respected him
then. The body was covered with a
h1op1yat oyJ LOFT TIo