The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-11-23


the three card-monte player, who was tried for
murder, got out: his pal, Mike O'Neil, was dis
missed: John b. Cameron. who was for some time
good reason why Brave Bear should not escape
Last Wednesday. however, when the Sister OF Mer-
ey told him there was no hope. he was quite
broken up.
The closing. by that instrument most dreaded by
the Indian. the moose, Of the Of Mato Hike
bis life. His real name was Wa-pe- pi (variously
but since %anhd no has used The
tho army In and about st. Paul
who have been similarly honored. He was as thor
Oughly unscrupulous aud as pleasan-spoken as
bloodhirsty and as jolly as revengeful and as gen.
erous as any Sioux. living or dead: and these
traits ,n are mot To- bis
child seemed to afford as much of delight
as the vanqrishing of a manly foe in
dance he would count coup after coup, which.
being translated. gave evidence OF an Unborn spirit
of rapine and murder which optdid in savagery his
dusky peers OF medium stature and moderately
dark complexion, the traditional cheek bones, and
with eyes milder than many who have sucking dove
records. small arms Che was always too
numerously married to have to work much but
large legs. given to fnery and bent upon carrying
arms OF some sort II 1t we're only q scabbardless
saber or tomahawk pine. Brave Bear was un-
tx the majority of tho tribe of Sioux to which he
eembed the Ce-a-sapa lBlackfeet) or Uncapapa
tribes No wonder he acted like the latter. He
rarely without four wives at least and used 10
pride Of his audacity and skill, say nothi Of his
winning ways, lent fervor Upon one occasion. in
the early spring Of 1877, he stole no less than
camrs at Standing Rock, and how Romc-like .
lover he was in the wooing may be judged from the
fact that the feminine Barkises willing every
prFAsrNo RrCo.D
When Bravo Bear first went into tho scalping
business: in WHICH he became 50 thorough an
''kill.d heap white" in the Minnesota massa-
ere he speaks English inteligently. and can
write Brave Bear" an accomplish ment of which
he is very proud). and his claim is probably we'll
founded, a. he counts two coups on children killed
In 1862. At that time he was certainly not more
than seventeen years DID, and he doesn't look at all
eight His b!oodth'rsty Instincts kept him cor
4: ., i. ss5!S3e:; :ss, 'ss T.
Jossph. near Fort Pembina, is undoubtedly
chareeabe to him. He was arrested for that crime
by Lieut. ~ Seventh cavalry At Fort TGten
mentioned slocum and file Of the guard
arrested him and Sioux COMPANION. The latter
mouse and was shot dead by one Of his captors
Brave Bears remark was alike cynical and self
seS Ms a% biz fool ina gh know IN n he
worrying not one whit when parting from bis rela.
tives to 20 to Fargo in custody Of the United
Stat States marshal Legal tsShncas. Sc,
again appeared at Standing Rock. but in
o recac!taut mood that Lieuts. Barry and Kis-
nngbury on separate occasions had to compel him
by force to obey the mandates Of the agent anu
stay on the western side of the Missouri with the
rest Of he Yanktonnas. He finally tired OF
agency hfe-h's was always perturbed spirit-and
ANoMAD1C LIFE OF YEAR,
in which he visited all the northern agencies, he
the Of Max
su ly,haying evidently come raid Of a few hun
gun ~' and ' several '''ps1D ooss
in money. which he buried. He rejoined ill.,
hostiles and came to Standing Rock with Sitting
nos n o1 ms r1sxs ana cantu5es nad laugh
armed. Four Horns was notified. and he, taking
Suing Bull into his confidence, succeeded in
ss'oR Brave Ssa9 Sitting sGa Bull knife hm
self bringing the arms to Capt. Howe
and giving them up. Again Brave Bear deserted.
and coming to tho house Of Erenehman named
on the east bank. he boasted OF the murder OF
johnson, and offered Agard 5000 of the buried
money gotten from his victim. The Frenchlnan,
who is courageous as lion, rose for his gun, and
fur times snapped cartridge at the self confessed
murderer, the latter standing as coolly as il
at counci! Of his kin. The weapon failed
fifth trial exploded the cartridge and with deri-
sive laugh the Indian stakcd away. But his
c,pes were over The sheriff at Bismarck was no.
lided-General Terry wisely decliniug to interfere
IA what was so evidently a civil ar.
rest-and Brave Bear was captured,
red and sentenced by Judge Edgerton
to be hanged by the neck until DEATH During his
trial, and when sentenced. he was as collected as
tho Judge himself, though he seemed to fully real
ize the peril he stood in. He has several times
tried to escape the hated rope by suicide, but was
foiled. His case Is the more notable in that he is
the first Indian ever reguIarlv tried and convicted
of murder by tho Dakota courts.
The above is the meagerest sketch Of a life teem-
ing with adventures enough to stock q weekly
paper with serials unnumbtred Brave Bear had
good qualities and has been known TO spare the life
OF one in his power. He had an insa liable liking
for drink. and when in liquor was more like de-
mon than man, as more than one can testify.
Fearless In battle and ready in subterfuge, it was
bis propensity to steal other mecs wives that prob
ably kept him in the position Of petty chief only.
instead of noted leader