The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-08-06
THE REDS.
General Sheridan's Report on
the Indians.
THE cHEYENNEs AND LEAsERs.
German Pugilisrn-The Turf-Ameriea
and Austria-The Russians
and the Afghans.
sheridan. and the Indians.

Sheridan and the Indians.
WASHINGTON, August 4.-Sheridan'
report to the President on the results OF
his recent investigations into the trou-
bles in Indian Territory is made
public this evening. He said he first
sent for AgenHDyer. who said that the
Arapahoes were well disposed, but were
under the influence of the Cheyennes
and would be obliged to furnish con-
tingent of braves in case of hestilities.
That the Cheyennes were peaceful. ex-
cept 1000. represented Dy Chief Stone
Calf, who were ugly. No progress
toward civilization was being made.
DYER thought that to a certain extent
the proximity of cattle men was irritat-
ing, but that the only way to settle the
trouble was to disarm the Indians and
awe them into Submission by display
of military force General Sheridan
next interviewed Stone Calf, who repre-
scented the disaffected Indians. The
burden of their complaint was leasing
their lands, though they had many
complaints against the agent and others
officially connected with the agency.
They said that when leases were made
their opposition was manifested when
ever consulted or opportunity offered in
the strongest terms. They had refused
to sign the leases and had never
accepted any of the lease money.
Pressure had been brought to bear
upon them, but they had resisted, and
thus there had sprung up a division in
the tribe between those who favored
and those who opposed the leases, and
the result was division in their places
of living. The Stone Calf element had
mostly made their homes in the neigh
borhood of the old military car ton and
the northern force of the Canadian and
Wichita rivers, and this country was
covered with leases. There came new
people, and herds of cattle were grazed
| from one end to the other OF their lands.
They complained that their ponies
were stolen, their little herds absconded
and their garden patches overrun.
Matters were aggravated by the killing
of Running Buffalo by a trespassing
horse trader named Horton in May,
1884. The Indians became frenzied at
this act. and it was with
great difficulty that general
massacre was prevented. This discon-
tent and irritation rapidly increased
from this date. and the peaceful con-
/ troll by the agent ceased. Instead Of
trying to conciliate them, the agent
became more vigorous, endeavoring to
set them bown on restricted pieces of
land, and threatened them with militia
if they refused obedience. They saw in
the course of the agent their concentra-
ton on a few acres of land and the
balance of their reservation practically
transferred to cattlemen for a long
period of years. if not permanently.
1.-THE Cheyennes," Gen. Sheridan says,
"are fine specimens of the wild Indians
and as they still maintain most of their
aboriginal customs and loyalty to
nomadic habits, unciyilized, nothing
could have been more mistaken than
an endeayor to crowd upon them in
quick succession the custom of civiliza-
ton. More other than the slowest and
most patient processes could succeed
with them"
General Sheridan next interviewed
number of those who hid
signed leases and gathered that while
they had agreed to the leases they had
become sick of the bargain. 1t was APP
parent that the signing had been done
in individual capacity and by encour- |
agement. if not by forcible persuasion
of the former agent, ]. o. Miles, his
employees, and large number of inter
ested individuals, who lived lawfully
and unlawfully around the agency.
They now say that they had made
mistake. General Sheridan then gives
the story of the lease. He says that the
lessees claim that general council was
held in the beginning, and that the
chief and head men, representing 95
per cent. of the Indians, consented. The
General says that whatever may be the
truth as to this, there is no denying the
fact that the agency and its sur
roundings under Agent Miles were
worked in behalf of the cattle |
men, that Miles stoo formal |
part as a representative of |
Indians, and that his name appears |
in all leases in his official capacity; that |
whatever their feelings at first, later on |
the Indians become favorable to leas-
ing their lands, and the general hints at |
doubt whether their consent was really
obtained to some of the later ones. |
While whites have aggrieved the In
dians, the latter have also angered the
whites There is no doubt in General |
Sherman's mind that the.affairs of the |
reservation should be reorganized.
There are within the limits two many
white people, who have no lawful husi
ness. All who are not owners and en-
ployees, or who are not officially con-
nected with the agency or military
posts, should be obliged to leave at
once.
General Sheridan in conclusion, refers
to the recommendations he had made
and which have been made public, and
alludes to the appointment of Captain
Lee as acting agent, which together with
the decision of the President with res
pect to leases will, he feels confident.
end the difficulties so that there need be
no further apprehension OF an outbreak.
The Indians he says are sitting down to
the new condition, satisfied that the
President means to treat them kindly,
justly and firmly, and he has every
reason to believe their future would be
one of peaceful prosperity.