Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-05-29
News from Winnipeg.
Riel i'm an Interview with Rev.
PittsIadO Defends His Side
of the Question.
He is Described as a Cunning,
Intelligent Man-His
Religion.
Winnipeg.
Winnipeg.
RIEL AND REV. PITTSLADO HAVE AN
INTERVIEW.

INTERVIEW
ST. PAUL, May 26.-The Evenins
Dispatch publishes a long specia
from Winnipeg giving the particular:
of an interview betweeh Riel and Rev
Pittslado, who accompanied the form
er on the steamer Northcote to Saska
toon. Riel bitterly denounces, the
priest says, that they are selfish,
meddlesome class and caused the
present trouble. He had 500 men al
Batouche and $50 on the north side
of the river. He said eight were
killed and two fatally wounded. Riel
says the half-breeds did not rebel but
they were not treated fairly and hoped
for treaty similar to the one made
with the settled half breeds of Mani
toba. Rel claims 10 be citizen OF
the United States, and hence not a
traitor to Canada. This will prob>
ably be his live defense.
RIEL INTERVIEWED.
WINNIPEG, May 26.-Rev. Pittslado
who was on board the steamer North
cote with Riel after the latter was
captured, had an interview with the
rebel leader which is in substance as
follows: Riel is described as cum
ming, intelligent man. He did not
know what the authorities would do
with him. He was forced to fight, he
said, by the police and the Hudson
Bay officers who tyranized over the
half-breeds and abused their power.
Speaking of the battle of Batouche,
Riel SAID he had 500 men engaged of
whom eight were killed and two
wounded. During the fight he was
present among the men in the pits.
He spoke of the priests as opposed to
any attempt on the part of the half
breeds to have their wrongs righted,
and denounced them as tyrannical
and interested solely in their own
welfare. They turned the people
against them because they assumed
civil functions and the protestants by
opposing them. The priests were
against him RieD, not because he
rebelled, but because he did not sue
ceed in helping them. The people
forced him to fight and would not let
him go back to Montana.
He was on his way to give himself
up to Middleton, he said, when the
scouts captured him. On the subject
of his religious views, Riel was very
communicative. He declared his
opposition to the church of Rome and
said its priests had too much to do
with civil affairs. A council at Ba~
touche, he said, adopted a religious
creed of distinct doctrines which they
wished to teach the people.
I'VE believe in form of church
government" he said; 'we prefer the
Episcopal we would like to see a
head bishop for the dominion, or for
the new world, who would be indie
pendent of Rome. We don't think
the affairs of the church can be right
ly administered 50 far away. This
country will never be free until she
shakes off Rome"
When asked why he rebellcd in
order to have the claims of the halls
breeds granted, he said: ''We did not
rebel-this matter is not rebellion. "
He referred to the treaty between the
governaaent and halfsbreeds of Mani-
toba, and said that as no treaty had
been made with. them and they had
never transferred their right. They
simply defended themselves. They
deserved to have an equitable arrange
ment made for their interests. He
was asked what would be his answer
if charged with treason Rel said
that as he was citizen of the United
States and could not be traitor to
Canada. He said he went to the U.
S. at the solicitation of Arch Bishop
Tache. He returned, was declared an
outlaw and then went back to the
states to which he was banished for
| FIVE years.
How much money did the Cana>
dian government give your he was
asked.
"It gave me eight hundred pounds, y
he answered, "and my wife two hun
dred.n
In addition to his above named de-
fense, Il charged with treason, Riel
said, he should rely upon his loyalty
while subject of the English gov.
ernment.
He concluded by saying; Il have
been true to the half>breeds. have
not rebelled against the Canadian
government. | have my papers al
right. A citizen of the United States
can hardly be tlaitor to the domin-
lon"