Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-07-16
THE BLACK HILLS.
SURRENDER OF THEIR HERITAGE BY
THE SOUlx
Conquest Of the Black Hill Reg1on-A
3arbaric Concourss- Of
the Red Man. Sitting Bulls
Emissary-A Crisie-
n r.,.wi. In Chicago rim.s.l

r. A. BALDWIN In Chicago TiInes.l
From Nebraska's western limits across the
plains to Fort Steele, the tortuous North
Platte river was, until 1874, the line which
separated the pioneers hut on the frontier
of civilization from the Sioux country. In
1874 the ides of March bore TO the country,
The Sioux have broken out" They had
crossed the line, and again with savage ven-
geance left the impress Of their com
ing The line vanished never to re-
turn, as amidst snow and ice, with
| piercing winds, and the risors Of an
| intensely severe winter as constant
companion, the troops marched to give bat
| tie TO their inveterate foe. Over snow-cap-
ped hills, along frozen valleys, and through
1 bleak and desolate canyons, the columns
moved to relive the agencies There was no
| conflict; the archives Of the interior depart
ment perhaps can answer why. As a result
Of this demonstrat ton followed the establish
ment OF two military posts in the heart OF
the Sioux nation, and which eventually
served as an entering wsigs OF future opera
| tons. Thus began the tedious conquest Of
this section O. country, over .ich has now
grown the gigantic stock-raising industry
Into these forts Indians would bring pieces
Of gold bearing quartz The subtle Sioux
1 BETRAYED not the whereabouts of the precious
metal The Black hills was a sealed book
| Adventure and exploration was there, and
when returning parties reported that hidden
treasure lay wrapped in the folds of the
mountains no PROCLAMATION was needed TO
announce to tho world that the Indians
must surrender that domain. TIE attempt
by those in authority to stem the tide OF hur-
rying prospectors was futile, for soon the
hills were alive with the sound OF men. To
| gain by treaty this Fl Dorado brought into
| existence the commission of 1879, composed
of Senator Allison, Gen. Terry, AMI others
Previous to his meeting runners had been
sent forth to all tie bands Of Souix, includ-
ing the affiliated tribes Of Northern Chey-
ennes and ArapahoeS, appointing council
in the fall at Red Cloud agency. Sitting
Bull, war chief of the Mime Conjous, roam
ing in the far north, had new err sought any
thing from the whites For answer to the
mes senger he said: go tell the white man
| hate him"
At the designated time a horde Of savages
so ,0Oc, Of all ages, sexes, and conditions,
| gathered at the council grounds. They had
| come from the sterile borders of the Mis-
sonri river, from tie rocky Slopes Of Wyom-
| ing from the tabelands Of Montana, and
| from nhospitabls ani BARRON regions Of
| Dakota-warriors, orators, and diplomats
| Of an uncouth nation, adorned by all the
| gewgaw iincry Of barbarian apparel. Never
| again will b. assembled such a concourse of
red men, earnest and performing as i'm
portant All act, fraught with such far-reach-
ing consequences TO n doomed race, as whom
the representatives Of this great govern
| ment IN council, put forth their learning.
power, craft, and cunning 20 cloak the greed
for gold.
On bright September morn the chiefs
whose names are conspicuous in the annals
of Lorier warfare in solemn council met the
cmissaries of the great father. who had boon
csccrtoi - the place Of meeting by squad
ron of cavalry. "A gala day, that broke in
| upon the impressive solitude of the plains.
as grand as ever brought together, ages ago,
| the people OF Mizrain to their festival of the
valley The hills around the Iimpid
| stream were denseiy coverel with herds
of war ponies Tho valley of tho White
| river was thrOnsei by masses in holiday
attire vending their way to the grand
council. Fieet-footci AMI caparisoned ponies
| bore to the scene tae average knights,
| dccked in gorgeous war bOunetS trailing to
the ground. and from whose lances floatei
| gay coiored pennants. The foam-ccvered
| steeds displayed the warriors horSemanship
| for the appiause and admiration of paint
embellishei maidens. Mingling sounds Of
niirth and songs of battle echoed along the
wales and through the pine-cre,tei hills
From the rude stone ciub, the brutal impis-
ment Of death, to the magazine rifle, q
| weapon was not wanting from their armory.
| Tie councils proceedings were opened by
| 81.
to the desires of tie government Chiefs
Red Cloud, Spotted Tail. Red Dog, White
Antelope, AMI others rccited with impas-
sIoned eioquence and dramatic ,ticulation
| the oft-repeateI history of their tribes. In
words Of burning reproach they laid bare
| the unbroken record OF robberieS AMI other
| wrongs perpetratei upon their people.
| These leaders told how they had been crowded
| from place to place, until now their exile
| from home and country, from the scenes
| of their youth and the burial places Of their
| kindred was demanded to satisfy the gras p
| ing and restless spirit OF the whites. Spotted
Tail, If ma jestic presence, the folds Of the
| blanket drapping his massive form. stood be-
| fore the commissioners. IN the center of the
| vast multitude IN the Uncertain brink Of ma
| tional existence, an deal chieftain, chief
among warriors He pleaded his cause with
| fervent voice. Clear and soft. that was
1
| swayei by the Consciousness Of right His
| appeal to reason, jgstice. and humanity was
| lost upon his pale faced listeners for. rs
| made known BY an unettered interpreter 5
| translation, it became marvel of inco-
herent speech. rendered in eNecrabe En-
| gli>h.
The speech Of Red Dog. the orator of the
| Sioux nation, IN imagery and beauty of In
| dian rhetorical has eruaps never been eN-
| ccl.e,i by untuinrcd man. He had scarcely fin
| Ishei when an excited c9mmotion was OBJ
| served among the thousands there assem-
| blei Riding naked TO the front on an iron
| gray horse. and braniiShing a grim weapon
in air Little Big Man lroclaimei: MY
heart is bad have come from Sitting Bull
| to kill white man" Rapidly the ponies
| disappeared from the hills. Wrinkled
squaws ami soft-eyel maidens hurried To
| their camps. As the painted AMI armed
| Tartar cavalry of the plains -eized the con
| tiguous knobs the martial tones of Capt
| Egan Second cavalry, as valiant n soldier
| n ever breasted foc, rang out loud and
| firm Stand tn horse-mount." impelled
| by the command each trooper, grasping car
| bine vaiteI into saddle. Faces that had
| viewed mad scenes IN other fields lost color
as images Of loved ones passed in mental re
| view.
Happily the impending crisis was averted
| by the promptitude of Young Man Afraid
| of HiS-H Horses eSpousing the cause Of the
| troops. on whose flank he hurriedly arrayed
| his blankets1 braves a supporters. As a
| conservator of peace he approached Sitting
| Bulls emisSary, Little Big Man. and in I'M
mistakabe meaning ordered him to lsave
| the council ground pain Of being killed.
| But Sitting Bulls work was done. The
| council was at an end. and no treaty was ac-
| caulplishei FOR on the morrow the congre-
gated bands began journeying To their rude
| habitations. many days distant In the fol-
| lowing fall. 1876, a so-called treaty was
| signed but not until after the ahills- had
begun to yield up their golden store to the
hardy miner and Sitting Bull had been
hurled back by Gen. Crooks army. al
| though later, turning the Little Big
| Horn. the savages wiped from existence
| Gen. Custer AMI his 800.
| 'Npnsens.,' said. 4 have done nothing
l am not condemned
The priest looked toward the door in
| quiringly. and as the lantern was shifted
| saw standing there the two had met az ihs
| chiefs house. They were in evening DIRE :
| and had evidently come from some revel Ii
rectly to the prison.
A case of cowarily murder, father. aid
| the nephew, stepping forward. ard now a
case Of real or feigned insanity
Il sprang at the man, but the guard al
once grapplei me, another stepping from the
outside gloom 10 help him. Instantly the
| exscutioner tied my elbows together. then my
wrists and then my ankles in spite Of my sirug-
giles He LETT room for my fee: TO shuftia
along. ami guard took me By each arm and
forced me along the corridor, the priest going
in front and murmuring the WORKS % thu
service for the dying. After turning into
another passage lighter than the first we
came 70 a square room, IN the center Of
which stood tae guillotine, with its bright
ak in the sliding perpendicular framework