Omaha daily bee., 1888-04-08
HOW CROOK KILLED THE BEAR
@ruin Met the General and He In
stantly Expired.
some OF HIS CHARACTERISTICS.
The Fourth Day OF Foolishness on the
Direct Tax Bill Boss Stout and
n Paul Van Der WORT Sc
~ i'- cure n Contract
Pleased with Crooks Promotion.
WASHINGTON BUREAU THE OMAHA BEE,
J h12 E,nnnTEENTu STRFET

WASHINGTON BUREAU THE OMAHA BRE, l
5l3 FOURTEENTH STREET,
4 WASHINGTON. ID. c., April z. J
There was good deal of comment in con-
G pressional and army circles to-day over the
! nomination of Brlgadier General George
Crook, yesterday, to be major general to fill
the vacancy caused by the retirement Of
General Terry The nomination, as stated
by BEE dispatches last night, gives very gen
) nral satisfaction and senators say it will be
confirmed without delay, probably on Tues
day next. The promotion of General Crook
has brought out a good deal of comment upon
B. him and many stories of those who have
served with him in the field and who are now
y In Washington. An officer who long served
=. On, his staff on the frontier says the general
b Is one of the most striking and remarkable
{ figures known in the military services of this
country. He is generally regarded, both by
army officers and the public as the greatest
b, of Indian fighters and managers His
Indian policy is simple but posi-
tive. "Always govern Indians with the
strictest impartality, never make them
promises that cannot be fulfilled, never allow
them to be idle when at peace, but make
Them work for their living, and when they
want 70 fight whip them out of their mocas-
stns," have been the rules that have gov
erned him in his frontier service. He has
seen thirty-six years service on the frontier,
and it is said is thoroughly familiar with the
country west Of the Mississippi river, from
British America many miles on the other
side Of the Mexican border. This knowledge
he acquired by riding with his men over
every part of the district of which he was in
J command. Army officers say he is the only
I! general officer who has invariably done this.
;, INSTEAD of detailing an officer to
go he goes himself. Consequently
. he becomes as familiar with his officers as he
docs with the enemy and their country.
When not on a campaign he dresses neatly
q hut not ostentatiously, but when he is on the
trail he wears an old canvas suit, and his
personal outfit has been estimated at various
Zines by officers with him as ranging in
value from II cents to S1.35. He always rides
at the head of his column on mule, with
his rifle across his arm. 1t is claimed that
hei is acquainted with the personal character
jstics of every officer about him, and knows
4 the condition of every wagon and animal in
tis command.
q SOLDIER TAAT NEVER TIRES.
He is about tifty-eight years of age, an
even six feet in height, straight as an arrow
6 and weighs always about 175 pounds. 1t is
said by number OF officers who have served
{ with him that in all Of his many campaigns
he has never been known to be even tired,
Z, although he invariably experienced the same
D hardships and privations as the officers with
him. all Of whom were sometimes physically
gone to pieces. His extraordinary strength
Is of that sinewy, 1.-THE character that en-
{. hbles him to stand almost any kind of service
( He has always been great hunter and fish
erman. He has of late years lost his interest
~ deer hunting, but it is said
!; of him that he will go thousand
I. miles for the chance of a shot at a bear, and
when he goes he generally gets the bear.
Once, several years ago, he was on bear
hunt in the Big Horn country with two or
/. three gentlemen. They had tracked a bear
into big tule or cat tail swamp and had
bust entered in pursuit, when the tules parted
and a monstrous bear appeared and charged
for General Crook, who nearest to him.
One of the gentlemen, in describing the Incl
dent, said 1.-The animal was not more than
twenty-five feet from Crook, who stood still
without moving muscle. The outline of his
figure and face stood against the background
pf the sky as clear cameo The bear
came rushing with jaws opened wide and in
p moment more would have seized Crook.
pust at the right instant his rifle was brought
TO his shoulder like flash and a bullet sped
straight into his open mouth, and went crash
Ing through his head. The bear fell forward
dead and General Crook was spattered with
g his blood. 1t was the most signal instance of
Iron nerve in the time of danger ever saw"
o Bald the eyewitness.
DHe is great fisherman and amateur orni-
i Biologist, and is said to be as well versed in
patural history as many who make that study
their business. When his friends thought
that he might succeed General Terry, they
d wrote TO him (Crook) TO outline plan of
campaign and they would work for him. He
replied that he thought the president would
examine into the records before acting, and
sk.taa taRa tNh haxya Iic lat l.. tIn,,
4 went hunting IN the country south of Salt
lake. where he now is. He is said to be ac-
Cessible on all occasions, and treats IA private
with the same consideration and courtesy as
a major general He will probably succeed
General Terry in command of the Division of
The Missouri, where there are many Indian
problems still to be solved.
The promotion of Colonel Brooks to briga-
sGiier general will result in the following pro-
motions; Lieutenant Colonel Edmund &.
Mason Fourth infantry, to colonel of the
Third; Ma or Frederick Mears, of the Twenty
tfth infantry, to be lieutenant colonel of the
Fourth; Captain Evan Miles, of the Twenty
first infantry, TO be major of the Twenty fifth,
aud First Lieutenant Joseph W. Duncan, of
the Twenty first infantry, to be captain of the
hsame regiment.
FOUR DAYS OF FILLIBUSTERING.
Another day was frittered away in the
.house by the fillibusters against the direct
lax bill. Oakes, of Alabama, showed unmis-
ptakable evidence of weakness on the part of
MS followers DclWtcn l anu = % CLOCK WHllt
undergoing cross-eXamination by Mr. Reed,
a OF Maine, who is one OF the leaders of
ltthe measures friends. Mr.. Reed an
anouncod again that the friends of the
measure were willing TO grant all the
time demanded by the opponent
q for debate in general, and Also for the con-
,eideration of amendment, but that thsy pro
posed to act under the cocstItuton of the
United States, which provides that legisla-
Gtion shall be tie work of the majority He
knew o. nothing, either in the constitution or
ccmmon parliamentary practice, which sug-
gests TO three tourths majority that it
should knuclSle 10 a one-fourth minority. He
uis1ows of no reason why over two hundred
and fifty members should yield TO the de
mands of sixty-three.
NJ Mr.. Oates, IN reply, said that what himself
and his followers desired to avoid was being
placed in position 10 vote on the main ques-
tion, the passage of the bill. He did not pro
pose TO be cornered, and finally acknowl
edged fatty that the thing he was trying tC
avoid was the will of the majority. His fail
ure to Justify the work he and his men have
been conducting for four days past eiciteG
jeers of ridicule from the republican side OF
the house.
An hour later the house, by unanimous
consent, took recess until IL AS a. m
on Monday. The members fingered in theil
seats for some time after the house took the
recess aud talked oyer the situation. The re
mlhlicans without "A dissenting voice. ex