Evening journal., 1888-09-24
BIG POWWoW OF INDIANS.
A Dramatic Scene on the Tnr West Prairie.
Young Chief White Cloud Nearly Loses
His Life for Induiging In Free speech.

STANDING Rock, Wy. T., Sept o4.-The
bg powwow Of Indians, TO consider the
question Of signing the treaty, was held
here Saturday and ended with dramatic
scene. The Sioux from all over the resserva-
tlon came in with their wagons and ponies
IN the morning and assembled IN hollow a
Few miles below StandirN Rock For several
days Sitting Bull has been actively engaged
securing aid In his endeavor TO defeat the
signing Of the treaty and has sent runners
sl over the reservation to urge the chiefs
and braves 10 attend the powwow. In the
absence Of Chief John Grass, Sitting Bull
assumed to be leader, and wore a more than
usually ferocious look, having put few
extra streaks Of red paint on his face The
crafty old savage still feels ugly over the
tact that Chief Grass and not he was sent
TO Washington, and Is more than ever deter
mined 10 defeat the object Of the commis-
sioners visit He opened the prooeedings
with an address which evidently had been
carefully studied, In which he urged the In
dians not to sign the treaty, and hinted ut
treachery on the part Of Chief Grass At
the close Of HIS speech he was greeted with
tremendous applause
Black Thunder then saidi ~Brothers. I feel
as In days gone by, when we were on the eve
Of a terrible fight The very air Is filed with
the deadly calm that foretells a dav of
plunder and carnage; but that day has gone
hence. We have buried the hatchet. and
when It shall have been unenrthed we win be
resting IN the arms Of the Great Spirit
These men they call commissioners come herr
with paper for us to sign II we do so II
takes our land from us No sensible Indian
VIII sign It ] have spoken / shall not
sign
The Indians listened breathlessly to Black
Thunder, and at his abrupt conclusion he
was received with deafening cheers Of en-
couragement. When the applause abated
sufficiently Young White Cloud. graceful.
handsome young Sioux, ascended the little
knoll Of ground used as a speakers stand, and
said:
II have listened TO the talks of our old
leaders Sitting Bull and Black Thunder
They are opposed TO the treaty They sneak
too hastily and rashly Their words should
be carefully weighed before leaving the
tongue. They know not what they say. The
treaty Is for our benefit, and /, for one. shall
sign
A dead calm followed the defiant utteranees
Of the young brave. Not a move was made
or a sound heard among that mass Of red
blankets. The stiffness was getting opuress-
i've when Sitting Bull slowly emerged from
the crowd Of painted warriors He carefully
and malestically wrapped the folds of his red
blanket about his form, and with wave of
his right arm made a sign to his followers
Then, as one man, the entire horde arose and
dashed en mnsse toward the Young Indian
who dared 10 brave their wrath bv utterinp
what he believed was right His fate was
surely sealed had not Chief Gall appeared Mt
this critical moment and peremptorily de-
manded order and silence His sudden and
unexpected appearance had quieting effect
upon the Indians His brawny arms were
raised aloft, and the enraged savares slid
denly stood still Gall then called upon the
braves to inform him what this unsaemlv
demonstration was all about. Here Sitting
Bull silently sneal1ed away, the young. heroic
spokesman following suit, leaving Black
Thunder to face the ire Of Gall alone. Black
Thunder made feeble explanation of his
action. Calls face twitched under his pent
up passion. ''What mean youg he almost
screamed "Is not this council for Won All
70 express your respective opinions. Begope.
and let me hear no more of this
Back Thunder meekly walked to his popv.
saddled and mounted it, and dashed over the
hill The other Indians silently hitched m
their ponies and drove away to their different
homes 1t is possible that Calls sudden
breaking up Of the powwow viii put an end
70 the holding Of any future councils.