Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-07-14

W. W. !
SITTING BULL.
Sitting Bull has probably done as much
''Injun devilment" in his time as any savage
since Tecumseh Black Hawk wasn't cir
cumstance to him, and the most noted Apa-
ches, though more bloodthirsty, were far in
ferior in talent and consequently in destruc-
ton. He was born in the Black Hills in 1858,
his father being Blackfoot Sioux and his
mother the daughter of an Uncpapa Sioux by
an Arickaree wife. The average age of Indians
is much less than that of whites and 50 he Is
now considered quite an old man; and hav-
ing been pre-eminently successful in war and
ambitious and eloquent in peace, his influ-
ence is very great. His speech In 1886, in
citing the Crows to war, is fine specimen
of Indian eloquence. The joint council was
held on the scene of the Custer massacre,
and pointing to the monument, he said
Look at that monument That marks
the work of my people. We are respected
and feared by the white man, because we
killed b 8 great chief and moro than 800 of
his warriors on this spot. We receive one
and one-half pounds of beef per ration, but
you get only one-half pound, yet we do no
work, but ride and visit our friends as we
please. See your little log houses and farms.
You are the white mans slave. He is teach
ing you to labor, only that you may forget
the use Of your war paint, and the battle
songs of your fathers are stolen from the lips
of your children by the senselesS chants of
the schools by the black robes priests. Is
there blood in the veins of your young menu
Rise up against the bloodless conquest that is
turning your people into slaves The red
40 ir;t 20
and to fight, to be free as the prairie wind.
1t is the white mans business to work. He
is only soldier when he is paid to be-"
HIS EARLY EXPLOITS.
Of course the young warriors went wild at
this, and in no long time there was "Crow
outbreak" Yet Sitting Bull was long tn
terror of the Crows, they and the Sioux being
hereditary enemies His first exploit was
Crow killing. He was so anxious to be con-
sidered a man and warrior that when he
was but 10 years old he and Shunkwilla
little Fox, finding a dead eagle, stuck
its tail feathers in Their scalp locks
this being the sign Of counting COUP"
that is, OF having struck an enemy. The old
Indians laughed SO much at them that the
boys swore they would make the sign good,
and started alone into the Crow country.
Two months later they re-eutered the village
with war whoop, driving fifteen captured
ponies. They had struck Crow camp and
hung about 1t many days till they obtained
a chance TO cut Off two herders; these they
killed, and got away with the horses
According to Indian custom the boys were
given new names, Sitting Bull receiving his
because he had told Of sitting like bull in
the willows watching the Crow camp.
Thereafter he took part in all manly sports
and raids At eighteen he married en- ASSN
iboine girl, Patrazeezeeweah yellow haired
woman, for whom he paid her father five
horses His first born was a son, and TO ceie-
brate that good fortune he organized big
raid on the Crows, fought with great bravery
and showed rare strategy. After many en-
counters with the Crows and other Indian
enemies he and his compatriots joined the
great league Of ls6l-62 against the whites,
but his usual good fortune failed this time.
He and several other chiefs, with some 100
warriors, made desperate attack upon Fort
Berthold, but were repulsed with loss Of
some fifty killed and twice as many wound
ed The war languished after that, and lit
tie was done by the Sioux till 1864
SITTING BULL IN PEACE
1t were long story TO relate the terrible
massacre Of that year, tho ever varying
fortunes Of the next nine years and the great
final disaster 10 the Custer command in 1876.
During the five years succeeding the civil
war the United States regular army was in
the worst condition it ever reached Men
deserted by dozens IN open day. Hundreds
enlisted simply TO get transportation 70 the
mining regions, and then deserted without
fear or shame When something Like regular
discipline was restored the Indians were soon
defeated and Sitting Bull went 70 Canada
In no long time there was general amnesty
and Re came back. Several Sioux who took
part In the Custer massacre are now good
Indians" and net very bad farmers, living
quietly on the DEVILS lake reservation, .. 7
But Old Sitting Bull could not stay que, very
long; be stayed oct with the Wild bArds, and
the late discussions az Standing Rock and
elsewhere. about selling their Dakota lands,
was g swee. opportunity to his Bulshtp.
For months he kept TIE young Indians To
line against signing the treaty, end wherever
in the n.eanrins trouble broke cut among
the wild bands. the officials suspected ID.
nand Of Sitting Bull After melting tie
Crows now friendly TO the S1ouxo and others,
he reached Standing Rock agency On tie a-h
U = Wy Va -Ass } e<Ls e4-o ~lAsA1 Ae" E@-As
induced all the lniiAns 20 take the "oath BY
tie Great Spirit that they would lot &C.
csDe toe tTea-T as 1. then wa Even JOHN
Grass. Mad Bear and otne-s vno rad peea
favorable down 20 tha; tine, backed s4uarely
cut when they noted the s6ec. * Sitting
Bulls address on the young Indiaaa Some
OF lis remarks show great serevc1es-os
tie savage kind Es objected TO work add
civilization for IndiArs ge1sraily, but wanted
them 70 keep few boys IN tse white schools
al tns tine, 50 that there might Be so1sa
warriors who coald read ard write AID
therefore c.rcunvcrs tie white oeo ard ras-
caliy Interpreters
This was rs Las. mischief he Vas d&t>>t-
I'd IS 20 his main scserres, los. i1aDezscs
among the Indians, retired 20 bis bone n
T-a-d River vagsey ard thereafter fstts4