Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-06-13
ON SHORT RATIONS.
An Explanation of the Present
Cheyenne Troubles.
HUNGER DRIVES THEM DESPERATE,

And the settlers Cattle Suffer in Con-
sequence-A Misleading Report Results
in the Government Reducing the Food
Suppiy-What an Army Onicer Says of
the Situation-An Interview with Col.
Swaine at Fort Keogh-Arms for the
Settlers.
MILES CITY, Mont, June lathe out
break of Cheyennes on the Rosebud which
has caused five companies of United
States troops to take the field at cost of
thousands of dollars and which may also
cost the state of Montana nice sum be
fore the trouble is over, is another case of
starving Indians driven to crime. In 1873
the Cheyennes, after fighting the troops
in several campaigns with courage rarely
excelled by the American savage, surren-
dered, and as prisoners of war were put
upon their present reservations. Later
this vast band was joined by more of the
tribe from Indian territory.
Reduced the Indians RasiUnf.
At that time the country was unset
tied, there was plenty of game and the
military looked out for them, so that the
Indian Jared we'll The place where Gen.
Miles put them was afterward set aside
for their use by the interior department,
which took charge of them. Ii is the gar
den spot of Montana, and settlers soon
commenced to come in. To-day the entire
reservation is surrounded with ranches.
Previous to Agent Upshaw's coming a
man named Stevens, who was connected
! with the agency, reported to the interior
| department that the Cheyennes were rap
Idly becoming self-snpporting. In conse-
! 4uence of this report the tribes rations
were reduced half, with the result that
, many died during the winter of 1883 from
starvation. and the facts We're reported to
| the department.
With the Inevitable Result.
The game having all been driven out of
| the country, and there being thousands of
head of cattle roaming just out of the res
| ervation, the Cheyennes took what was
| not given them. In other words they
have been killing ard living on the ranch
mems cattle. From killing it for use they
rapidly advanced TO the stage where they
killed it out of pure Indian cussedness,
actuated no doubt by the feeling that in
this way they could get even" with the
/ whites who cut their rations down. Lieut.
| Robertson, of the First cavalry, who is
stationed at the agency, says it is enough
| to touch the hardest-hearted to go through
the Cheyennes' camps and witness the
hunger of the reds
Daily Food Supply of the Reds.
| Not only have they had but half rations,
but the government has not given them
the means of getting livelihood from
| farms of their own. For eleven years
many of them have been separated from
| their husbands, wives and children, the
| latter being confined on a reservation 3oO
miles away. For many years the daily
| food supply of the Cheyennes has been:
Beef, including bone, three -fourths of a
| pound; -four. four ponds; coffee three and
| one half onnces; sugar, one-half ounce
| salt, three-tenths of an ounce These ra.
| tons are issued once every two weeks At
| the end of the first week Lieut.. Robertson
says these rations are all gone and the
Indians live on the cattle of settlers.
| Another Grievance of Mr.. 10.
Some time ago ii was determined to or
ganize company of 100 Cheyenne scouts
About sixty enlisted and among the ap
plicants was Two Moons, n chief. who was
refused He became dissatisfied for some
reason, and tried to persuade those who
had enlisted to desert, but did not sue
coed. Then followed the arrest Of five In
dams for the murder of Ferguson Ii is
not thought all these Indians are guilty
and their arrest has filled the other In
disns with fear, so that both whites and
reds are suspicious. One word OF thought
less move on the part of either will act ~
| match to a powder Wa gon.
| Arrival of Arms for settlers.
| Intense alarm exists throughout this re
giOn, and at any moment reports ma,
come in of the breaking out of hostilities
The danger is not at the agency, wher,
troops are, but between this fort and tn,
| agency, where Indians are roaming, anC
| where settlers are scattered. Col. c. u
Curtis, aide de camp to Gov Toole, has AT
rived with arms and ammunition. Imme
diately after his arrival he had n consulta
ton with Col. Swaine, com nander o
Fort Keogh.
| Col. Bryan States Some Facts.
| With Col. Curtis went Col. Bryan, on,
| of the settlers who have deserted thei
ranches. He explained the situation, say
ing that number of settlers with thei
families, had left their homes owing {.
the threatened outbreak of the Cheyennes
that the Indians were burning signal fire
on the hills, and supposed friendly Indi
| ans had warned the settlers to leave tn
country, as war would soon be inau
gurated; that Indians who had adopte,
civilized garb had thrown it off, and wer
out in full Indian rig; that Lum Holt
another settler, who has also come int
| Miles City, had been warned by an In
dian boy to go, as messengers had bee
sent to Standing Rock agency to get hell
from the Sioux; that they were going t
take Agent Upshaw's scalp sure, an,
would take the soldiers scalps, too
No Transportation for Troops.
Col Swaine said there were two troop
of cavalry at the agency, and three of in
fantry and one of cavalry on the way T.
the threatened settlement, hut owing 4
the lack of transportation facilities, b
could not place troops at all points de
sired by the committee. During the con
ference it developed that sixty-five youni
bucks, with forty eight guns, were hidin,
near the Roman Catholic mission, fourteen
miles from the agency, and that Maj Car
roll, in charge of the troops at the agency
knew nothing of it. Col. Swaine at tn
suggestion of Col. Curtis sent orders Z
have these bucks disarmed. The situation
is extremely perilous for settlers