Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-12-04
PLOTTING TO MURDER.
INDIANS PLANNING TO KILL
GEN. BROOKE.

Crippled Indians old Indians, sQuaws,
and children are thick about the agency,
and they all protest their friendship for
the whites. There are few II any able
men N the party. Nearly all the reports
from the camps about the reservation
agree that the disaifscted braves are not
comine In. Their position has probably
been ated exactly by Red Star, a young
brave sho belongs to the band on White
Clay Creek. He met American Horse in
front Of the agency, and, In reply to
question, said:
~If they want us to como In let them
come out and round US up"
The authorities at the agency have re-
ceiyed permission from Washington to
increase the Indian police force to 100
men. Working upon this same idea
Gen Brooke has been empowered TO
muster in 200 more Indians to serve rs
squaw scouts, but thus far no steps have
been taken to arm or equip such force.
In looking over the Indians assembled
here it is extremely hard to Gnd where
the 200 men would come from. There
are probably not that many young and
active braves in the whole camp.
So far only a few Indians have ap-
peared to belong to the bands assembled
at the points marked out for rendezvous
% the north of the agency. At Medicine
Root, White River, and White Clay, the
dancing still goes on, and the Indians
are not inclined TO come TO the agency
for any purpose. Monday is the day for
issuing rations, and Wednesday the beef.
supply for two weeks viii be given to
the Indians. Red Star and several OF
the other Indians who are inclined to be
defiant agree with Little Wound in his
declaration that they will not come In
unless they are forced to do so Here at
the agency the general feeling is . ner-
lvous one. Nearly every one agrees that
there will be trouble. The Indians as
isembled here probably number 500 OF
900. As they came in they pitched their
'tepees as they pleased about the prairie.
Early this morning an order was given
for all the Indians to move off into the
low lands upon the banks Of Wolf Creek
that runs off to the southeast At noon
ian ugly and dirty Indian, who is the
barbaric ancestor of the town crier.
moved about the camp promuigating the
order in shrill and strident voice that
could be heard for half mile. There
was no hesitation. The decrepit old
coffee coolers stood about and smoked,
the elder boys gathered the ponies to-
gether from fhe surrounding knolls, and
the squaws tore down the smoky tepees.
Everything was loaded up, and the whole
iparty moved over into the new camp. A
careful inspection of the camp rummage
as 1t was being moved showed only few
Springfield rifles and Winchesters, but
many of the old men carried about their
waists belts filed with loaded cartridges.
The question that everybody is asking
Us whether the ghost-dancers will come
I'm TO see the agent under the order OF
last Thursday for all peaceably disposed
indians to report at the agency. There
are I, 600 Indians all told In the reserva-
hion. About 500 or 900 Of them have
come in, but Of this number there are
mot 150 ahle-bodied warriors. The young
me0, the hot bloods, the discontented
ones. and the fanatical ghost-dancers
are not among them. "
The first knowledge that the ghost
dancers had commenced plotting to en-
trap the soldiers was brought to In
dian Agent Royer last night by William
ID. McGau, formerly an Indian
scout and now wealthy ranch
man living In the vicinity OF Buffalo
Gap. McGau was travelling overland
on horseback and alone. He enjoys
wide friendship among the Indians
generally, and last night staid &c ons Of
the lodges midway between this poiat
and Buffalo Gap. He had placed little
dependence I'm the reported scare, and
therefore felt no fear In lying down and
going to sleep In tepee full OF bronze
faced fellows, Notwithstanding he
noticed that they were all fully arMed.
A little curiosity. however, prompted
him to feign sleep and keep his ears open
during the early part Of the night. Tho
result was that he secured Information
as startling aa 1t was valuable, and that
removes eyerylvcstigc OF doubt as to the
bioodthirsty villainY which hss taken
possession Of the ghost dancers.
@ After he had been IN bed some little
time, o couple of hours OF more, one OF
the redskins bent over him TO discover
whether he wAsssleep. To all appear
Rnces he was. Then he heard them get
up and begin whispered consultation.
For the first time In his life McGau says
he almost doubted his own ears. The
Indians with whom he had lain down 10
sleep with feeling Of the utmost Sc
curity were deliberately plotting to lead
Gen. Brooke and his soldiers into an am
bush and shoot them down.
Their plan, as McGau heard from their
own lips, 10 to continue the ghost dance
till the troops try to stop It, The place
selected to carry out their murderous
daaf0n ia q plana Qivtaap and oua- kaM
miles north Of here, and a more i'd.
yantageous locality for so devlish deed
probably does not exist anywhere elseon
the face of the entire continent. TITS
where the White Horse Creek empties
into the Wounded Knee and lies In
sonnsthfng Of AN amphitheatar shape.
The only pfactieRble way Of leading
to tho spot sie By d road that follows
along tia bank OF Whita Horse Creek.
Upon either side of the road and
creAk are, dense clumps OF trees, so
mAny as to almost form wall on either
side Of the approach. The plot IL 10
have a ghost dance In the center OF this
amphitheater and have the woods on
either side OF the road full of Indians;
when tho soldiers come up to stop the
dance, they would be easily shot down
BY the Indians I'd ambush on either side.
by lining the road with their Winches-
ters for the distance Of mile and let
ting. the troops get well into tho am
phitheater they were calculating they
could wipe out every soldier that came,
and the calculation Is perfect one.
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4. Personal Nstss.