The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1890-03-21
A BIG CHIPPEWA CHIEF.
HE CUT A WIDE SWATH AROUND
ST. PAUL IN EARLY DAYS.

men OF His Magnificent Nerve Thy
Chiefs Descendants-A Minnesota Pho
necr's "Reminiscences.
The reminiscent strain is quite a gen.
eral and generous one with MAJ. L. NJ.
Newson. Among the interesting II his
torical stories in his fund of Il Is one
Of the noted Chippewa chief, Hole-in-
the-Day, with whom he, in company
with other early settlers of st. Paul, was
personally well acquainted. The story,
in his own language, is as follows:
While sitting in a small office in the
old Fort Smelling house, st. Paul, Mimi,
in the year 1858. my attention was ar
tested by the imposing preseace of a
large Indian chief, who, with his blanket
about him, strobe into the room with
the dignity of a Roman senator. He wa4
n large man, with high cheek bones, a
well poised head, brilliant black eyes
and hair, and with a pleasant smile he
exclaimed while passing: ''Booshu ne
chee'-how to do. friend2--and took n
seat near me. There was a massive
characteristic about the man which did
not belong to the ordinary Indian, and
NEI he Idu all the 1Ilullil DtCIilldiltICS.
DIDN'T LESSEN HIS APPETITE.
Dinner was soon announced, and he
took q seat near me at the table. lie ate
with ordinary deliberation and slowed
away an ordinary amount of food, but
while so engaged one OF the windows
was suddenly darkened. and on looking
up beheld many grimy faces and burn
- III 49,, - ~ fo.+l1u-
the possessors of which belonged to the
Sioux nation, and which nation had been
for years and was then at war with the
Chippewas. Cleaning knives and par
TALLY covered tomahawks made my po-
sition by the side of the Chippewa chief
rather uncomfortable, so l moved; but
he continued to eat, and then the door
opened and some ten Oh twelve Sioux
warriors filed along in front of the foe
Of their people, with clinched rifles and
hearts glowing with revenge. Still calm,
with not a muscle of his mobile face de-
noting fear, the chief finished his dinner,
eoolly arose, drew his blanket about him,
and with u lordly tread, a compressed
lip and a flashing eye, walked down in
'ront of these hostile Sioux, and lighting
ais pipe, deliberately pulled the smoke
INTO the very faces of his inyeterate foes.
That man was Hole-in-the-Day the chief
IF the Chippewa nation, and the Sioux
warriors were on his warpath, but they
feared the white mans troops at Fort
Smelling would dart down upon them the
moment a blow had been given, SO they
.estrained their wrath and let the great
chief depart unmolested.
Hole-in-the-Day was an Indian of re-
markable sagacity and intelligence. He
associated with the whites and compre-
lended their ideas of civilization. He
vas very willy and very brave, and
Greatly feared by his enemies. 1t is
said Of him that he would float down the
Mississippi river in his canoe to st. Paul,
paddle across the stream to the opposite
shore, secrete his boat, lay in wait for
The Sioux, who were in the habit of fol-
owing the trail to Mendoza, then pounce
Town upon them, kill one or two, secure
heir scalps and make his way back to
he east shore and thence home. He
visited Washington several times, and
became very well yersed in the ways of
:ricksters and politicians. Once, while
IN a visit to the capital, lie fell in love
With a white waiter girl in the National
lotel, proposed to her, was accepted, and
hey were married. He came west, re-
paired his home ear Fort Ripley, in
tailed his wife in his tepee as the white
indian queen, and soon after he was as
,assinated while riding home with his
little son, probably growing out of the
insane jealousy of his squaws.
HIS TWO SONS.
This white widow of Hole-in-the-Day
ives at present, or did live, in M~inneap-
oIis, where her son held a position in the
oostoffice, but l believe he is now in
some official position on the White Earth
reservation. Ignatius Hole-in-the-Day
;he eldest brother, and heir apparent to
The craftsmanship, was drowned in the
Illinois river in Chicago about one year
Ego. OF course he was full blood. His
brother, or rather his half-brother, the
ION of the white wife, is fine, genteel,
well educated young man, and quite at
.ractive IN his appearance. The head
men of the tribe have been anxious to
lave him take the place of his father,
out in al interview with me he said,
while he would like to do something for
MS people, he could not 90 from c~iviliza-
lion back into the habits of the Indians,
IS he would be obliged to do to hold any
power over them.
The chief, Hole-in-the-Day had a mag
Rificent physical organization. He was
very straight, quite dignified, and vet
yery aifable, and withal he was very
generally liked by the whites. During
he Sioux outbreak in Minnesota in 1862
ne had overtures from Little Crow, the
great Sioux chief, to join with him in
nassacreing the whites, but he declined
he honor, although some CT his people
we're anxious to have him do so. St.
Paul, in early times, without Hole-in-
he-Day, would be like the play of
Hamlet" with Hamlet left out.
On the bank of the upper Mississippi,
bout Little Falls, in Minnesota, lies the
!ody of the once great Chippewa chief
md that of his father, Hole-in-the-Day,
mother noted chief before him, both
lodies facing south, 50 they can watch
he movements Of their enemies-the
Iioux. There is a depression between
he two hills upon which the bodies lie,
nd in the middle of this depression
lands a lone tree, conveying the idea
rom the roadside that a sentinel was
utofJ;por 4ba ,~,.a D1+ I1py ,Ior.ol