Omaha daily bee., 1890-12-07
4 JUCCLER MIGHT SETTLE IT.
Mr. Carpenter Suggests Solution of tn
Indian Trouble.
STORIES OF THE MEDICINE MEN.
How Captain Bourkc Surprised the
Sioux Doctors with an Electric
Battery-Red Cloud at Wash
in9ton--senator Spooner.
lCopmiant, 1890. nu Frank G. Carpeuter1

tCOpwight, 1890, by Frank G. CdrDcnterl
WASHINGTON, Dec Especial to TIE
BEE. 1.-The Indian troubles will form one of
the subjects Of legislation during the present
session. A great deal Of quiet talk is going
ON among the members as to the Sioux and
not a few express themselves IN the words of
General Sheridan to the effect that "the' best
Indian is the dead Indian.n One of the best
indian authorities in the United States is
Captain Bourke, who was on General Crooks
staff for eighteen years and who has spent
the most of his life upon the frontier. Cap
tain Bourke has made study of the Indians.
He has written a number Of interesting
books about them and he is now writing
volume for the government on Indian medi-
cine men. He knows more about the dances
of the Sioux and other Indians than anyone
in the country and it was he who gave to the
national museum necklace of human fingers
which he captured from an Indian medicine
man. talked with him last night about this
phase Of Indian character. Said he:
"The Indians are very superstitious. They
believe In the supernatural and an adroit
sleght of hand performer can have great in
tiuence over them. One way to beat them Is
to fight them with their own fire by sending
first class American jugglers out to them.
When the medicine men of the tribe do their
wonders let these iugglers do their tricks and
the power Of the medicine men will wane.
This was the method pursued with them. 1
rever discredted the power Of the medicine
men. only told them that my medicine was
better than their medicine, and that l could
40 great deal more than they could
HOW ELECTRICITY DowNEp A CHEF.
~ had once an old electric battery with me
when visited big camp of these Sioux.
There was some excitement at the time aud
the medicine men were boasting what they
could do. l arranged my battery and took a
silver dollar and placed it in pan of water
and told their best medicine men that would
give the one who could pull II out s. provided
he took hold Of the brass handle of the bat
terry with one hand and pick the coin out with
the other There were, perhaps, 700 In
dians looking ut u.s. and they conceived
deep reverence for me as they saw tehmost
famous Of their medicine men attempt to do
this and fail, being thrown into convulsons
in the attempt. At last one of the stronges I
Indians in the west came up to make the
trial. He seized tho battery and made a
grab for the dollar. The electricity went
through him like shot and he kicked
! the battery all to pieces He wanted
. to try II again and we patched the battery up
and he finally succeeded in getting the dol
/, lar, owing to the weakness OF the current
furnished by the broken battery. He was
! twisted out of shape almost by the effort and
Z the Indians Of that camp looked upon me for
\ time as a great medicine man."
! LITTLE BIG MAN AND THE JUGeLER.
sat another time I was at Sun dance OF
}. one of the Sioux Indian tribes and an Ameri-
can juggler, who was quite q sleight-of-hand
performer, begged TO be allowed TO go along
= with me. thought he might do some good
q I'd took him. / shall not forget how he
as onished the Indians. He went up 70 one