Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-19
Little Apprehension that There Will
Any Serious Results.

ST. PAUL, November 18Th General
Ruger, commanding the Department of
Dakota, has return ed from a visit to several
Western points.
His aid, Lieutenant Woodruff, referring
TO the Mandan scare, said The Indians To-
Gated nearest to Mandan are forty-6ve
miles away, on Cannon Ball river. They
are thrifty, industrious, peaceable people
who have taken up claims, built huts and
houses, own cattle, ponies and wagons,
and are in good circumstances. They have
no faith in aboriginal superstitions and dis
like this Messiah craze. The people have
land, homes, cattle and crops, and are not
anxious 10 go to war; and yet these are the
ones TO watch whom the people of Mandan
have sent scouts. 4 band which may give
trouble is that headed by Chief Hump, and
is situated southwest of Standing Rock.
He is very witty, and if the promised Mes
siah does not arrive in spring he will prob
ably tell them that the whites are using
their influence to keep him back, and that
the only way TO aid him will be to kill
some of the pale faces. However, in any
emergency the troops will be fully equal to
the occasion. 1t must be taken into &C.
count that some of the agents are new men,
unused to the ways of the Indians
SETTLERS FEELING EASIER.
MANDANA IN. d., November 1Sth.-An
easier feeling prevailed this morning be-
cause of the receipt of arms and ammuni-
ton. Six mounted friendly Sioux were
sent to patrol the borders of the reserva-
ton. Settlers are still coming in from all
directions. The gravest fears are enter
tanned for the safety of the settlers in the
southern part of the county.
LET THIN DANCE"
Indian Commissioner Belt has received no
recent information from South Dakota
which iustifies the evident alarm OF settlers
in the neighborhood of the Pine Ridge
Agency.
Belt is of the opinion that the Govern
ment would not be justified in making any
arrest or attempt 10 suppress the ghost
dances SO long as the Indians commit no
acts of violence. This would surely make
trouble. The proper course to pursue, he
says, is TO let the Indians dance themselves
out. 1t will not be long, he thinks, before
they begin to lose faith in the Messiah and
the whole craze will collapse.
Belt is, however, strongly in favor of
keeping strong military force within call.
This precaution has already been taken
and the Government is not at all appre-
hensive of tronble.
The War Department has received no
news of any change in the situation at
Pine Ridge. Standing Rock or other agen-
cies. As competent officers are on the
watch at all points where trouble is threat
ened whose business il is TO report any sig
nifcant events, it is taken for granted that
no immediate trouble is at hand.
TROOPS MOVING.
OMAHA, November 1Sth-According TO
orders issued this morning, Companies a,
B, C and D of Second United States In
fantry at Fort Omaha, left for the Pine
Ridge Agency this afternoon, with a full
complement of mules and wagons. The
other four companies notified will be ready
to move on short notice. The troops at
Fort Mckinney were also ordered out and
left this morning for Douglas, Wyoming.
The troops at Fort Niobrara and Robinson,
which are not far from the scene of the
difficulty, will march tomorrow.
THE MESSIAH" NOT TO BLAME.
OMAHA, November 1Sth.-It was stated
that two reliable Indians now in the city
had stated TO the army officers that there
was no Messiah craze among the Indians
lust north of the Nebraska line.
Private advices fran Valentine give
different origin than the Messiah craze
to the Indian uneasiness. Since August
the Indians of Rosebud have been restless,
claiming the agent was not giving them
square deal on supplies. Some families
living northwest of Valentine have moved
away.
Alex. Mouwseau, an 0gallalah Indian
and Government scout at Fort Robinson,
now in the city, said to-day, referring to
the Indian craze "Some think il is so and
some don't know what to believe. The In
dians at Pine Ridge are dancing and meet
ing and talking. Some of them are wild
about it. but some of them don't know
what 10 believe"
kilograms from Valentine and Crawford,
Neb., and Cheyenne, Wyo., say that troops
have been ordered from the forts TO pro-
coed to Pine Ridge TO keep the Indians in
check
GENERAL MILES on THE SITUATION.
CHICAGO, November 1Sth.-On receipt of
dispatch tonight announcing the move
ment of troops in the Department of the
Platte toward Pine Ridge Agency, an Asso-
ciated Press reporter called on General
Miles.
He said: 1.-THE newspapers really ought
not to publish this sort of thing, for it will
be in the Indian camps in less than twenty
four hours. There is nothing in it. except
that troops are being sent 10 the vicinity of
the reservation to prevent, if possible, any
outbreak and TO encourage the local ele-
ment among the Indians; also to protect
the agencies which report the Indians as
turbulent and past control.
1t was hoped this excitement might pass
without serious trouble, and up to this time
no Indians have left their reservations. The
causes of this threatened trouble are the
failure of their crops, the delay of Congress
in making appropriations for their support,
! lo1ar- ~, tEa
supplies 10 them, resulting in their being
brought to the verge of starvation, and il
worked them into frenzy, They are get
ting their rations now, and possibly the diff
ficulty may be bridged over. The move
ment OF troops is simply precautionary,
but at the same time they may have serious
work.
The reporter asked if it would not be I'M
usual for the Indians to 90 on the warpath
at the beginning of winter.
The General replied; Not at all; those
northern Indians are tougher than leather.
INDIANS AND SETTLERS ARMED.
MINNEAPOLIS, November 18Th. - The
TribtncS Mandsn On. d. special says
Every house in town is full to overlooking
with refugees from the country districts.
The most intense excitement prevails in
the country. The settlers are preparing to
believe anything about the Indians. In
town a somewhat less tension exists, owing
TO the receipt of 300 guns to-day from the
State Government and the fact that CON-
pany Of soldiers will be here tomorrow
morning from Fort Totten.
Tonight there are 200 Indians in town,
armed, but the citizens are armed, too, and
patrols will be out and the people will
sleep with their clothes on. A date will be
fixed BY the committee of citizens. and thu
Indian Agent viii be notified that after tina
date any Indians found il this country
without pass from the agent will be killeC
on sight. The population is excited, snC
although conservative men are doing thei
best to quiet the angry ones, there is ever,
reason to believe that unless the Govern
ment takes immediate steps to increase tn
force of soldiers here and at Fort Lincoln
every Indian coming into the country vii
be killed.
THE CRAZE SPREADING.
ST. Paul, November 1S;h.-A Pionet
Press special from jamestown, \, D., say!
The Messiah craze hss struck the Indian
at Fort Potter and they are inclined to b
ugly. One hundred armed bucks wer
seen crossing the railroad track at Mime
wankan en- route from the Turtle noun
tains to join the Sioux at Standing Rock
They said they were going hunting.
At THE MERCY OF THE INDIANS.
prsr.pcr IN d. November ISth,-