St. Paul daily globe., 1890-11-27
GOV. MELLETTE
Expresses His Alarm by Wire TO
Gen. Miles.


PIERRE, s. D., Nov. 26.-Last night
Gov. Mellette wired the following start
ling intelligence to Gen. Miles. From
the tenor Of its contents it would seem
that the question of trouble with the
redskins is but matter of a few days,
as they are surely, defiant and tur-
bulent:
Pierre, s. D., Nov. 26-To Nelson A.
Miles, major general commanding, Chi
cagO, H.: ScOtty Phillips, who has
1000 head of cattle and lives at the
mouth of the Grand Stone Butte creek,
eighty miles up Bad river. with an
Indian family since 1879. and Wal
drOm, the cattleman, seven miles this
side OF Phillips. left their places at 2 p.
m. yesterday to bring me intelligence.
Phillips is very cool. courageous man,
was good scout through the Sioux
troubles of 1876 and Cheyenne
troubles of 1879. He is a reliable man
o. nerve, good Judgment and good char
acter. He reports that he was never
afraid of Indians before, and thinks
there. will be an uprising pretty soon,
and bases his belief as follows: Eight
days ago FIVE lodges containing twelve
bucks armed with Winchesters and
ammunition, going from Rosebud to
large camp which is formed on White
river. at the mouth of Pass creek. He
talked with them an hour. They were
Surly and defiant in manner. One
said he had seen the time
when he used to beat out the
1,,,oiF lf
blood, and that the time is coming when
they will do it again. He said Phillips
was raising horses for the Indians to
ride: that The country was just as good
now as it was in buffalo time, as there
were plenty of cattle in it. Phillips
knew these Indians we'll, Yellow Thigh
being their leader. White Field, a set
tier at the mouth of Pass creek, on
White river, had his home broken open
by the Indians and all his goods and
horses stolen about ten days ago. Three
days ago three bucks came to Waldrons.
Phillips in the last few days has had
twenty cattle killed by the Indians, and
Waldrons seven that they know of.
Three half-breeds from White river
stopped at Phillips house night before
last, and they said they expected to find
the settlements destroyed when they
got home. The threats are against the
halfbreedS and all Indians who will not
join the ghost dance. Phillips saws
everybody who has been among the In
dianS any length of time, without any
exception, say that there is going to be
an uprising, and that very quick. Pass
creek dance has been running for
month. Phillips and Waldron say that
il is Short Bulls headquarters, and they
think it is point fixed for concen-
trating all the bands. They think there
are now LOCO lodges. and 1,500 armed
warriors there. The Indians claim they
will not give up Short Bull. and will
fight when the soldiers try to arrest
him. They say as soon as the fight be-
gins a hailstorm will kill the white
soldiers. The Indians say that they
have suits that are bullet proof.
This talk is from Indian run
ners passing Phillips place between
Standing Rock and the camp on Pass
creek. The travel day and night with
increditable swiftness. l know Phillips
the situation in preference to anybody
know. If you deem this information
of any importance, l can send a mes
senger to further investigate. l urgently
request. however that you establish a
post at Chamberlain and Forrest City.
Both points are reached by rail. have
requested the secretary of war, and
again make application through you for
thousand guns and ammunition to be
shipped to me at Huron. Please an
swer whether l serve You by getting
further information from Pass creek,
A. G. MELLETTE,
Governor South Dakota.