Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-12-19
SITTING BULLS SHREwD WAYS
He Works on the Superstitions cf the Ind
ians for Effect.

ians for Effect
ST. PAUL, Dee l6.-Today's advices
from Standing Rock are to the effect that
the arrest of Sitting Bull was decided upon
by Agent Mclaughlin when he heard on
Sunday that the willy old chief and fol
lowers were about 10 set ont for the bad
lands. Once there it would be a long time
and there would be much hard fighting be-
fore any of the hUstieS could be taken or
StarN ed out. Therefore. orders
were given to the police and they sci out
Sunday night, the troops following. Bv
early morning. the police had reached the
camp, the cavalry being three miles in the
rear and the infantry much farther away.
On reaching The camp, the police found
the campers almost ready to move. Sitting
Bull WAS seized, placed under arrest. but
not bound, and the police quickly
started for the agency. But the
followers Of the oil man soon got
over their surprise, and a sharp fire was at
once opened on the police. The police re-
sponded III kind and several fell from their
horses, among the number Sitting Bull
and his son, Black Bird The-old medi-
cine man had tried to direct matters for a
time by loudly shouted orders, but his fall
upset the hoStileS. They at once rallied.
however, and surrounded the police, who
fought bravely and well. but would
soon have been overpowered had not the
cavalry, who had been sent for, arrived on
the scene. The police were at that time
almost out of ammunition, and were fight
ing hand to hand, but the sight of the sol
dlerS and the roar of the machine guns
alarmed the hoStileS and they fled up the
Grand river. The cavalry followed for
short distance md then returned to camp
and took possession OF the bodies of Sitting
Bull and his son. Four policemen were
killed and three wounded, and il is
thought altogether eight of the hostiles
were killed. Crow Foot, the l2-year-old
son OF Sitting Bull, and a number of
others were wounded. Sitting Bulls fol-
lowers, when they fled up the Grand river.
left behind them all the tents ana families
which will be turned over to the agency.
After going short distance up the river,
the fleeing redskins scattered and went
off IN all directions through the country
toward the bad lands. Some of them may
try to reach the Indians of Ten Strikes
bank farther south, while others will seek to
escape to the north. However, there is little
chance for them i'll any direction. The
soldiers are located all around the Bad
Lands, and the Indians will have little
chance to get at the few ranches that are
located IN that district. Even If they at
tempt to go on small raids the soldiers are
so placed as to head them off
The effect of the death Of Sitting Bull Is
probiematCal. He was not a chief In the
sense Of being a leader in battle, and never
has been addressed rs chief. but the
WHY, ambitious old rascal, with
more of the politician in him
than Is ordinarily credited to a savage
BY working on the superstitions and fears
of the Indians he gained whatever prest-
age he had, and just how those who
survive him Will take his
death cannot be estimated. Other
leaders who hated him will surely not
seek to avenge his death. Still he had
gained a considerable following among
the ghost dancers and these may attempt
something in revenge. People around
Bismarck and in the neighborhood of the
Standing Rock Agency are greatly
wrought up over the killing and express
fears for the outcome. They think the
followers that Bull had at the time of his
death will attack the scattered
settlers along the frontier and
kill al whom they can The scene
at the agency today is indescribaba. The
death Of the Indian policemen, tLe flower
of the tribe, will be mouned by the
squaws for weeks, and the old warriors
will go in mourning for the present. 1t
will be a grand Indian funeral, these po-
licemen will have, and the death song will
continue For weeks.
California Indians Begin Dancing.
CHICO. Cal. Dec 16.-The Indians in
this vicinity have begun dancing. They
usually hold a dance about January, but
it was hastened this year by the runners
from Neyada, who Informed them that
the eastern Indians were dancing and the
messiah WIS l1rclN cnminn