The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1890-11-27
Indians within the next forty-eight hours
that the threatened trouble Will be ct a
nra cficaI and

Indians within the next forty eight hours
that the threatened trouble viii be at a
practical end.
DEADwooD, Nov. Al.-Dr. McGiiicuddy,
of Rapid City who Tor seven years was IN
agent at Pine Ridge. and who met with
great success In handling the refractory
redskins, in speaking Of the Messiah craze
among the Sioux, said.
sit Is difficult to tell at this distance
whether or not the trouble will pfovs serl-
ous Many causes have undoubtedly con-
tributed to It, the chief ones of which are
probably q decrease in rations and religious
excitement. The department has counted
very closely tho number d Indians on the
reservation aid rations are not issued as
lavishly as formerly. An Indian cannot
subsist on a white mans %rations, because
the former are wasteful and extravaganza,
They will use up q weeks rations Id d few
days, and when they are hungry they be-
ecme as discontinued as a granger, blaming
the cause on the government or its en-
ployes.
"The chief cause, however; Seems to be a
religious cXcitenaent, induced by a cock
and-bull story of the coming of the Messiah,
who will deliver the Indians from the thrall
OF the white man, and again make them the
monarch, of the chase, TIE what u pitch OF
frenzy religious fanaticism will induce peo-
PIE may be Judged from the performances of
the East Indians, Asiatics, Mohammedans,
and even civilized r%evivalists. 1t is just 80
with the North American Indians, They
will not stop to consider this cost, relying
blindly Oh their hopes of divine deliver
ance from their present distasteful position.
I consider Standing Rock as the most dan
gerous agency, because OF tho presence
there of old Sitting Bull, who will never be-
come reconclled to the whites. He has evil
IDENTIFY taken advantage Of this religious
craze to incite his followers to rebellion
against the government. Pine Ridge is also
q DANGEROUS post, but Red Cloud, who is
chief there, is more cunning and less open
in urging the Indians to an outbreak thar
Sitting Bull. Should an outbreak occur it
will most likely prove serious, IS with the
exception OF Maj Mclaughlin at Standing
Rock, the Indian agents are entirely mex
perienced, having been appointed only last
summer.
Should an outbreak occur, the Sioux In
dams will most likely strike north for the
Big Horn range. The Big Sioux trail passes
up about three miles west OF Bear Butte,
and along tho north bank of the Belle
Foufche river to the Big Horn country,
skirting Minnesota. The Cheyenne Indian
trail Is to the south Of the Hills. IT an out.
break occurs the troops would be powerless
to stay the tide. The Indians would hardly
attack towns, but the outlying ranches
would suffer from their invasion. Troops
can be easily missed at Pine Ridge and
Standing Rock, but the indians scatter so
that 1t is impossible to keep guard utef all
of them,
DR.. McGillicuddy thinks that If that
miserable old sinner Sitting Bull was re-
moved from the reservation, and either
hanged or smothered to death In O surfeit
of good things to eat, this present trouble
would never have occurred,
Quiet at Standing Rock.
BISMARCK, N. D., Nov. 24.-Latest ad-
vices from Standing Rock cott!nue favor
able. Ratiens were issued Saturday and
Agent Mclaughlin reports only a small
number OF bucks way. The military au-
thorities' count shows a large number did
not appear, however, and yesterday a
scouting party crossed the river to the east
side to look up the wandering Indians. All
schools at the gency are closed on account
of the excited state OF the reds. At the
council Saturday friendly chiefs avowed
allegiance to the agent and reiterated their
opposition to Sitting Bull and the Messiah
doctrines.
No New Developments at Pierre.
PIERRE, Nov. 24.-There are no new de-
velopments In the Indian situation here,
Saturdays reports OF trouble at various
places not having been confirmed. 1t is now
believed that there has been no serious
trouble Us heretofore reported. To-day is
ration day at the Cheyenne agency; and
Special Indian Agent Norveil last evening
stated that in his opinion all the indians
would draw their rations and return home
satisfied for at least a couple OF weeks, an6
by that time cold weather will have Set ir
and this will keep the Indians quiet al
winter.
Helping Suppress the Messiah Craze.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24.-Maj. Burke, tn,
manager OF the Wild West show, accom-.
panied the Indians who have been in Eu.
rope with that organization back to thei:
reservation in Dakota, and is now in thu
midst Of excitement on the Sioux reserva'
ton. He telegraphs friends in this cit,
that the Wild West Indians are doing wha
they can to suppress the Messiah craze, AM
that they will be very active and useful OF
the side Of the government.
Cavalry and Artillery Coming.
ST. LOUIS, Nov. 24.-Gen. Merritt, com
manding the department Of the Missouri, II
accordance with orders receivedfrom Wash
ington, yesterday started the Seventh regi
ment Of cavalry and a company of a%rtiller,
with a battery Of four guns from Fort Rile,
to the scene Of trouble in Dakota, by a spe,
cial train.
Abandoning Their Dances.
MINNEAPOLIS, MIMI, Nov. 24.-The Jour
mats Pierre, S. D., special says. This is RI
ton day at the agency and the Indians ar
congregating there in large numbers. TIL
scare is subsiding. Indian Agent Norvill
has just returned from the Bad river coun
try and says the Indians there are aban
doning their dances.
The Craze Is Spreading.
KANSAS CITY, Noy. 24.-C. A. Painter
agent OF the Indian Rights National asso
citation, who has been to the Indian terri
tory, reports the Messiah craze has takel
possession Of the Cheyennes and Araphoe
there, and that they AVE commenced til,
ghost dance. He says the Indians are no
at all riotous or ugly.
SIX BANKS FAIL.
A Chain OF Kansas City and Oklahom,
Financial Institutions Go Under.
KANSAS CITY, Nov. 24.-An extensiv,
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