Omaha daily bee., 1890-12-23

name was A. c. Hopkins; that he lived in
Nashua, Ia, and had served four years In the
war
81 claim to be Christ, the Messiah, In a
poetic sensem said he. "The same poetic
sense in which Hiawatha, Socrates and Gen
eral Grant are considered aud esteemed the
world over" j
prove that you are Christ" said Agent
Royer.
''Give me more time to go among these In.
dians and will" replied the stranded pro-
hibitouist.
"Tll give you Just one hour to get out Of
town." answered the agent, sand in the
meantime you will be in charge of a police
man,
Let me question him a little,n said Mr.
Cooper the special representative of the In
dian department Mt Washington, who has
been here month or more.
"All right go ahead; I've no objections"
said Rover.
In the meantime the Office had become
packed with Indians and army officers.
perform some unusual act" began
Cooper, (which will prove you possessed of
supernatural powern
II don't claim TO be possessed of super
natural power.n
How, then, can you prove yourself to be
Chrstlr
Pm Christ In poetic way. The Indians
are poetic race. They are nature and | am
naturen
"Are you the Christ that Porcupine saw
away up north and kicked up such "a devil of
row telling about ltl'
mo, sir; Pm from Iowa."
Can you talk SiouXP
mo, sir"
"Any Indian language"
"How do you expect to communicate with
the Indiansf'
"By my eyes and hands,
What do you waut to communicate to
these Indiansp
"The fact that the new message that has
come to them teaches peace instead of war"
who sent you here"
Christ
"Can you prove it7'
Yes, If it was necessary, but don't want
to do II here"
'Whya"
'Cause I'd be ridculed"
Turning to American Horse, a shrewd old
indian who stood by, Mr.. Cooper said
American Horse, what do you think of
this man for Christi Does his appearance
carry out your idea in that llneln
"Humph," grunted American Horse, "give
him to the policen
Then Lieutenant Benham who had been
an interested listener, took the "christ" in
hand and put him through asearching cross
examination The man stood it wonderfully
well so far as artful answers to the questions
put to him by the lieutenant was concerned.
The stranger showed rot the slight
est indication Of insanity all through
the examination except in the
one particular of insisting upon the claim
that he was Christ While the questioning
| was going on it was observed that great
| throng of Indians were gathering outside the
| Office and that they were talking excitedly
| and pointing to the room where Christ
| was. Agent Royer then ordered the man
| time cut short and that he leave forthwith.
| AS he was getting through or rather being
| hustled through by apoliceman it occurred to
me l had heard the name A. c. Hopkins in
| connection with the Indians troubles. Push
ing through the crowd, held brief CONVEX
tanning that he was the same man
who kicked up all the trouble
among the Indians In the vicinity
| of Menominee, Wis, short time ago and for
| which he was arrested, taken to Milwaukee,
| jailed and but recently, released. ] also found
that he spoke Chippewa very fiuently. He is
also the same Individual who achieved some
national reputation by advocating the pansy
| as our national flower.
A large number of the In-iians that had
| gathered recognized him al first sight, and
rushing forward shook hsu1s with him very
| heartily.
"Where are you going when you leave
| here,n asked.
81 am going to see General Miles anc
then I'm going to push into the Bad Lands
| all alone, II necessary. Christ went into the
| wilderness without fear aud can do what he
did," was his reply.
A conveyance having been procured the
dangerous pretender to divinity was put into
it and driven away. Before being arrested
Hopkins was seen going through the Iudiar
| camp here with white blanket wrapped
| around him and uttering. brief but aarmlnl
| sentences in Sioux to all the Indians he met