Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-27
A FICTITIOUS SCARE.
SouI-Stirring Liars Plying Their
Trade in the Indian
Country
WORKING UP A STAMPEDE.
No War in Sight and No Probability
of Any Trouble.
INDIANS ANXIOUS FOR PEACE.
Savages and Settlers Alike Frightened by
the Troops
AND THEIR WARLIKE PREPARATIONS
lsrEc1AL TELEGRAM To THE DISPATCH

Der 26.-Somebody on this agency has made
acruel blunder, if it does not receive Con-
EIessiOnaI investigation. There are con-
flicting stories as to the attitude of the In
dians before the troops came, but it is GER
tain that for the past week there has been no
more prospect of an Indian outbreak than
there was OF an upheaval of the earth. The
reason for the sensational information sent
out to the newspapers was because the cor
respondents, being for the most part
strangers TO tie country, were visited by
persons who should have been, il they were
not, in possession of the actual truth as TO
the situation.
The liar on the Pine Ridge Agency is an
animal of abnormal growth For six days,
and even now, he has been peddling out
ghost yarns, which have proved far more
dangerous than the ghost dances of the
Indians. There have been lies that were
stuffed and lies with feathers on them. Pro-
fessedly, the friendly Indians have been
responsible for some of them. If there is
any trouble now it will come because the
responsible heads for the scare, desiring to
carry out the cruel farce to an end that will
justify their policy, will force the good In
dans into making last stand for them
selves.
TRUTH ABOUT THE SITUATION.
The DISPATCH correspondent has made
painstaking and arduous investi-
cation OF the present embroglio He was
assisted by Scouts Buckskin Jack. Russell
and Jack Nelson and the result of their
labor, which is the siftIngs of the whole situ-
atlou, shows that at no time did the Sioux
OF Pine Ridge Agency contemplate war, OF
any concentrated riot agains: Agent Roger.
The only grievance of the Indians is that
they do not get enough to eat. They realize
that il would be death TO them to fight.
They have no place to go if they chose to
break away from the reservation.
The land on which they live can scarcely
n0urish blade of grass Thev are hemmed
in on all sides by hills behind which men
now stand ready to shoot them down the
moment they cross the line. There is not
hostile Indian in the great village OF the
Sioux now pitched about the agency Their
horses cover the bleak plains and mills, and
their children romp along the trails with
all the merriment white urchns enjoy in
,he park. Cotee-colored squaws lie on the
yellow grass and smoke contentedlv, and
tho young bucks, in their gaudy blankets,
stand about to make love to shy maiders
who lounge about the post traders store.
PEACEFUL EVENING SCENES.
Each night there is a monotonous noise of
tonl-toms where old women SQUAT on the
ground and sip soup made CT Indian turnius
and wild cherries. This has been the
spectacle seen every evening since the
Indians began 10 come to camp in obedience
10 the summons of AGENT Royer II there is
4 specter OF grim war, Of blazing cabins and
of sea lpless settlers, II does not take much
10 make up scare.
Meanwhile, however, the troops continue
10 pour into the reservation. Eight cannon
and many heavy caissons are on their way
from Rushville, ana ahead Of them clouds
OF dust mark the progress of eight COM
panies of the Seventh Cavalry. who will be
here soon. There are Gatllng guns and
Hotchkiss guns and mountain howitzers
aud pretty near everything else in the wav
oi ordnance ard ammunition, except hand
crenades. explosive bullets and smokeless
powder. There are soldiers at Oelrichs, at
Rosebud Agency and one or two other
neighboring posts, and at ali forts in New
Mexico. and Arizona troops are read V to
march at a moments notice.
The Indians, it is learned by the DIS
FATCH'S representative. are utterly dumb
founded At such display of soldiers. They
10 not know the cause of their presence. and
naturally believe they have been called in
here 20 he corraIled and then shot down like
dogs. Tnev are almost panic-stricken, and
would not take much to seaG them scatter
ing over the hills. This is but one of the
score of possible contingencies that NAV
ar!se from this stupid bluuder.
INDIANS AND SETTLERS FRIGHTENED.
The Ied skins got SO nervous to-day over
the presence OF the great influx of frightened
settlers that Special Agent Cooper was COM
pClied 10 warn all white strangers who have
no business here off the reservation They
w!I leave tc-aight Another rcsalt of the
fake Wa. Is tuc panic now raging in all the
border towns. Last night a Special east
GoHud lr#in WIS SO heavily packed with
women and children fleeing from the sup
lnsed scenes OF danger that many of them
1aiE;cG iToIa fright and exhaustion.
N Gordon, men built eisht-board fences
a-pGnd the ScE1olhuuses and :he building
is uow used as 4 fort. At Gapid CITY.
Valentine and Eushville, and a score of
Uthcr places, citizens have armed them
selves AMI are prepared 10 FIGHT
tie o.0aE, II necessary. Whether Ignorance
lialC!ty or mercenary motives prompted
me scare which mas now spread throughout
this country, IL Is certain that South Dakota
aaG Western Nebraska have received
blow, from the effects of which
Crim-visaCcd soldiers with iangiin- spurs
stalk past the demure and haifstarved
Indians and from the hills come the blare OF
bugleS. Smoke OF ;he Indian tepees mingle
with that OF the troopers campfireS. The
cOfeU-cotored sguaws sit and snoke the live
long day, aad tuc yoaEg buck, with his dec
GRATED cloth dragging behind him on the
ground, bills and COOS his sweetheart along
the slow running waters OF Wolf Creek.
SIOUX WILL BE DrsARMED.
This is the picture which certain men de-
cIaired to be the sunset colors before the
storm. If there has been a series of blum
5ers, ii IS probable that there will be more
sauguinarv ending 10 the trouble. While
i is not expected or desired, ii would be a
mighty Endorsement OF somebody's action
in this matter. 1t is now safe to say the
Government coniemplates disarming the
entire Sioux nation. This will be done
simultaneously ct all agencies. 1t is proba
BE that the so-calicd friendly Indians will
be uiaced under arrest.
The outcome Of this move will be watched
with Interest. The Indians are aware they
NAV lose their rifles, and it is safe 10 saw
tbat when soldiers begin to search the tepees
.or thc weapons they will have their trouble
Cor lhcir pains. This at least is ihe history
otalI similar moves. The soldiers will Ger
-aiuiy be ordered TO make some aggressive
movement before the end OF the week. They
voaId nave done il before if the other agen-
c,cs mad been prepared to strike the blow.
Even with screws put upon them at this
tension. it is not likely that they will rebel
Oae of the greatest dangers now confront