The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-11-27
FIGHTING SEEMS NEAR.
LITTLE WOUND AND RED CLOUD
LEAD THE SAVAGES.

A messenger has just reached Pine
River Agency, S. d., bringing news OF
a serious encounter with the Indians. A
party of whites and half-breeds attempt
/ ed to break up a ghost dance. The in
I furiated Indians turned upon them and
bloody battle followed, in which sixty
people were killed or wounded. The
messenger did not know how many of
these were Indians and how many white
men. His report is generally believed to
have been greatly exaggerated, but it
seems evident that a fight of some kind
has occurred and probably more disturb
ances will follow. 1t is reported from
Mandan that Sitting Bull has been ar
res led and placed in irons.
| A dispatch from Rushville, Neb., says:
] AS soon as the troops began arriving
here to-day courierS rushed with the
news to Pine Ridge Agency. Word has
! been received from this agency that the
bad Indians under Red Cloud and Little
/ Wound declare that they will meet the
! troops in battle tomorrow. Agent Roger
was interviewed. He and his Indian
| police were powerless, he said. One of
| them, Thunder Bear, arrested bad In
| dian last Saturday, but was overpowered
| by others, and the prisoner was released.
| Several other prisoners were released,
and the rebels threatened to burn the
agency buildings. Roger has been send
| ing his reports recently to the War De-
| partment, and the Indians were not
aware of the coming of the troops until
| today.
| He relates that Monday he was APP
! preached from behind by bad Indian,
who drew knife and threatened to kill
him. Roger was unarmed and at the
Indians mercy, Hhe latter for some
reason desiSted R. yer tried to get him
arrested, but could not The Indians at
Pine Ridge Agency are about equally
divided among good and bad. Red
! Cloud and Little Wound have been fer
menting trouble for several weeks. while
American Horse and Young Man Afraid
Of His Horses have tried to pacify the
warriors.
The latest dispatch from Pine River
Agency says:
There are 1000 Indians at this reser-
walton and 500 at the ROseland Agency.
United they would be dangerous, but
there is little fear of that now A band
or two may break away from the reser-
walton on the approach of the soldiers,
and, rowing toward the north, leave a
path of pillage and death in their wake
rounded. And if they succeeded in
joining forces with Sitting Bulls braves
from Standing Rock Agency they would
be able to give battle to respectable
force of soldiers.
They lack generalship, however. No
Water, who has been the leader among
the followers of the messiah at this
agency, is not an experienced warrior.
Nor is it known that either he or any of
his braves favor war Of determination
against the whites. The latter are to be
overcome by divine agency, according to
the teachings of the disciples Of the new
messiah.
But the hot-headed young braves,
whose fathers proudly show to their en-
vious eyes carbineS and other weapons
captured at the historic Custer massa-
ere, are much inclined to assist the mes
siah in his high mission, and are impa-
tiently sharpening their scalping-knives
for the approaching feast of death.
There is no doubling the fact that they
are we'll armed. The settlers in the vi
cnity have been freely selling them arms
and ammunition for months, contrary to
law. And these are the settlers who are
the worst frightened, and are focking
into the towns for safety.
The news that Buffalo Bill's braves are
on their way home was received with APP
parent satisfaction. But their two years
| absence has greatly lessened their pres
tige, and it is doubtful whether any eff
forts they may make in the way of quiet
ing the religious excitement will be
efficacious.
From Pierre, S. d., comes the follow
ing: While there is a perfect sense of
security existing in this city and no dan
ger in the remOtest is apprehended over
the messiah craze which is turning the
heads of the Sioux Indians living across
the river, there is no use in denying the
fact that the Sioux are at present uncon-
trollable through their religious craze,
and it is unsafe for white persons to go
among them. The refugees already in
this city are being daily added to by
ranchmen and half-breed Sioux and
suuaw men, some Of whom have lived
among the Indians all their lives, but
are not recognized now and do not have
the friendship of the Indians. Some of
them will not tell their fears while
others are free to state that it is
as much as their life is worth to re-
main longer where they might be at the
mercy of the crazed redskins. The re-
Iigious orgies and ghost dances are in
creasing rather than diminishing, and
the outcome is precariouS if the weather
does not soon become too cold for them
to keep up their exercises
Inhabitants OF Midland and Nowlin
City, two towns in the center of Nowlin
County, seyenty-fve miles west, have
arrived, and report difficulties already
having taken place with several Indians,
though nothing serious. Several of the
latter rode into the villages shouting and
shooting, and went through the houses
on their ponies, bat were soon driven out
by armed settlers. The latter have pre-
pared themselves by organizing a COM
pany of about fifty men. The troops at
Forts Sully and Bennett arc in readiness
to proceed at moments notice toward
any point where an organized demon
stration is reported
Chamberlain, S. D.: Debose, a Yank-
town Reservation Indian, was in the
city to-day on his way to Lower Brule
Agency. A party of fifteen or twenty
cams with his people accompanied him.
These Indians are quite civilized, and it