New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-08
GEN. MILES ON THE INDIAN MESSIAH.
HE SUSPECTS THE MORMoNs OF DELUDING THE
SIOUX BY PRETENDED MIRACLES.

HE SUSPECTS THE MORMONs OF DELUDING THE
SIOUX BY PRETENDED MIRACLES.
St. Paul, Mimi. Nov. 7.-Major-General Nelson A.
Miles, commander of the Military Division of the
Missouri arrived in st. Paul yesterday and registered
at the Ryan Hotel. He made some interesting state
mentS regarding the religious craze among the INDIANS
81 have been ont in Utah, Montana and the
Cheyenne Reservation" said GENERAL Miles, "invest-
eating this You have no doubt heard that the
Indian tribes in the district l have mentioned are
reported TO believe that Messiah has come who is to
restore them to their former glory, bring back the
buffalo and drive the whites from the land. have
learned that this belief exists among the various tribes
of Sioux Cheyennes, Blackfcet Shoshones and other
tribes. In ALL the has extended 20 sixteen tribes
the Snake Indians being the only ones to repudiate it.
There is doubt that many of the Indians holding
this belief in the Indian Messiah sincere and some
few have certainly some person whom they took
to be that Messiah eSveral small parties of Indians
have gone westward from their tribes to some point
which. as near / can discover Is in Nevada, and
there they have somebody disguised as the Messiah
and have spoken with him. ain inclined to believe
that there is more than one person mpersonang this
Messiah, as when Sioux have spoken with him, he has
replied in the Sioux language, and TO Blaceet he has
spoken their tongue and with the representatives
of each nation or tribe speaking their own language
to each.n
"who do you think is responsible for this imposi-
81 cannot state positively, but it is my belief the
Mormons are the prime movers in it. This is not
lard statement TO believe, for there 100000 Nor
MONS and they themselves claim to believe in prophets
and spiritual manifestations, and even now to hold
intercourse with the spirit of Joe Smith, Besides they
have had missionaries at work among the Indians for
many years and have made many converts"
Do you think this new belief OF the indians VIII
lead to an outbreak and bloOds,ied2'
81 do not think So but when ignorant race OF
people become religious fanatics it is hard TO tell Just
what they will do. 1t is noteworthy however. That
this socalled Messiah tells the Indians that wien he
comes to reign over them firearms will no
longer be used or necessary. He tells them also
that with his coming the dead Indians will all be
raised TO fe the buffalo will return and he will draw
a line behind which he will gather all the Indians and
then he will rOl. the earth back upon the whites
This has naturally excited the Indians and large num-
bers have accepted the belief. Among those who
have done So is ardent than Sitting Bull,
who is intensely Indian in all his ideas"
"Do you think that the person who is personating
the Messiah is q white man or Indian ?"
"Those who have seen him say that he is muflcd
up and disguised, that they do not see his face;
but | believe that he Is fuliDlooded white. The
thai the whites have had their Messiah. and the
Indians have theirs that II IL Is reasonable Tor
the whites to believe in Messiah IL Is reasonable 1Or
the Indians to do too and that they nave as uch
TO have a white Messiah. The situation Is not alarm
ing in any way, and l do not know whether any
action will be taken by the Government regarding
the matter until after have made my report