Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-23
NO IMMEDIATE TROUBLE ANTICIPATED.
THE INDIAN oHOsT-DANcE.
A Uomap's story OF what sho Saw at
Pine Ridge.

~
Pine Ridge.
Mrs. James A. Finley, wife Of ex-
Councilman Finley, of Kansas City, now
postmaster and post-tradcr at Pine
Kidge Agency, is again insthe city
named. Mrs. Finley left the agency
few DAYS ago by direction Of her hus-
band, who sent her TO hanaas City for
safety. In IN interview she described
the Qhost-dances as follows
"Ono ghost-dance that saw was par
tcipntod in by 4s0 Indians. In pre-
raring for the dance they cut the tallest
tree they can find, and having dragged
II TO level piece Of prairie, set It up III
the ground Under this tree four Of the
head men stand. Tho others form IN y
circle aud begin TO 90 around and around
the tree. They begin the dance on Fri
day afternoon. II 10 kept up Saturday
pui sunday until shutdown. During all
tins time they do not eat or drink,
They keep going round in one direction
until they become 50 dizzy that they can
r.arcely stand, then turn and go in the
other direction and keep II up till they
fwoon from exhaustion. This is what
they strive to do, for while they are in o
swoon they think they see and talk with
the new Christ.
When they regain consciousness
they tell their experiences 10 the four
wise men under the tree. All their tales
end with the same story about the two
mountains that are 10 belch forth mud
aud bury the white man, and the return
of good old Indian times. They lose all
az their senses in the dance, They think
ihey ore animals. Some get down on oil
fours and bob about like huilaloa When
they cannot lose their senses from OK
lsustion they butt their heads together,
heat them upon the ground, ana do any
thing TO become insensible, 30 that they
may be ushored into the presence OF
tie new Christ. One poor Indian,
when he recovered his senses, said that
Christ had told him he must return TO
earth because he had not brought with
INN his wife and child. His child had
died two years before, and the way the
POOR fellow cried was the most heart
rcnding thing / ever saw. At the end
of the dance they have grand feast,
tho reyel lasting al Sunday night. They
KIN several steers and eat them raw.
They drink AMI gorge themselves to
make up for their fast.
At last Fridays dance one OF the
braves was to 60 into trance and remain
in this condition four days. At the close
Of this period he was TO como TO life as n
buffalo. lie would still have the form Of
q man. hut he would be a buffalo. They
were then to Kill the buffalo and every
Indian who did not eat piece OF him
would become "a doc. The man who was
90 turn into buffalo was perfectly will
iug, and | suppose they have killed and
eaten him 10y this time.
II the Government just let them alone
there will be no need Of troops; they
will kill themselves dancing. Seven or
EIGHT of them died as q result OF one
dance near Wounded Knee. They are
now dancing on q creek about five miles
south Of Wounded Knee and dancing
with all their arms. Every Indian has
about four clubs made out of round
stones twisted In aw-hide. They throw
these around during the dance, strew tho
ground with them and beat their heads
against them. The agent with his Indian
police cannot control them, and 1t was
necessary 20 have the troops on the
ground.