Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-29
The Reds of Indian Territory
Have Discovered a Messiah
Who Will
REMOVE ALL THE WHITES.
The Troops Have Been Hurried North,
and There Are Fears of an
OUTBREAK OF THE WILD TRIBES.
A Prophet Who Visited the lmpOStOr
Returns With Great Yarns.
TIE FRONTIER NEARLY DEFENSELESS

sPTcrAr TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.;
FORT SILL, IND. T., November 2S.-For
several weeks the entire attention of the
military officials and large majority of the
people of this country has been drawn to the
Northwest, where the Indians on the various
Dakota reservations are engaged in observ-
ing religious rites which it is feared Will
end in bloodshed and war.
In the suddenness and excitement of the
situation all seem to have forgotten that
there are many more Indians in the South
west than in the Northwest, and that many
of the tribes hereabouts are fierce and war
like. and both able and liable to do great
damage at any time. So far has this been
forgotten that the soldiers at many of the
Southern forts have been ordered North,
leaving many sections here with almost no
defense.
WHERE THE REDS ARE PLENTIFUL
There are in Indian Territory alone up
ward of 10000 Indians besides the many
small but fierce tribes in Texas, New
of the Indians in Indian Territory are to
certain extent civilized, and in no way
dangerous, there are in the southwestern
part number of tribes who hate the whites
with an undying hatred and will be glad to
seize upon any pretext to shed the blood of
their enemies.
Just south of here are the fierce Co.
manches and Apaches, north the Kiowas
and Wichitas, all of whom belong to the
wild tribes and retain all the blood-thirsty
traits of the red mans nature. North of
these are the Cheyennes and Arspahoes,
who are also unchanged by efforts toward
their civilization, while the Poncas,
Missouris, Otoes, Nez Perces, Osages and
others scattered over the Territory are all
susceptible of being led astray and pre-
vailed upon to do deeds of violence by
fanaUical and blood-thirsty leaders.
A MESSIAH THERE, TOO.
For many months the Indians in this part
Of the Territory have been talking of COM
ing Messiah, and their prophets and medi-
cine men have been telling them mysterious
things about a wonderful spirit that was to
descend from shove and confer great bless
ings on all Indians. Early last summer
they heard rumors that the great Savior had
appeared in the far North, and two Indians
were at once sent to Dakota by the Chey-
ennes and Arapahoes to ascertain whether
or not the rumor was true.
These Indians returned and told a won
derful story of the coming Messiah, and
announced that great prophet from the
North who had seen the Messiah would
soon visit the tribes in the South and tell
them all about the new doctrine. Early
in October this prophet arrived from the
North, and a grand carnival of the Chey.
eunes and Arapshoes convened near Ell Reno,
on the banks of the Canadian river, to listen
10 his teachings.
ANOTHER SITTING BULL.
The prophet was Sitting Bull, an Arapahoe
Indian OF prominence, who formerly re-
sided with that tribe in the Territory, but
about eight years ago went North, and has
since lived in Wyoming and Dakota. He
claimed to have seen the new Christ, and
the story be told was substantially as fol-
lows:
While hunting alone near the Shoshone
mountain one day he became lost and for
a long time wandered about aimlessly.
Finally, a strange feeling came over him
and he iuvOluntarily began to follow a
peculiar star which moved before him and
led him many miles out into the mountains.
Just at daybreak the star became stationary
over a beautiful mountain valley and he
sank to rest on 4 couch of moss. While he
rested a strange vision appeared before him.
He saw . great spirit dance in progress and
the participants were all the dead Arapahoe
warriors led by ali the great chiefs of the
past. In the distance were dances being
held by the departed of all other tribes and
the hills aud mountains all about were
alive with buffalo, deer and other game.
Suddenly he was awakened by strange
voice, which asked whether Sitting Bull
would Ike to see all the dead braves re-
turn to earth again and have the buffalo and
deer abound on the plains. Replying in the
affirmative, Sitting Bull arose and saw be-
fore him a strange being dressed in a blanket
Of pure white and with flowing hair and
beard of the same color, while about his
head shone strange light
WHITES TO BE DRIVEN OUT.
The strange being said that he was the
same Christ who was upon earth 900 years
ago TO save the white men, and
lndl ne WOutO soon return TO save
the red men. They must prepare for his
coming, for he would bring with him all of
the dead Indians and the land would again
be alive with buffalo and other game. The
whites who had SO long prosecuted and
robbed the Indians would be driven out of
the land across the sea never to return again.
All dav the Messiah conversed with
Sitting Bull, revealing to him many things.
and he showed to him the scars of nails in
his hands and feet and the wound in his
side. When night came on the Messiah dis
appeared and Sitting Bull was led from the
mountains by the bright star of the previ-
Gus night
The effect of this story was immediate
upon the assembled Indians. Nearly all
believed every word of it and great ghost
dance was at orce started and kept up for
three weeks. Sitting Bull and the medicine
men sat in the center singing strange songs.
while in a circle from right to left danced
hundreds of Indians day and night.
When one would become exhausted and
fall over another was always ready to take
his place. The few who did not believe the
story were taken within the ring where
Sitting Bull exerted a strange mesmeric in.
fuence over them and they went away firm
believers in the new doctrine
PLACE OF PILGRIMAGE.