Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-28
Startling Announcement Made at
Fort Reno by an Arapahoe.
He swnops Down Upon the Ghost
Prest nts-Many UnbeIieyerS.
Latest Advicos Concerning the Movements OF
lrib S and Troops -Th- Reported cattle
In Non'ana Dlscredited.
THE ALLEGED MESSIAH.

uiuSH toIheu OF luQlau hesslan NJ
made his appearance on earth, and be
turns out to be IL full blooied Arapuhoe
He chose Fort Reno. thirty-fivs miles
west of Oklahoma City, for bis Bethle-
hem. This startling information
! was gained from cava!rymnu
! named Underwater, whose sta
tion is at Fort Reno, but who
Is visiting amoug the troops stationed in
| this city. Vanderwalker is IL fairly well
educated yonng soldier, intelligent, and
descriptive conver5ationnlist. Accord
ing to his statement, the Indians on the
Fort Reno reservation were in formed as
to the coming + 1t 9 Mess uh Gs early as
| dian runner from one of the
Northern tribes. Not much credeuce
was rlnced in his stories concerning
the wonderful parsonage whose coming
was to be the
SIGNAL FOR DELIvERANCE
from their white oppressnrs, vet suf-
ficient curiosity was aroused to send
'e!"gation TO the Northern Cheyenues to
make further investigation. The dele
CATION returned TO Fort Reno and re-
ported the Messiah story fake,
pure and simple, TO use q
common newspaper expression. Sub
sequentlv, however. one of the tribes
in the North sent down delegation to
preach the new Gospel, and succeeded
in nstitutiug the ''ghost dance, - which
feature of their peculiar ceremony has
been kept up night AMI day ever since.
The Indians conduct their dances in full
view of the fort. Last week three bands
of POncns came into Fort Reno and act
ually instituted the ghost dance on
the parade grounds, and it was
while in tine midst of these ceremonies
that one ArapahOs sub-chief DO uuded
into their midst and dramatically In
formed the astonIshed dancers that be-
was the
LONG-LOOKED-FOR MESSIAH.
A number of the Indians refused to ac-
cept him as their promised deliverer, but
n great many were seemingly credulous,
and fastened TO proptiate his favor
by lavish bestowals of presents. All
these favors the alleged Messiah &C.
cepted with complacency that be-
tokened thrifty nature, and deter
minatiou to make hay while the infua-
ton lasted. All Of these attentions
showered. upon the new conner aroused
the jealousy and ire of Washkie,
who occupied prominent position
among the Indians on the Fort Reno
observation. Washk IL was formerly
First sergeant of the Indian scouts,
sbut since. the starting OF the present
craze resigned his position to accept the
hnn f.h, ffni, lin IF
tribe. When he perceived his influence
was being suhordinated to that of the
alleged Messiah, Washkle promptly
DENOUNCED HIM AS FRAUD,
and manifesteua strong desire to test
his alleged immo: tally by sticking a
knife into the vituls of the dellverer,
but the eommaudant ut the fort
promptly checked this disinterested
move in behalf of religion.
Private underwater furthes states
that oil of the Indian scouts, 100 in all,
are taking part in the dance, but mani
tested no warlike disposition. When
asked as to whether any feeling of alarm
existed he replied there was noue what
ever; tina: the soldiers simply regarded
the antics of tho Indians with amuSe-
ment. Fort Reno is gurrisonad by three
troops of cavalry aud one company of
infantry under command of Col. Wade.
WAR DEPARTMENT UNEASY.
srecial TO tire Gazette.
OKLAHOMA CITY, o. T. Nov. 27.-The
Messiah craze has reached Oklahoma mnd
troops stationed ut this CITY are hourly
expecting orders TO be sent to the imug-
mary seat Of war. As an indication of
the anxiety trlt by the war department
~,
getate that Capt. Stiles, in command of
the troops stationed Mt Oklahoma, has
received orders to march at minutes
notice. This order applies also to troops
stationed at Fort Reno, Fort Sill, King
fisher and Guthrie. Capt. Stiles, while
deprecnting the idea of an Indian out
break. remarked seutentiously that in
case of such an occurrence it would be
lasting solution of the Indian problem.
FIGHT WITH CHEYENNEs.
MISSOURI, MONT. Nov. PA fierce
battle Is in progress between United
Stntes regulars and Northern Cheyenues
near Fort Krogh, Mont. The depart
nent has ordered three companies of
Fort Mossouli troops to the scene of the
trouble. Advices from various places
say lively skirn sbin is in progress nll
Hong the line, aud that the Indians have
been driven back, and that three or four
reds have been killed. The cause of the
trouble is net stated.
at is believed the difficulty has nothing
u do with the ghost dance, but is prob
ABLY an attempt OF the Cheyenues to re-
lease by force Indians in jail.
THE REPORT DENIEDs
ST. PAUL, MINI. Nov. 27.-At head
quarters of the department of Dakota,
no news of a battle with Indians near
Fort keouGh has been received this
morning, and il is not thought there is
4hv truth in the report Lieut.. Wood
ruff stated 10 an Associated Press re-
porter that the Cheyenne Indians near
Fort KeouRh are all friendly, aud have
asked permission to fight against the
Sioux, in case the latter should go on the
wurpath. Most OF the Cheyennes In the
of Fort Keough, have been
enlisted in the service Of the government.
Lieut.. Woodruff says il there had been
fight yesterday, the department. mere