The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-12
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
American Horse Makes Serious
Charges.
He Says the Troops Wilfully Butcherei
Women aad Chill
dren.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE Indian con-
ference closed to day and the Indians will
start for home on Friday. The feature of
to-days talk was the story of the fight at
Wounded Knee. Turning Hawk said that at
a given time, when the men had delivered
up their guns, they were separated from
their families and taken to a certain spot.
A crazy man, a young Iaau OF very bad in
f1uence, fired his gun, killing an officer.
The other Indians began drawing their
knives, although they were exhorted from
all sides to desist, and firing began imme-
diately on the part of the soldiers All the
men, who were in bunch, were killed
right there, and those who escaped that
first fire got into a ravine, and as they
went along the ravine for a long distance
they were pursued on all sides by the SOL
dlers and shot down. The women had no
firearms to fight with; they were
standing off at a different place, and when
the firing began those of the men who
escaped the first volley went in one di
rection up the ravine and the women went
in a different direction, through an open
field, but net the same fate as the men.
American Horse said when the firing be
gan, the people who were standing i'm
mediately around the young man who fired
the first shot were killed and then the
/ soldiers turned their guns on the women
who were in the lodges standing there
under flag of truce. Of course, as soon
as they were fired upon they fed. There
was a woman with an infant in her arms
killed as she almost touched the flag of
truce. Right near the flag another was
shot down. Her child. not knowing it's
mother was dead, was still nursing, and
that was very sad sight. The women as
| they were fleeing with their babies on their
backs were killed together, aud women
heavy with child were also killed. After
most of the Indians had been killed, the
cry was made that all those not killed or
wounded should come forth and they
would be safe. The little boys who were
not wounded came out of their places of
refuge and as soon as they came in sight a
number of soldiers surrounded and
butchered them.
Commissioner Morgan said to the inter
prefer: 81 wish you would say to him that
these are very serious charges to make
against the army do not want any state
ments that are not absolutely true and
want yone here that feels the statements
are too strong to correct them"
American Horse replied: Of course, il
would have been all right if only the mer
were killed, but the fact of the killing Of
the women, and more especially the youne
boys and girls who are to make the future
strength of the Indian people, we feel very
seriously.
Commissioner-Does American Hors,
4 know these things of his own persona
knowledge or has he been told them.
American Horse-I was not there at tn,
time, before the burial of the bodies, but
did go there with some Indian police ant
many people from the agency, and we wen
through the battlefield and saw where tn
bodies were, from the tracks of blood.
Rev. Mr.. McCook, a Sioux half breed
!, pastor of the Episcopal church at Pin
, Ridge, among other things, said: Mucl
, has peen said about the good spirit wit
r which the members of the Seventh cavalr
went to that action. 1t has been said tn
, desire to avenge Clusters death was en-
. tirely absent from their minds. In comm
, towards Chicago in company with Genera
, Miles, talked with one of his own scout
who was almost killed because he wa
!. compelled to fee with the Indians, bein
a fired upon by the men whom he tried {
: save and help. He told me that after b
:: recovered from his flight and succeeded
' getting among the soldiers, after they a
q got in from killing the Indians, an office
a of high rank, he did not know who, cam
4 to him and said: Now, we hav
4 avenged Clusters DEATH and til
\ Sioux said to him, Eyes, but you ha
o every cause to fight for your lives tha
Z day. These poor Indian people do net hay
that opportunity to protect and fight fc
= themselves" If this Is an indication of tt
9 spirit of a number of the me
= in that company, am sure the Sevent
q cavalry did not go there with the kinde
n of motives simply to bring these poor pc
q pie back After several others had spoke
the commission declared the conference
"a an end.