Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-03-14
FIGHTING FOR FOOD
Hunger Made the indians Grow
Desperate.
New Facts Brought TO Light i'm n
Correspondence Between Gov.
MelIette aud Gen. Miles,

Mellette and Gen. Miles.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, March Late corre
spondence between Governor Mellette,
OF South Dakota, and General Miles
throws some light on the Indian ques.
tion. The correspondence brings to
light the fact that the Novem Der up.
rising and the war and bloodshed which
followed is the direct result OF hunger
among the Indians. The late visit OF
the Indians TO Washington resulted in
no good. 1t was one-sided affair.
General Miles brought the most danger
Gus OF the chiefs and warriors to Fort
Sheridan so they would not be on hand
to make trouble, and selected some OF
the leading men of the Sioux nation to
go to Washington and tell the long
story OF the wrongs they had not been
able to endure. This party of Indians
destined for Washington was increased
by the addition Of an equal number OF
worthless old coffee coolers" from
Pine Ridge agency, who went
down TO contradict anything that
the Sioux leaders might say
against the present system of Indian
agencies. When this divided delega.
tion reached Washington, the old Indi
ans who had been sent as representa-.
tives by the Indian ring we're tho only
onos who were allowed to talk and the
only ones who received any attention.
The Indian is peculiarly sensitive. and
such strong men as Young. .Man.Afraid-
of-His- Horses were indignant that no
opportunity was given them TO tell the
story of their wrongs, while an audi.
ence was gladly given to Indians who
had no standing at home and who hal
practically deserted the Indian tribes to
hang around the agency, live upon ref
use and wear white mems old clothes.
The condition of food and meat fur
nished to the Indians was simply horri-
BILE. Colonel Shafter, until recently in
command at Pine Ridge, throws some
light on the subject in personal letter
to friend in this city. OF the animals
killed for the Indians. he says; IL dc
not consider the animals fl for human
being to eat They were on the verge
of starvation and were literally skin
and bones" The government promises
to give the Indian 1916 pounds Of beef,
but in reality gives him the skeleton OF
a steer weighing 7S5 pounds. In this
same letter Colonel Shafter saws that
at Pine Ridge he found no difficulty in
| buying good fat steers for less money
pound than the government pays for
the bones issued to the Indians. Re.
| cent correspondence between Governor
Mellette and General Miles indicates,
| so far as Governor Mellette's letter is
concerned, that it was quite likely that
the Indians are contemplating one more
raid and that they really meant it when
they said they would rather die fight.
ing than starve to death"
Governor A. C. Mellette wrote from
Pierre, S. d., under date of February
16, to General Miles: IL beg leave to
inform you that ] have information
from reliable sources that the Indians
of Rosebud and Pine Ridge agencies are
procuring all of the guns an ammuni.
tion they can, and have sent delegates
to Lower Brule to procure all they pos
sibly can there. They are Offering
good horse for ammunition and carbine, |
My informant is ID. w. Spaulding, OF
Chamberlain, who can advise you fully |
upon this subject IL you think il OF
sufficient Importance TO investigate it."
...ssa Mssaesss n ssssssa ssss
25, in which he says he is not surprised
thai tas lRagasSs sEs e ssss e Is Sur
| prised that citizens Of the states of
| South Dakota and Nebraska should sell
them the same. The general goes into
long resume OF the actions of the army
| In hn Ga1d anI hA Gra 4
the Indians Of their arms. The general
says:
"The arms OF those Indians who have
remained loyal and peacable were not
taken, as 1T was deemed advisable to
make distinction between them and
the hostile element know OF no
| period in the history OF the Sioux In
dians when they surrendered so many
rifles as within the last two months, and
the commanding officer at Pine Ridge
states in a recent report that not SIN
| gle gun has since been seen in the
hands Of those who were hostile. These
results have been accomplished by the
troops at no small sacrifice, and no lit,
tie exposure and suffering, and they de-
sire peace as much as the citizens, for
whom have the deepest sympathy.
"You are undoubtedly aware of the
fact that, so far as the Indians are con-
cerned, as soon as the Indian war is
over the military is not responsible for
| the government and control Of the In
dians. AS we have had no less than ten
Indian wars in the past sixteen years,
it is not certain that we have seen the
last OF such disturbances. believe,
however. that the executives and legis.
| latnra nf thnCa Gt M could do 10
ward preventing the rearmipg of the
Indians by passing very positive laws
prohibiting the sale OF arms and am
munition to all Indians. Copies of your
letter have been referred to Generals
Ruger and Brooke, commanding the de-
partments of Dakota and the Platte,
with directions to investigate and ar.
rest any Indian or Indians who have in
their possession arms without author
ity."
On the question OF the hunger OF the
Indians and the probable outbreak In
the spring IL this hunger continues,
General Miles says:
''For two years the Indians of Pine
Ridge, Rosebud and other Sioux agen.
cies have been hungry. They are hun.
CRY now. IL white people were hungry
today they would have food or fight to
morrow. The Indians now at Fort
Sheridan will be kept there for several
months to prevent the danger Of allow
ing them to be on hand should the
Sioux warriors look about for leader
There are two Indians at Fort Sheridan
Short Bull and Kicking Bear, who
could start an Indian war in day /,
they were with theirpeople. II anothcJ
war does occur number ofleadina
chiefs, those who were ignored in Wash
ington, will be among the leaders OF
the hostiles and will not be disposed
either. to be as conservative as they
have been heretofore"
An Eminent Doctor Dead.
MILWAUKEE, Wis, March 7.-Dr. NJ
n na.x..ix. 4ho shxaiai... L.