Morning journal and courier., 1891-01-08
NEWS BY TELEGRIPH. From All Quarters. WOUNDED KNEE FIGHT. Official Report of Indian
 Agent Rover. \ MIXED FREIGHT TRAINS WED RUN. Severe Snow Storm and
 Wind in Italy. PROCEEDINGS OF HOUSE AND SENATE. New Hampshire's Gubernat0-
 rial Contest.
PROCEEDINGS OF HOUSE AND SENATE.
New Hampshire's GubernatO
 rial Contest.
THE WOUNDED KNEE AFFAIR.


 Fight Was Started-Indtans Urged on by Medicine Man-More Omcial Correspondence.
 WASHINGTON, D. o., Jan. 7.-The com. missioner of Indian affairs has received a report from Indian Agent Rover at Pine Ridge, dated December 31, giving an ac- count of the fight at Wounded Knee creek two days before. The report says: From the best information I can obtain, Big Foot and his band surrendered to Major Whitesides, and while they were disarming them an Indian known as their ''medicine man" rose from his seat and began to cry out, "Kill the soldiers; their bullets will not have any effect upon our ghost-shirts, {" at the same time stepping to the ground, picking up handful of dirt, throwing it up into the air, and after 8 short perform ance of perhaps two minutes he fired his gun in the direction of the military. This started the war that resulted in the killing of Captain Wallace and twenty-five sol diers, wounding thirty-6ve soldiers and the killing of large number of Indians known as the Big Foot band, or the hostile band of Sitting Bulls Indians who escaped from the police and military at Standing Book agency immediately after the killing of Sitting Bull. I am unable to give the exact number of Indians killed, but will in few days obtain some knowledge of the matter and report fully to you the sub stance of my information. There are at the agency under the care of the military, ffty-one wounded Indians of the Big Foot band, and forty-seven women and ok; ~f .x, a dangerous condition, so far as I am able to learn and they look as though they never would recover. Rev. Charles s. Cooke, the Episcopal minister, at this agency, is kindly allowing his church to be used to shelter the wounded Indians. He has thirty eight of the number in his church and is doing missionary's part to see that they are properly cared for. This battle occurred at O point about twenty five miles northeast of the agency, known as the Wounded Knee store, recently occu- pied by Prescott and Robinson. an in formed that the military had every prepa- ration made to feed and care for the In dians, and their intention was to take them to Gordon, Neb., the nearest rail road point; but the attack, which ended plans.
 Lieutenant Standing Soldier, who was for long time lieutenant on the police force at this agency, but now employed by the United States army as scout, on the night of the 30th instant arrived at the agency from Porcupine creek with sixty three Indians who belonged to the Big Foot band, consisting of eighteen bucks and the balance women and children. The bucks were disarmed after their arrival at the agency by the scouts and agency police and placed under military guard. I am told that this little band are some lost from Big Foot during the excitement fol lowing tho killing of Sitting Bull and the Rock agency and were at the time of their capture hunting for the Big the fight until they were safely under guard and then only in a mild way, that they might not become excited over the loss of their leader.
 OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 7.-The following made public to-day ex- plains fully the position of the administra- ton on the Indian question:
 EXECUTIVE MANSION,
 WASHINGTON, October 31. The Honorable the Secretary of War
 Sir-I forward for your information letter ad- dressed to me by the secretary of the interior
 
 ters from the commissioner of Indian affairs and from certain Indian agents all relating to appre- hended trouble with the Sioux Indians. This de. fusion as to the coming of an Indian messiah and the return of the dead Indian warriors for cru sade against the whites seems to have taken evep apon as the Indian territory. You will at once cause personal investigation to be made by either the division or department commander into the actu- al condition of things among the Sioux and di- rect him to make an early report of his observa- tons and any recommendations he may have to precautions are taken to have troops In that vicinity prepared to cooperate in the ex- ecution of any orders that may be adopted.
 BENJAMIN HARRISON.
 EXECUTIVE MANSION,
 WASHINGTON, D. O., Nov. 13. ! To the Honorable Secretary of War:
 Sir I transmit herewith communications of date November z, 10 and 13 from the secretary of from the missioner of Indian affairs and from the agents of the Indian bureau at Pine Ridge, ine to the dsturbed Condition of the indians at those stations, and relating incidents in which the authority and power of the agents and of the at naught The situation seems so me to be seri- ous. The authority and discipline of the agents must be maintained and adequate and early pat peril the he ses and homes of the settlers in the adjacent states. You will therefore assume may be necessary to these ends. You will see that the troops whose services will be required in case of an outbreak are in state of quick readiness to take and remain in the field, and that any movement is supported by body of troops sufficiently large to be impressive, and in case of resistance, quickly and thoroughly efficient I have directed the Of the interior to advise his agents to use their influence to separate the well dis posed from the ill-disposed Indians, and while using their best endeavors to preserve discipline to advoid an outbreak until the war department had made it's necessary preparations.
 Very Respectfully,
 BENJAMIN HARRISON.
 DEPARrMENr OF THE INFERIOR,
 WASHINGTON, December 1. The Commissioner of Indian Affairs:
 Sir-You will convey to the several agents on duty among the Sioux the following order which is hereby made: -I|
 "During the present troubles you are instruct ed that while you shall continue all the busi- ness and carry into effect the educational and other purposes of your agency you will as to all operations intended to suppress any out break hy force Cooperate with and obey the