Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-08
At PINE RIDGE A0ENCL
The True Story Of Dr. Glands Alleged Ar
rest and Ejectment

rest and Ejectment
SOME NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. CORRECTED - NE
WENT WITHOUT CREDENTIALS AND OF
oorRaE WAS uHLAwFu1II OF tbs RES
ERvArroS-AS INDIAN nArpENs ROMANCE
STAFF Correspondence Of The Evsnine star.
CHAMBERLAIN, q. D., August 3, 1891.
It Is not every day that o Washingtonian
claims to have been placed under arrest by In
dian policemen and elected from an Indian
reservation. The sarity Of such happenings as
those depicted by the alleged sufferer in the
present instauce-Dr. T. A. Bland-must be
my excuse for mentioning the matter.
Perhaps an equally good excuse might be found
in the TACT that some things in connection with
thisso-called outrage have not been made quite
as plain rs they should be. have seen nr-
merous newspaper statements as TO the affair but
they were al! SO misleading and unfair o. TO be
very far removed from the square truth.
These statements must have been
penned by persons who were absolutely
ignorant of the occurrences in question. but
who thought they saw chance TO shoot an
Indian agent in the back. DIR. Bland was
probably disconcerted and it may be enraged.
but he never stopped TO the eoIcoction of such
falsehoods as have been circulatng-coupled
with his name-through the newspapers OF the
country during the past week or SO. 1t SO
happened that arrived ut Rosebud almost I'M
lnediafely after the doctors departure. while
the matter was fresh iu the minds of all who
knew anything of it. The doctor was not ar
rested, nor was he elected from the Rosebud
! reservation. He drove from Valentine in to the
agency. while Agent Wright was en- route from
the agency to Valentine. The agent recognized
/ the doctor as they passed each other. but
| neither spoke. Accompanying Agent Wright
was Nal Earnest OF the eighth United States
! lnfantry-the officer detailed by the War De-
partment to work with the civilian agent in the
management Of Rosebud. These two discussed
Dr. Bland and his probable business at the
| agency. and when they reached Valentine
Agent Wright telephoned to his chef clerk, in
structing him TO ask the doctor what his err
rand was and to require of him the production
OF such credentials a. the law demands.
TIE DOCTOR HAD No CREDENTIALS.
! Chief Clerk MulIan thereupon told him, in
pursuance of instructions, that unless his
credentials were presented by the following
morning he would have to leave the reserva-
| ton. That settled il. Within an hour the
doctor had engaged team and WAS Oh his way
back to Valentine, very much exercised over
/ his reception. On the following morning
| Agent Wright was seen and of him Dr. Bland
wanted to know by what right the privileges of
an American citizen--one of them being the
| right TO so wherever he pleased-had been ham
mered down ind sawn off. Agent Wright raid
| that credentials were necessary and further
volunteered the information that he
| would welcome the doctor to Rosebud if he
| could only produce letter of introduction
| from the proper authorities. To this the doctor
responded that he could get such a letter. but
| he would mot do 1t. he was. he said, good
| terms with Commissioner Morgan. But. he
added, of my relations with Secretary Noble
| cannot perhaps say much" An appeal to
Major Earnest for an explauati ton brought forth
| ONLY the hat had rio fatl 4
| to act as he had the strong arm of the military
would have removed the doctor from Indian
| soil or planted him in it,
HOIST BY HIS OWN PRrARp.
Now, if Agent Wright acted without authority
he at least caused Dr. Bland considerable in
convenience and annoyance and an apology
would be due Had the doctor been arrested
and elected (as some OF his foolish friends are
alleged to claim the apology would needs be
| most AFFECT. but as things actually are the only
person In the wrong is the doctor himself. lie
| has frequently heard of 1.-THE engineer hoist
with his own petard-" That is the situation
precisely. AT my elbow is pamphlet entitled.
| The Sioux Nation and the United States" 1t
Is published by the National Indian Defense
Association, Washington, d. C.. and unless
1 am very much mistaken, was complied
| by the corresponding secretary of the associa-
tion-Dr. Z. A. Bland. Upon the first page of
this pamphlet commences a sketch of the
1
| April 20. 1868. i quote from the page: The
| United States now sOlemnly agrees that no per-
| sons except those herein designated 1.-THE
Sioux, except such officers, agents and en-
ployes OF the government US may be authorized
| to enter upon Indian reservations, in discharge
of duties enjoined by law, shall ever be per-
United to pass over, settle upon or reside in the
territory described in this article Italics are
freely used to emphasize the foregoing pro-
| vision.
| Tho on.st;o,, oo.- :, Al A.. 49,.
arrest and ejectment. or did he arrest and eject
| himself after suddenly realizing that he was
| fracturing law TO which he had recently called
particular attention!
| DIR. BLAND AND CAPT. PRATT.
People at Pine Ridge still smile little over a
story in which both DR.. Bland and Capt. Pratt
are interested. Just now it is a little difficult
for even the careful chronicler to decide
whether the laugh Ia on the medico- philan-
| thropist or the soldier educator. but in the
| light of years. which every historian should see
things through, the rather amusing problem
may some day be solved. Here is the story
true in every particular: DR.. Bland was at
| Pine Ridge during the LITTER part of June stop
| ping for the time at the Hotel de Jarchow
Plenty Horses, the murderer of Lieut.. Casey.
| was reported TO be somewhere in the immedi-
ate vicinity, 30 the doctor sent ont for him: he
desired to converse with him. In q little while
| the highly decorated young ruffian made his
| appearance. ana Wnen he entered the room WAS
enthusiastically met by the representative of
the National Indian Defense Association.
| Il am DR.. Bland" remarked the Washing
| tonian. as he shook the young Brule's blood
stained hand, but there was no response.
.'Dr. Bland of Washington" insisted the pro-
prietor OF that name and address, vet Plenty
Horses was still dumb.
| 'Of course. you have heard of me quite ire
| quently,' irsinuated the doctor.
! Plenty Horses, in his own way said that his
tympanum had never been agitated by tine
| necessary sound waves
| You were at Carlisle for several years were
you not?' queried the doctor, by this time much
agitated.
Plenty Horses nodded.
| "And never heard of me?"
| Plenty Horses shook his head.
Received an education at Carlisle and never
heard of me?' gasped the stricken philauthro-
pist. Then he became indignant aud said
loudly: Il always did tell Pratt that his school
| was a fraud.
| ATRUE STORY.
Generally it is believed that the great Amer
loan novel has yet to be written. and the fact
that this long -lookeddor fctional gem has not
been uncovered may be due to the laxity of
those who are supposed to he toiling in search
| Of it. Has any modern writer OF note looked
for his plot on an Indian reservation. Here is
satisfy any one:
What ID SO rare as a day in June?" is q
conundrum that has puzzled good many peo-