Evening journal., 1891-01-03
WHY THE SIOUX REVOLT.
Father CSaft Says Starvation Is
.,he Cause.
Sen. MILES RlADY FOR A FIGHT.

Tho Indians Reporte,% to Be at Bay In
tlss Bad Lands-TheS' Arc Surrounded
by tbs Soldiers, How cver, and Must
Soon Give Up the Fight.
WAs7NGToN, Jan. S--Maj Gen. Scho
field has received a Telegram from Gen.
Miles at Pine Ridge agency stating that
the troops are gradually but surely hem
ming tho Indians in on all sides. From
Pine Ridge as central point he isin per
son directing operations. The troops now
available for service consists OF twelve
regiments VI infantry, five. regiments Of
cavalry and several batteries of artillery
This force is now about the Indians in the
Bad Lands, which locality is,about fifteen
miles south Of Pine Ridge agency. Since
Gen. Miles arrived he has sent Sen. Broalle
TO the front, ana Gen. Brooke will assume
active command Of the troops while Gen
Miles will assume general direcsions of tie
campaign from Pine Ridge. The troops
have now all passed beyond the line 6s
telegraph wires, and all orders lsave to bs-
sent by couriers.
The point in the Bad Lands selected hy
the Indians for final stand is described
as composed of lava beds, somewhat sim
liar TO those of California, and not unlike
the ground, in general contour, where the
Modoes made their final stand. In all
about 5000 Indians have assembled at this
point, which is on the White river. With
them the Indians have driven as they
moved large quantities OF cattle, aud, are
well supplied, Il is said, with provisions
OF the 5000 Indians only about 500 are be-.
lieved TO be warriors, the others being
women and children.
Miles WIN Fight Now.
Gen. Miles in his dispatch intimates his
intention Of making no more effort to
bring the Indians In peaceably, and IL they
refuse, to resort to such means as viii bu
necessary to compel them to return to tho
agency. He expresses confidence in his
ability TO quickly terminate the Indian
| troubles, having them, as he has, com
pletely surrounded.
Secrecy at Washington.
War department officials refuse to give
the text Of his telegram, but give the
above as its substance. Secretary Proctor
laid the telegram before the president, and
unless orders are sent from here counter
manding the expressed intentions of Gen.
Miles, "A peaeeable or bloody termination
Of the Indian war may be looked for within
the next forty-eigbt hours.
A Letter from the wounded Priest.
| NEW YoRE, Jan. 8-The New York Free
mans Journal today publishes a letter
from Father Craft the Catholic Indian
missionary, who was fatally shot through
the lungs in the Indian fight on Monday
| The letter is dated Dec 90 Father Craft
says that from the beginning Of treaties
with the Indians they have been dis
| appointed cheated, starved, deprived OF
| both their own customs and those of the
whites which they had fondly hoped 70
assume with the aid of the government,
| and Ia every way abused Knocked and dis
couraged. In their despair Gen Crook
brought them hope. Their confidence In
him led them to hope that he would be
able to realize their hopes.
Hope Dies with Gen. Crook.
His death was their death blow, and
they so felt it. Their fears and despair
after Crooks death were increased by
further reduction Of rations, and a delay
even Of these Mr. Lee, who took the CEN
sus, made grave mistakes, counted less
than the real numbers, and made false re-
ports Of prosperity that did not exist.
numbers were not sufficient for half even
Of these The Indians were more than
| ever in abject misery, starving without
hope Of redress, and without hope OF liv-
ing in any way. 1t is not TO be wondered
at that they believed in a Messiah and
listened TO every dreamer who promised
hope.
MeddIesome Interested whites.
Interested whites took advantage Of this
state OF affairs and howled for troops The
troops came. Interested whites again
came to the Indians and persuaded them
that the army had come to complete their
destruction. The Indians did not fight,
but ran away in fear and despair Father
Craft calmed them and brought many
hack, and the prudence and kindness OF
| Gen. Brooke convinced them of safety.
Commissioner Morgan Scored.
All this Indian trouble can be traced
through all its phases to its true cause
starvation, abiect misery and despair, the
cause of which is the outrageous conduct
Of the Indian department for many years,
eliminating in the later blunders and
cruelties Of the present commissioner,
Morgan. The death Of Sitting Bull was
caused-if military reports Of the facts
and my knowledge Of the situation agree,
as they seem toby the Indian agent,
through desire for notorety, causing
trouble in order to quell il, and then inter
fering with the army, which alone had the
means, the prudence and the confidence Of
the Indians necessary to properly manage
such things.
More Reassuring Reports.
OMAHA Neb. Jan. 3.-Specials from
| Pine Ridge are Of a more reassuring nat
ure. Forty of Red Clouds men have come
into the agency and surrendered TO the an
thorities. They report much suffering
from cold aud hunger among the poorly
clad Indians who fed from the agency with
nothing but their guns. They say that
all of old Red Clouds Ogallalas intend re-
turning today. 1t is rumored that Gen.
Brooke had engaged small band OF the
hostiles in a skirmish. aud that several
were killed. There is no confirmation of
Il this Three cOmDanips of Nebraska militia