The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-01-10
THE IHI)I I'm M Il N AIRY ].

TUE INDIAN. l!1ssIo \ ARK 4 I. n 4,
Father Graft, who was Seriously Injured
at Wounded Knee Greek % 81
Dso. 30, May Recover, U
Father stephsne, the Jesuit Mission
airy, who has been lately at Pine Ridge
Agency and is now gone East, has this
to say OF Father Graft:
sWe can now tell nothing at all about
how he is coming out Of ii. ! would give
very little FOR his life 40 matters now
stand with him.
II Father Craft has an interesting his
tory He ia 8 descendant Of the Mohawk
tribe OF Indians himself, and for that
reason has great influence with the red
skins. He was adopted as chief by the
Dakotas, succeeding Spotted Tail, some
times called by the whites.
Il stKrNa OF THE sIoUx.n
Spotted Tai was Killed at Rosebud, IS.
d., in July, 1851. He was at that time
taking steps to have the Catholic mis-
sionaries engage in the work Of civiliz
ing his Indians He hoped that with
the aid of Bishop Marty and his priests
he could soon prepare his people For Oft
izeuship. He intended to prepare for
Baptism and Christian marriage, and to
learn from the priests the ways Of the
whites, and then aid them to teach his
people. In Il general council he ex
planned his plan to the Indians and told
them that the next day he would 60
East to obtain priests. He said he felt
that he would not live to carry out his
plans, and he chose as his successor, in
| the event of his death, the first priest
who should be sent by Bishop Marty
The Indians promised to accept the new
chief. On leaving the council Spotted
Tail was shot by Grow Dog, it is said at
| the iustigation Of whites whose interests
were opposed to Christianity and civiliZa-
ton. When priest was sent 10y Bishop
Marty to labor among the Dnkotas they
adopted him into the tribe under the
name OF HoVerlng Eagle. and gave to
HIM the craftsmanship. Father GRAFT was
this priest, and it was in 1858 that he
was adopted and made chief Other
missionaries came, and in few years
the Indians were sufficiently instructed
to prepare for civilization. Father Graft
resigned the Craftsmanship in 1883. He
gave it to the Sacred Heart, thus max.
ing God tine last supreme chief OF the
Dakotas. Several Of his Indian relations,
and among them his sister, now Sister
Mary Catherine, have become sisters Of
St. Benedict.
The costume Of Father Graft, as How
ering Eagle, chief of the Dakotas,
is thus described: The plumes Of the
chief ere in the hat, and around them is
the crown of shell and wampnm work.
The chiefs coat IS made of two deer
skins, like priests dalmatic, the porcu~
pine quill embroidery On front, back,
shoulders and arms forming a cross,
which liz fringed with the hair IT reIa-
tions. The eagle feathers on the shou1~
ders signify the name of the chief, How
ering Eagle, as does also the eagle how
ering above the nest and holding the
council pipe. Above the cage is the In
dian cross and circle of eternity, below
is The Dakota shield bearing tho sun and
cross. The missionary crucifix hangs on
the breast. Below'the cassock are the
fringed 1eggins and moccasins embroid'
cred with the Indian art. The pipe is
the chiefs pipe, called the pipe ofpeace,
or council pipe. 1t ia said that the cross
and other Christian symbols were known
to the Dakotas Tor more than 700 years,
and were probably introduced by St.
Brendan of Ireland Or Bishop Eric, of
Greenland.
The Indians had the greatest respect
for their gentle white chief and instruct
or, and he on his part, though he resign
cd the active chieftaincy, was unreseryed
in the expression Of his convection that
were the Indians honestly and fairly
treated and not left to the mercy Of un-
land spectators and agents
that the Indian problem could DO set
tied permanently and peacefully.
Fl. .,-r, 3nva 4 'F5 ~