New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-14
GEN. MILES IS WAITING.
THE HOSTILES TAKING THEIR TIME ABOUT
COMING In
LITTLE CHANGE IN THE SITUATION AT PINE
RIDGE AGENcY-A PEACEFUL SOLUTION OF
THE TROUBLE DRAWS NEARER EVERY
DAY-CAPT. PIERCE INVESTIGATING.
LITTLE CHANG

! Pine Ridge Agency s. d., Jan. 13.-Contrary to
/ expectations there conference to-day be-
tween the chiefs of the hosiles and General
Miles. The latter states that the Indians are
still timid and apprehensive of punishment, and
proposes 10 allow couple of days to elapse before
attempting to bring the negotiations TO close.
Thus far the disposition he has shown TO treat the
/ Indians kindly has made for him many warm
friends among them. This fact, coupled with
the pains which Captain Pierce. the new agent,
| Is taking to show the Indians that everything
they arc entitled TO l. der the treaty will be
! issued to them. will undoubtedly have bene-
| icial effect. member of Troop, I'd Infantry,
who came in to-day with the detachment OF the
| 1th Infantry under Major Egbert. reports that
! coo Indians broke away last night from the hos
tile camp and had been followed by Colonel
| Sanford and Colonel Henry. At headquarters
report was received confirming the matter. Colonel
Corbn says the report was Occasioned by the fact
! that the commands mentioned had started in the
| direction of Wounded Knee on a scout. There
! is now under discussion the advsabity
Of enisting scouts for service in the reser-
| vatOn. The agency is now guarded by force
of nnety-nine Indian Policemen, sixty of whom
were enlisted for two months at the time the
| trouble broke out. For the thirty-nine regular
| policemen, offer has been made giving them
the option of entering the scouting service or re-
naming in the police force. In the former their
| pay win he S13 per month with an allowance Of
| 40 cents per day for their horses. This amounts
| to about S25 per month. This party of scouts
| will be distinct from the scouts now under the
| command of Lieutenant Taylor, Of the 9th Cav
| airy and who have enlisted since the opening OF
| the campaign. Taylor will endcivor to take his
| command with him to Fort Robinson at the close
| of the difficulty and endeavor TO render them an
| ideal troop of what has been termed irregular
cavalry. 1t was thought the Indian police would
"">Ose the plan Of transfer TO the scouting ser
vice because the term Of enlistment in the latter
| army is only six months. They feared that at
/ the end OF the first enlistment they wOnd be dis
| charged from the service and thus left without
an occupation. Having been assured that they
| would get permanent employment, they have, 10
man. dEcided to become scouts.
| Big Foots wife, OF the women injured
Wounded Knee, died last night in the hostile camp.
The hostile Indians still remained in the camp
they went into yesterday, about two miles the
| agency. They have not attempted to como nearer
with the exception of those who desired to visit
some Of the friendleS and who compelled
to take a circuitous route around the agency to
| reach them. These were generally met about.
half mill beyond the brrastw0rks by picllets by
whom they were compelled TO surrender their arms
| until after their return from the visit. The
number Of these visitors this morning some
what greater than it was yesterday. Young Man.
Afraid-Of- liisIiorse came in from the camp this
morning TO arrange for meeting of the hostile
ferred to in these dispatches Of yesterday are
about two miles to the rear Of the hostles They
will advance no nearer until there shall have
been conference between the chiefs and General
Miles.
Captain Pierce, the rev agent. has plan of
enlising four companies of Indians 10 do duty
| itA
this trouble shall have blown over. 1t is also
felt that the Indians will be expected TO give
up. all their arms and take receipt for them
from the agent. and that they Will he guaranteed
protection by the enlisted force OF their own
people General Miles, il is said. is in favor of
this plan. Agent Pierce is making an invcstiga-
ton Of the amount of rat0ns issued. and II is
rumored has made some interesting discoveries
To-day he sent out Colonel Kent and Captain
Baldwin under escort OF Troop & OF orr,, onr 'tn tn
weigh the cattle received there last October.
The cattle then had average weight of l,l32
pounds To-day the average weight was hut u
little over 900 pounds This shows shrnllagc
Of over 200 pounds per head for which the
Government paid and of which the Indians Will
be deprived.
st. Louis. Jan 13.-" The Post-Dispatch's' stall
correspondent at Pine Ridge Agency this morning
tclcgraphs his paper as follows " The Indians are
in camp within full view Of the north fortiilc1-
tions. The right of their column rests there, and
behind the bluffs The view from the Notifications
is grandly picturesque. Behind them is natural
amphtheatre, a rugged broken slope, 200 feet to
the crest 1t is just mile from the agency and
White Clay Creek runs beside it. On the plain
are tcpecs by the hundred. pitched irregularly,
huddlrd together in groups here, and scattered
widely apart there Moving about among the
tcpees p field glass shows the warriors and sluaws
with their children and dogs Such spectacle
imprints itself on the mind with startling clear
ness, for il is huge i'll its grandeur. strlRihgV
unique and wonderfully suggestive to TIE mag
nation Just between the plain and the agency,
pcrched on 4 hill behind earthworks, is 3-inch
rife. which is trained on the camp. 1t seems 10
stare grmly down on the village OF half-crazed
barbarians and to warn them of the awful horror
that will follow one rash act.
For n while yesterday everybody in Pine
Ridge waited anXiously feeling that every mo-
ment the roar Of that gun might be heard and
every one was eXpectant. Captain Dougherty,
commanding the infantry company at the fortfca-
tions had thrown out pickets quarter Of mile
beyond the lines The Indians were known TO be
Just beyond a hil about 800 yards distant
Major Baker, the paymaster, had visited the
Notifications to pay off the company, and all oil
the men were in the camp hundred yards away
except one, who was left as guard near the guns.
Suddenly two Indians seen on the crest of
hill but short distance beyond the other
pckets; then Others appeared on the hills TO the
northwest: then more than dozen were seen on
the various elevations, and then a body of more
than ! 90 warriors 10 the crest of the hill
behind which the hostes were The number was
steadily increased to 400 by accesslons OF bands
ranging in numbers from five TO twenty-five
Captain Doughcrty was Immediately notified. lie
4, c,. ,obo a tn hpad Iona a
General Miles of the movement. Then hurryins
to the Notifications he had the gun prepared for
action The range-fnder adjusted his sights, and
the cave in which the ammunition stored was
opened A line of skirmishers were sent out be-
Qualifications m the crests of the hills