The morning call., 1891-02-12
NO MERCY SHOWN,
The Indian Version Of the
Wounded Knee Fight.
women Deliberately Shot While Standing
Under a Flag Of Truce.
children Promised Protection and Then
murdered by SOIdisrs-A Ralfbreed
Preachers Story.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11.-rhe Indian con-
terence closed to-day, and the Indians will
slart Tor home Friday. The features of to-
gay talk was the story of the fight at
wounded Knee. Turning Hawk said that
at d given time, when the men had given up
the'r guns, they were separated from their
FAMILIES and taken to a certain spot. A
crazy man, young man Of very bad in
huence, fired his gun, killing an officer. The
other Indians began drawing their knives,
al'hough they were exiorted from all sides
TO deslSt, and the firing began immed ately
on the part of the soldiers.
All The men who were in bunch were
Killed right there. and those who escaped
that hrst fire got into ravine, and as they
went along the rayine for long distance
tney were pursued on all sides by soldiers
anu shot down. The women had no fire.
arms to fight with. They were standing off
at a different place and when the firing be-
gan those who escaped the first volley went
IN one direction up the ravfne, and the
women went in different direction through
an open held, but they NE. the same fate as
the men.
American Horse said that when the firing
began the people who were standing imme-
dlately around the young man who fired the
nrst shot were killed, and then the soldiers
turned their guns on the women who were
In the lodges, standing there under flag of
truce. VI course, as soon as they were fired
upon, they fled. There was a woman with
an infant In her arms who was killed as she
almost touched The flag of truce. Right near
the nag another was shot down. Her child,
not knowing its mother was dead, was still
nursing, aad it Was a very sad sight.
Inc women, as they were fleeing with
their babies on their backs, were killed to-
gether, and women heavy with child were
also killed. Alter most of the Indians had
Deen Killed, the cry. was made that all those
not Killed or wounded should come forth
and they would be safe. Some little boys
who were not wounded came out of their
PAGES OF refuge, aud as soon as they came
III sight a number of soldiers surrounded
and butchered them.
Commissioner Morgan said to the inter-
prefer: :" wish you would say to him that
tnese are veiy serious charges to make
against the army. do not want any state
ments that are not absolutely true, and /
want any one here who feels that the state
ments are too strong to correct them"
American Horse replied that OF course it
would have been all right il only the men
were killed, "but the fact of the killing of
NOulel, aNu more ESPECIALLY young DOyS ana
girls, who are to keep up the future strength
of the Indian people, we feel very sorely."
TIE Commissioner - "Does American
Horse know these things of his own person.
al knowledge, or has he been told them? ?"
American Horse-"I was not there at the
time. or before the burial of the bodies but
did 90 there with some Indian police and
many people from the agency, and we went
through the battlefield and saw where the
bodies were from the track of blood.''
Rev. Mr. Cook, Sioux half-breed, pastor
among other things, said: "Much has been
members of the Seventh Cavalry went into
that action. 1t has been said the desire TO
avenge Clusters death was entirely absent
from their minds. In coming toward CHI
cago. in company with General Miles, |
talked with one of his own scouts who was
almost killed, because he had to fly with the
Indians being fired upon by men whom he
tried to serve and help.
HE told me that after he recovered from
his fright and succeeded in getting among
the soldiers after they ali had got in from kill
ing Indians an officer of high rank, he did
not know who, came to him and said, Now
we have avenged Clusters death To this
the scout replied: Yes; but you had every
chance to fight Tor your lives thatday These
poor Indian people did not have that oppor-
tunity to protect and fight for themselves
Ii this is an Indication of the spirit of a
number of men in that command, ] am sure
the Seventh Cavalry did not go there with
the klndest of motives simply to bring these
poor people back"
After several others had spoken the Com
missioner declared the conference at ali end.