Sturgis advertiser. (Sturgis, Dakota [S.D.]) 1887-1???, 1891-07-02

or q letter written by Capt. Thos. III.
Russell to the eastern press, and takes
pleasure in giving it space in these col
umns:
STURaIs Cry, June 20, 1891.
The native eloquence OF the Indian
was never better illustrated than at the
trial of the alleged murderers of Few
Tails the past week in this city. When
the counsel for the prosecution asked
Grown Woman, the wife ct the Indian,
what month OF the year ii was that they
started on the hunt that was his last
she answered, s'When the autumn
leaves turned yellow" And SO again
when asked, "What time in the morn
ing did you arise on the day OF your
husbands death?' she answered, "Wherl
the morning star had risen" ALI the
interrogatives throughout the examine
ton were answered in the expressive
beauty OF the Sioux language. OF
course the intelligent interpreter, whose
blood is OF her race, might have embel-
lished her answers. But when her barred
bosom was exposed to theiury and spec
tators with the gaping scar that was
scarcely healed, inflicted by the deadly
rifle aimed at her life, ripple of SYM
patty that seemed heretofore to be with
the prisoners prevailed throughout the
crowded court room. The prosecution
evidently had scored hit. Tt was
noticed that the stern Judge and sterner
jury-made up of the bone and siDew OF
the frontier---was visibly affected,
Whatever will be the verdict, that will
not probably be rendered before the
close of the week, the sympathies cannot
help but be divided The defense pos
itively asserts that they will prove by
|.disinterested witnesses that when Peter
Culbertson went to Alkali creek the day
of the tragedy to get water in plain view
Of the Indian camp, eight Indians were
rounding up bunch of thirty horses
belonging to himself and brothers and
other residents of the neighborhood. He
notified his brothers and they, with
Juelfs, armed themselves and went to
the Indian camp and while trying to re-
cover their stock they were fred upon by
the Indians. They returned the fire and
Peter Culbertson was wounded in the
hand. The Indians scattered and a
running fire ensued, Few Tails from his
wagon taking part in the firing. When
ten miles below, at Viewfield, another
Indian was killed belonging to this
party. And the same Indians that had
wounded Culbertson had skirmishes with
other settlers about three hours after
their encounter with the prisoners. This
of course will be weighed well by the
jury, who are all, with the exception Of
one, farmers, with more or less stock, and
the turbulence of the times when Few
Tails death occurred is not forgotten by
any of the citizens of Meade county
The trial has attracted universal atten
ton, possibly as much SO as Plenty
Horses at Sioux Falls, and his acquitta
will it is presumed be d precedent il
this case. The sympathy however is di.
vjded and it is claimed the prosecution
made-a mistake in entering a nollt
prosequi in the case of Juelfs, but u. s
Attorney Sterling and Attorney Genera
Dollard will fight the case to the bite
end. The prisoners are ably defended
by Col. W. FL. Parker, Judge G. G. Polk
Thos. E. Harvey, ex-state's attorney, ant
Kirk & Stuart.
The little city where the trial is beins
held is fraught with historical remini
SCIENCES. Situated as it is in ten minutes
walk of Fort Meade, conceded to be th'
loyeliest post on the frontier. It wa
laid out in 1878 by gallant Phil Sheridan
in preference to any other locality in tn
radius of the Black Hills on accoun
of its location and beautiful surround
ings. The post is peculiarly associates
with the names of the gallant seventh
United States cavalry. Sturgis, Custer
Benteen, Moylen. French, Darlington
Wallace, Varnum, Mccormick, Gibson
Baldwin, Nicholson and Sicles. Me-
; whose deeds of valor time honors an,
eternity re-echoes. Most of these hav
drifted to other posts on the frontier
several have been retired, and some vii
never again answer to the bugle call.
Their good swords are rust
But their souls are with saints, we trust.
The site of the city and fort, for scent
| beauty cannon Do e4celleu on the COnt
nent. On one side rises the imposin
foot hills of the Black Hills with thei
| dark evergreen outlines sweeping to th
north and south while to the east stretch
. ing into tho far distance is seen the vas
ocean of plain and prairie. Bare Butt
six miles north rises from amidst th
) rolling plateau, like a grim and siler
: sentinel, at an altitude of 4,574 fec
, above the level of the sea, and is cor
!. sidered one of the most peculiar freak
of nature surrounding the Black Hill
Meade is ten company post, at preser
r in command of Col. Brisbin of the eight
cavalry. Bare Butte creek flows throug
the city and past the post, and meandel
through one OF the most beautiful an
fertile valleys in the state, that gref
portion of is still open to settlemen
until it's confluence with the Bel
, Fourche sixty two miles below. Sturg
lis rightly named the Key City of tt
9 Black Hills. 1t is located directly
II the track of the commerce of the northel
d Hills, thirteen miles from the great go
, belt of the Homestake and Caledon
mines and seven miles from Galena di