The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-09

against such a fortunate conclusion. Four
years ago Wild Hog, vigorously vicious
northern Cheyenne, undertook to run
Pine Ridge agency. Wild Hogs soa
was in the guard house and the old man
had publicly and noisily declared his iu-
tention of releasing him with or without
the consent of the authorities. No one
paid very much attention to Wild Hogs
threats, but when he started to put them
into execution Major Sword objected.
Then the Cheyenne leveled his gun at
the Major, and the Major would have
been justified in getting out of range.
He did not do it, though; he drew his
revolver, in spite of the fact that the
Cheyenne had the "drop" on him, and
Wild Hog wilted. Very meekly did the
Cheyenne, disarmcd, march into the
presence of the agent; abject was his
Ipology and profuse his promises to sin
10 more. He had tried to bluff the wrong
nan.
In August, 1890, the Pine Ridge po-
icemen displayed wonderful nerve. The
ghost dance was in progress down on
White Clay creek, at considerable dis
:ance from the agency, and Agent Gala
cher determined to Stop it. An cxpedi-
lion was organized with the agent at its
head. 1t was composed of Chief Clerk
Conner, Interpreter P. F. Wells, Chief of
Police Pugh, Lieut.. Fast Horse, Lieut..
Iron Crow and thirty policemen. Those
1f the ghost dancers who had assembled
1t the rendezvous perceived the police,
took up advantageous position and coV-
cred the advancing column with their
guns. Not one of the ten-dollars.a-
month men finchcd (nor any of the 9TH
RS for that matter). Indeed it was most
difficult to restrain them; they wanted to
open fire anyhow. Ten minutes after
the police arrived they were surrounded
by at least 200 fully.armed and excited
warriors. but that made no difference;
The police were still anxious to test the
bulct.resistiug capacity of the much
vaunted ghost shirts. The dancers, in
spite of their superior numbers and more
elective armament, were oVera"cl, anu
on that day, anyhow, there was no dane
ing.
When the Indians tir:l at tie agency
on the o9tl of last December there
would have becln, aaswerIa : slots ha |
the police remained QnicScens. Special
Agent Cuo1er conducted them to = good
po,it!on and tried to have then project
themselves beain'l pics Of cordwo'd.
Ttcy woni,ins An it thou III; S1ry stoot
r.ght uu: in tt: opcl and iirct away
until GcA. BrJoke o.derel ten ~
Ccas".
liz" IN liaa ,iicc nee | rila'. Some.
iAiy is erin w.!".l he nrtTta;s ihe ls''it
q: turh t;vc-arm,. .tllof &c policemen
Eay. receivers. Ens In. rcr3.vcrs rs n
, ruic cur ~ f.u'a wL"a IL: ~ i;"n il
ir.nrnf l. Is IofJI:l.v hi |. l. tak:.s
q 600 rii; 20 Suotn: tic sava::c hr2rSt.
MT once in ayca: wIu.l t,.c'c be the
slightest necessary 70: using Inc guns,
but when t,le necessity does arso it is an
ur ,cnt one. The sl:c:yot ticpo'icemcn
themselves dem ,nls III, t;leJ snail be at
least us well armed rs the men they have
t. arrest. Whea tina. is the case they
have no trouble in capturing the desired
malefactors; but on more occasions than
one has an officer been compelled to see
his prisoner escape because the criminal
was better armed than the representative