Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1892-10-28
GHOST DANCE AGAIN.


United States Marshal Thlnks IN In.
dian Outbreak Probable.
REFERRING TO the interview given
out bv DR.. v. p. McGillicuddy relative
to possible outbreak OF the Indians,
United States Marshal said: II do
not think that Mr.. McGillicuddy ex.
aHgerated In the least whom he told
what the situation Is on the reserva-
tion. l have been on the reservation
eighteen years In one capacity or an
other, and think understand the Sioux
pretty thoroughly. l know that the
Indians On tho reservation are more
than anxious to engage In the ghost
dance again. They have ghost shirts
secreted oil over the reservation. The
cause they are afraid to start. All they
need though Is an tmpulsive fellow to
start them. Once started they would
be like flock OF sheep and the Indians
would commence dancing oil over the
reservation. They have openly threat
ened to start in again ~ soon IS their
leaders, Short Bull and Kicking Bear,
return to the reservation. The Chiefs
have also stated that they would be
ready to assume the leadership upon
their return. They were with Buffalo
Bills show. but on their return home
wore detained At Fort Sheridan. Chi
cago, because OF the threats they had
made. They have been released,
though, and l understand are now on
the reservation.
They are impulsivc, daredevil fel-
lows, and just the kind to start the In
dians TO dancing | am expecting to
see the dance commenced between now
and next spring. II the weather is
mild this winter. they arc apt to start
In at any time Otherwise they will
probably content themselves with talk
ing until spring, when they will begin
dancing. / do not think there Is the
power on the reservation to prevent IN
outbreak. The troops are all gone and
all the agents have to rely on Is the In.
dian police. These fellows cannot be
depended upon. Some would stick to
their jobs, but many lean toward the
Indians, and In case Of IN uprising
would either 20 over to them wholly, or
maintain = halfway position that
would be worse than open hostility. in
that no one would know just where the
Indians stand.
III once the Indians get to dancing
they will 60 from the dance to open
ho,tilities. There is no question about
that The dance only serves to work
them up to . frenzy bordering on insan-
fty. Once they get started, there Is
only one way to stop them, and that Is
to call In tho troops as was done two
years ago Greater difficulty would be
experienced at this time in putting
down an outbreak than there was then,
for the reason that the turbulent In
dians are scattered worse now than
then. After the outbreak two years
ago many OF them were removed to
other agencies, so that they are scat
tered now over . vast area Two years
ago they were all massed about / Inc
Ridge notice that Agent Wright At
Rosebud says that all Is quiet about his
agency aud gives out the impression
that oil is quiet on the reservation. OF
course 1t is to tho interest OF these
agents to keep things quiet and make
1t appear that there is no difficulty, but
1t is an injustice to the settlers and
people to do so when there Is trouble.
have seen ghost shirts brought into
know that tho Indians there are only
waiting the appearance OF leader to
20 into the dance.
There are %, 900 Indians on the res
ervation. OF these there are about
1000 bucks eligible as warriors. How
many of them would take up arms
could not say, but there are enough OF
them to make it very unpleasant II
they should see fit to do SO.
'The Indians are generally dissatis-
fed with the way they are be'ne man.
aged. With all that has been said
against McGiliicuddy. want to say
that he fs the only man In the United
States capable Of handling the Indians
At Pine Ridge. and ought to be agent
there now. II anything will prevent
an outbreak it will hc to put McGilli-
cuddy back on tho agency"