Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1892-10-28
GHOST pANcg A
a United >tates Marshal Thinks AN In.
dian Outbreak Probable.

a CutteU suAt0N MNrkU6t 1utukS Au III.
dian Outbreak P%rObnbie.
REFERRING to the interview given
out by DIR. v. +. McGillicuddy relative
to u possible outbreak of the Indians,
q United States Marshal said: 81 do
not think that Mr.. McGillicuddy ex-
a%ggerated In the least when he told
what the situation is IN the reserva-
ton. l have been on the reservation
eighteen years in n capacity or an
other, and think l understand the Sioux
pretty thoroughly. l know that the
Indians on the reservation are more
than anxious to engage in tho ghost
dance again. They have ghost shirts
only reaso they do not dance is be-
need though is an impulsivc fellow to
start them. Once started they would
be like u flock of sheep aad the Indians
would IN dancing all over the
reservation. They have openly threat
ened to start in again as O as their
leaders. Short Bull and Kicking Bear,
return to tho 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
were detained ut Fort Sheridan, Chi
cayo, because of the threats they had
made. They have been released,
though, and understand are now on
the reservation.
''Thcy are impulsivc. daredevil fell
lows, and just the kind to start the In
dians to dancing. 1 am expecting to
see the dance commenced between now
and next spring. IL the weather is
mild this winter, they are apt to start
in at any time. Otherwise they will
probably content themselves with talk
ing until spring, when they will begin
dancing. l do not think there is the
power on the reservation to prevent an
outbreak. The troops are ali gone and
all the agents have to rely on is the In.
dian police. Thee fellows cannot be
depended upon. Some would stick to
their jobs, but many lean toward the
Indians. and In cast of an uprising
would either go over to them wholly, or
maintain a halfway position that
would be worse than open hostility. in
that no one would know just where the
Indians stand.
'lf once the Indians get to dancing
they will go from the dance to open
ostilities. There is no question about
that. The dance only serves to work
them up to a frenzy bordering on insan-
ity. Once they get started, there is
only one way to stop them, and that is
to call in the 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 arc scat
tered now owe a 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 and gives out the impression
that all is quiet on the reservation. OF
curse it is to the interest of these
agents to keep things quiet and make
it appear that there is no difficulty, but
it is an injustice to the settlers and
people to do SO when there is trouble.
i have seen ghost shirts brought into
Whites Agency by the dozens. and
know that the Indians there are only
waiting the appearance of q leader to
GO into the dance.
s'There are $4,000 Indians on the res
ervation. OF these there are about
1000 bucks eligible a. warriors. How
many of them would take up arms 1
could not say, but there are enough of
them to make it very unpleasant II
they should see fit to do so.
1.-The Indians are generally dissatis-
fed with the way they are being man.
aged. With all that has been said
against McGiliicuddy, l want to say
that he is 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 be to put McGilli.
cuddy back on the agency"