The Irish standard., 1893-01-07

~, pAl y AlJA Il, JAN I
q severe blow on his head that rendered
him unconscious, and Betz was fort IDLY
brought home again.
Finally she was peaceably married the
year before ''the Long Knives" began to
build Fort Smelling, and lived with her
husband from 1918 to 1910, when the lat
ter died. She had four children three
of whom are still living.
Betz's oldest son, ''Taopi,' who died
some time ago, was, like his mother, a
sincere friend OF the whites, and one of
Gen. Sibley's faithful ana valuable
scouts during those fearful and bloody
days Of 1862.
On April 26, 1858, party of some 18
Chippewa braves came to ST. Paul, de-
termined to assassinate any unlucky
Sioux they could fnd around town.
Over night they concealed themselves in
an un6oished building in lower town.
At day light they carefully watched for
some Sioux to come up in canoes from
Kaposia. Soon canoe came in sight
bearing old Betz, her brother, Wooden
legged Jim, and her sister. After land.
/ ing at the foot of Jackson street, they
went carelessly, suspecting 60, danger,
into the trading house of the American
Fur Company, on Third street, now
Princes block. They had just entered
the store, when the Chippewas fired from
across the road volley at them and
wounded the sister of old Betz mortally.
She was taken in canoe to Kaposia,
where she died next morning. It seemed
miraculous that not all three had been
killed, and besides, other people who
happened to be there in the store.
Some time after the treaty which had
been concluded beneath an oak bower
at Pilot Knob, at Mendoza, in August,
1851, the M'Tewakantonwan band of
Sioux were removed, first to Traverse
des Sioux, and then to Yellow Medicine.
Old Betz, as the just related occurrences
J of 1854 indicate, was not very anxious to
depart from the neighborhood Of her be-
loved st. Paul. At the time of the fear
| full Sioux outbreak, in 1852. We find her
and her son Taopi with her tribe at the
respective agency. Here, both decidedly,
| in common with the Christian Indians,
opposed the planned massacre ct the
whites After this could not be pre-
vented, she did all in her power to relieve
the suffering of the captives held by the
Pagan. Indians and to protect them from
harm. For this reason she had deserved
the sincere gratitude of the sufferers and
their friends, and indeed, of the entire
commonwealth of Minnesota. Her SYM
pathy for the whites she exhibited SO
openly that she, with other friendly In
dians, was also held captive by the hos.
tiles, with many whites, until released by
Colonel Libbey and his brave army.
Then she, with many other Indians, was
removed to Fort Smelling. IL was her
testimony and that of her son Taopi that
greatly aided in convicting the 80 hostile
murderers who were afterwards hanged
at Mankato.
Shortly before her death she expressed
strong desire of becoming Christian
As she decidedly wished for "sbe- nah
sapper," a black gown, the Right Rev
Father Ravoux visited her in her illness
and after sufficient instruction, as far al
circumstances would permit, admins
tered to her the sacrament of baptism
on Easter Monday, 1873. When her last
illness was known, the st. Paul Chamber
of Commerce subscribed sum of none,
for her comfort, and decent Christian
burial. She died toward the end O
April, 1873, at Mendoza.
Sitting Bull declared himself to be thu
last of the Indians; and in the same sense
one may say that Old Betz was the las
full-blood Sioux woman of Minnesota
Far beyond the limits of the former ani
present hunting ground Of the Dakota.
is her name known and her sincere
friendship for the whites, even under th.
most trying circumstanc ces, gratefully re
membered
Despite some OF her oddities which arr
/ to be credited to the influence Of her In
dian environs from youth, her bold Anna
zonian character and her kindly sincerity
toall, have gained for her widespread
esteem OF which many queen OF prin
cess Of Europe might we'll be proud
Thousands were desirous OF possessing {
photograph of her. Her pictures were
carried BY tourists to all parts of the
civilized world and deposited in albums
May her soul rest in peace with God, an6
may her memory remain long in bon0l
with men. She had lived to see the full
fillment OF the vision ascribed to Hiawa
t1ha, as far as the future of this land anG
the final fate Of her race are concerned
Looking back, during the last hours o
her mortal career, upon the scenes which
her own eyes had beheid, che could truly
have said with Hiawatha, in the words
of the poet: