Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1893-11-12
DEATH OF A BIG INDIAN.
Tho Hereditary Chief OF the Sioux
Nation.
How Young Man Afraid-of- His Horsas
Got HIS Qneer Same-An Important
Figure In Government
Records.

There was a funeral at the Pine
Ridge Agency n few weeks ago of an
Indian chief, who wa 4 brave warrior,
and cs great in diplomacy as he was in
battle.
His namc wa Young-Man-Atraid-ot-
~llis-I{crscs. end he was the hereditary
chief of the whole Sioux nation. lie
was tifty-eight years of age al the time
of his death. and was q son of the IA
nous old warrior ".A-Sian-Afraid-of-
Iiis-IIorses.r who died in 1889 1T the
age Of nincty-two. and whose life IS
intimately connected with the frontier
history OF this country since the early
days of the century
When an Indian wants to emphasize
n fact strongly. he says the exact OPP
posite of what he means, and SO the
name of the dead chief is a specimen
of Indian satire.
His father. in his fights with other
Indians. adopted the tactics of the
whites The usual method of the In
diars is 10 ride in circles around the
object of attack. narrowing the diam
cter OF the circle ms the fight proceeds
/ But the father used the regulation
cavalry cha:Ec-a method of warfare
that 1T once distinguished him, and he
was given n name which meant "a
man of whose horses the enemy is
afraid" The Sioux s~at;riSt thought to
improve on this and condensed il to:
Observation-Disclosures.
The old mans son, the chief now
dead, continued his fathers system of
tactics, and, with the chicfiaiacy. was
given the title: Observation-Disclosures
His-Horses."
He was contcmPorancous as 4 chief:
tain OF the Sioux with such Indians as
Re Cloud, Sitting Bull, Spotted Tail,
American Horse, Black Bear, Lone
Wolf, Red Leaf and white Thunder,
all of whom were men OF undoubtcd
courage and natural leaders of their
people.
He occupied n peculiar position as
chief. His Indian subjects believed
that he had great influence with the
whites, and they were constantly ask
ing him TO have their grievances re-
dressed.
On the other hand, Gems. Crook and
Miles recognized that his sway was
less disputed thar that of any other
Indian chief, and they used him To ac-
complish results which, without him,
could only have been secured by
threats and hapi fighting.
He recognized the great strength of
the whites, and became q wise medi-
I ator. lie was also possessed of cXccp-
tional ability. and saw that there was
greater honor To himself and benefit to
his people by living in peace. both with
the white and the red men. than in be-
'H- n constant conflict with them.
- CHc timt. h, hal i hap.t Of cciar
..u+t wItA u small Iorce, iue,.
.ursr.cr force Of Grows or Paw
living them battle ara coming
tUriou=.
aIou. twelve year a-o. he and
- ii .ious went to the Little Mis-
Oh 4 buffalo hunt. Spotted Horse
crazy Head, two of the biggest
is of TIE Crow, were also ;hcrc
,iII Party Of their people. Yuung-
:n-A:..id, Instead OF f!gLtlng his
rSi!t"ry enemies. arranged Q pence
--@t:. = since that time the ;.:o ia
"n have hrcD The lest 81 friends.
lie recognized the fact that with the
appearance 81 the buffalo the Ia
ali of the plains "0Uid no longer be
&c 10 resist the advance o! civiliza-
"a an". although u great hnTalC
i2ts:. h. male = strong effort 20 pre-
rye thai; animal.
,;r5 when it, determination qvas n
red, h q !:oca.ri paaro With -.
Bites. and vas c:cE friendly with
...eEI. although sometimes stroEylf
tempted otherwise.
In 1890 ana 1891. when the Messiah
craze was ut its height, and the Sioux
were engaged in ghost dances. the
deed chief did not encourage them. and
could o see that they would Get any
benefit from their actions, hut he held
that no one had q right 10 interfere
with them unless they committed some
act of violence.
He was absent at the time Of the
battle OF Wounded Knee, but returned
soon nftcrward, and east the weight of
has great influence with the Indians
for peace.
When he went back to his pcople
after his first visit to washington. in
1870, he described to them what he had
seen and heard on the journey. lie
old them RbOnt the iron horse which
carried him. They understood ali that.
1t was white mans medicine. He told
them about talking wires telegraph.
and they understood that also; il was
white mans magic.
But when he told them about build.
ings six and seven stories high. that
was too much, and lie would have 10
take 1t back. iJut he would not. and.
as they could not doubt his sincerity.
they came to the conclusion that tn,
whites had given him n draught To
drink which had bc%itchcd him. Tor
Il time there was much talk OF getting
n new chief.
Tho Sioux believe thnt Young-Nan.
Observation-Disclosures had some brothers.
living. An effort will be made To find
them. and il IL Is successful ono OF
them will he made the chief by natural
law. II the search Is n failure, there
will be an election for the chief. in
which all the Sioux people will Ell.
gage.
MaSImiiian's Iiusc.
Apropos Of the recent train robbcrics
an old story told or Macmillan Is re.
called: When Maximilian was emperor
of Mexico he broke mp irai robhcrics
by n trick. lIo disguised three hum.
drcd soldiers as peasant women and
placed them on n train. 4 gnnr Of
- II