Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-02-21
SCOUT SHAVE HEAD.
IN INDIAN DUEL AT THE STANDING
ROCK AGENCY.

4 Grew Out of q Quarrel Over q Quarter
of Beef Crooked Neck Made Blur and
Was Called Down-Rines at Thirty Yards
and Fight TO q Finish.
"a duel which witnessed in 1876 at
Standing Rock agency, Dakota" said
an old scout, between Scout Shave
Head and Chief Crooked Neck of the
Hunkpapa Sioux was performance that
would have called for applause from the
most critical audience that ever wit
messed Spanish bull fight Shave Head,
1t will be remembered, was one of the
Indian police who was killed while at
tempting the arrest of Sitting Bull in
the fall of 1890. In 1876 was inter-
prefer and chief of scouts at Fort Yates,
near Standing Rock agency, where /
had 80 Sioux Indian scouts under my
command, who were selected from the
friendly bands and quartered at the
military post with their families. The
military authorities issued rations only
to the scouts, while their families drew
from the Indian agent. The beef was
slaughtered on the east bank of the
river, the Indians crossing in boats.
81 usually accompanied the scouts
when they went for their beef. About
150 Texas steers were killed every two
weeks. These were parceled out to the
several bands. beginning with the lar
ger, who would receive 10 or 15 head as
their share, the next 10 or 10, and so on
to the smaller bands, who would get
two or three. according to their num-
ber. Lastly, single families, not men,
bers of bands, were given beef by them
selves, one steer to four families, or
quarter to each. The scouts, half breeds
and squaw men were among this num-
ber. The trouble which terminated in
the duel between Shave Head and
Crooked Neck began over the issue of
| beef.
"Shave Head, Crooked Neck, Charley
Pappan, half breed, and the Widow
McCarty, squaw who had been mar
ried to white man, were given quar-
ter each in the last beef issued. Shave
Head, Pappan and the widow immedi-
ateiy began skinning the beef, when
Crooked Neck approached the scout, and
placing his hand on his shoulder pushed
him violently aside, saying: You be-
long to the soldiers. You have no right
here. Go to the fort for your beef.
~ stood not more than so feet away.
| Shave Head cast one look of defiance at
! his assailant and then came to me and
said, pointing at Crooked Neck: THAT
man has driven me away from my beef.
If I was not under your command, I
would know what to do, but now /
await your orders. If you leave me free
to act, he is not man enough to keep me
away from my beef.
II answered that sinceIthe agent had
given him quarter of that beef it was
therefore his, and he hada perfect right
to take it.
'Then, said he, tell that man to
keep away from me- answered that
Crooked Neck did not belong to my
company, and I had no authority over
him.
Every we'll, said the scout. I shall
take my beef, and rejoining the others
he again offered to assist in dressing the
beef, only to be again thrust away by
Crooked Neck. This time he gave utter
anoe to that savage growl which, once
heard, can newer be forgotten, and
climbing out of the slaughter pen on
the north side, and taking his rife from
his wife, he turned to the left, coming
out on that side of the corral facing the
river. Crooked Neck, seizing his rifle,
went out of the corral on the south side,
and turning to the!right the two COM
batants met face to face on the west
side of the corral. Between them was
the agency wagon, which was backed
up to the fence to receive the beef. The
first shot was fred by Chief Crooked
Neck over the rear end of the wagon.
The driver, supposing that he was the
object of attack, frantically whipped up
his mules, leaving clear field between
the two enraged warriors, who were not
more than ten yards apart. Talk about
an Indian war dancel Here was execut-
ed dance that surpassed anything of
the kind I ever saw. Shave Head was
the more agile of the two, jumping
from side to,side, rearing high in the
air and again bending low down to the
ground, all the time keeping his eye
fixed on his foe and his gun ready
for use. Thecorral had been surround
ed by not less than 1000 Indians, men,
women and children, but when the fir
ing began they had surged to one side,
leaving the space in the rear Of each
combatant clear.
1.-THE second shot was again fred by
Crooked Neck, but he again missed his
mark, and during the instant required
by him to throw another cartridge into
his piece Shave Head, who was still as
q statue took aim and fired. The ball
struck Crooked Neck in the hip, which
crippled him so that he had but one leg
to dance on. AS soon as Shave Head
fired he resumed his dancing, keeping it
up until his antagonist fred again, when
he repeated his former tactics, pausing
in his dance while he took aim and fred
This time he brought Crooked Neck
down with bullet through his breast.
He fell forward ON his face, his gun un-
der him. His friends pressed forward,
holding up their hands and calling upon
the scout to desist He had killed his
man.
''But Shave Head was determined to
make it sure thing First pointing his
gun toward the crowd to warn them
back, he advanced to the prostrate In
dian, and holding the muzzle Of his gun
within two feet Of his victim fired three
shots into his head. He then resumed
his dancing, and facing the crowd he