Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-02-21
SCOUT SHAVE HEAD.
AN INDIAN DUEL AT THE STANDING
 ROCK AGENCY.

Was Called Down Rifles at Thirty Yards
 and Night to Finish.
 "A duel which witnessed in 1876 at 1 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, 1 it 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- l preter and chief of scouts at Fort Yates, near Standing Rock agency, where l had 30 Sioux Indian scouts under my command, who were selected from tho | friendly bards and quartered at tho military post with their families. The military authorities issued rations only 1 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
 'I usually accompanied the scouts when they went for their beef About | l50 Texas steers were killed every two weeks. These were paroeled out to the several bands, beginning with the lar ger, who would receive 12 OF 10 head as their share, the next 10 or 12. and so on to the smaller bands. who would get two or three, according to their num- Der. Lastly, single families not mem 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 Tho trouble which terminated in the duel between Shave Head q and Crooked Mock 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 ill the last beef issued. Shave Head, Pappan and the widow immedi- ately 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.
 1T stood not more than 90 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 was not under your command, l would know what to do. but now l 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 since the agent had given him quarter of that beef 1t was therefore his, and he had perfect right to take it.
 Then, said he, tell that man to keep away from mo. answered that l Crooked Neck did not belong to my company, and I had no authority over him.
 Very well, 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 ance to that savage growl which, once heard, can never 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 rife. 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 1 side of the corral. Between them was tho agency wagon, which was backed up to the fence to receive the beef. Tho first shot was fired by Chief Crooked Nook over the rear end of the wagon. l 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- cd dance that surpassed anything of tho kind l 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. The corral had been surround cd 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.
 ''The second shot was again fired 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 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 fired again, when he repeated his former tactics, pausing :. ill his dance while he took aim and fired. 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 |,