The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1895-12-21
Ii WAS LITTLE CROW
the BAD INDIAN KILLED Bv YOUNG
CHAuNcEY lAMPSoN.

Leader Of the Sioux Whose Miadsoas
Began With an Act al RAss Iagrasisaas.
TIE Goveramsats Struggles with the
Hossiles Daring the War.
The Sioux or Dakota tribe Of Indi-
ans has been for considerable time the
most powerful confederation Of aborig-
ines ON the American continent They
could place today several thousand war
riors in the field. and they have given
cur government much trouble during
the past generation. 1t was the Sioux
who were the most actively engaged in
war with Us, after the discovery Of gold
in California in lS49 caused such a
stream Of emigration across the CONT
nent; they were the leaders in tho de-
struction Of Custer and his command;
it was they who perpetrated the terri
BILE massacres Of 1869 in Minnesota and
who came SO near bringing on q general
war in 1901.
Among the famous leaders Of the
Sioux was Little Crow. who at the be-
ginning Of the outbreak Of 1863 was
living in comfortable brick house near
one Of the agencies. which had been
erected by our government as an induce
ment for him to help In the civilization
Of his turbulent people. He was count
ed upon rs one Of the stanchest friends
Of the whites and indeed had lost caste
with many Of his own people because Of
his support Of their measures.
Yet on the fatal day in August when
the fierce bucks ran to his house and
awoke him from sleep to ask his advice
a. to what should be done, Little Crow.
instead Of counseling peace. told them
that, inasmuch as trouble must inevita-
bly, occur between the whites and his
people, it might rs well begin then as
at any time. He proposed that they
should go to the agency and kill the
traders and volunteered to act as their
leader. Having thus identified himself
with the hostiles, he became one Of the
most bitter and unrelenting Of them all
He possessed considerable ability, and
he threw himself heart and soul into
the fight. He was the leader in several
Of the most decisive defeats received by
detachments Of troops; was in command
in the attacks On New Ulm. Fort Ridge
ly and the agencies, struck many hard
blows, and though he personally did NOT
wish to torture prisoners was too weak
to prevent his men from doing so.
1t always takes a civilized govern
ment a considerable while to shake it.
self into shape when such a crisis comes.
The civil war being then under way,
quite a number Of armed men were in
Minnesota because Of the call Of Presi.
dent Lincoln for volunteers. BY and by
Colonel Sibley was able to reach the In
dams, with the consequence that they
were badly beaten Not only did the
majority surrender. but the leaders in
the atrocious butcheries were caught
and tried and SS were hanged at Man
kato in February, 1858.
Little Crow, however, fed northward
with large body Of warriors and took
refuge in the neighborhood Of DEVILS
lake, where, the following year, he re-
newed his crimes and outrages. He was
so defiant that he notified Colonel Sib-
+ ley where he was, adding that soon he
intended to arrive with his men at the
Yellow Medicine agency.
The authorities became so incensed
against tho Sioux because Of their atroc-
titles that they organized scouts to hunt
them down and offered a reward for
every one that was killed Such was the
state Of affairs when. On Friday after
noon, July 8, 1868, Chauncey Lamp
/ son, a boy, and his father. were walk
ing along the road several miles north
/ Of Hutchinson, one Of the towns that
had suffered severely from the massacre
Each had gun over his shoulder. and
they were walking side by side, talking
in low tones, when the son suddenly
touched the arm Of his father and point
ed to little clearing. opening into the
woods ahead. The two halted at sight
Of couple Of Indians picking berries.
Their backs were toward the whites,
who softly stepped behind the trees and
held a whispered consultation as to
what was best to do.
I There was no doubt that the Indians
were hostiles, and had they seen the
others first would have shot them. Mr..
Lampson and his boy decided to antici
pate them. Taking advantage If the
shelter afforded by a poplar surrounded
with underground, the father crept near
enough to secure a good aim, when he
I fred at one Of the Indians. The savage
threw up his arms with a yell and fell
to the ground badly wounded. Not
knowing how many Indians might be
near. Mr.. Lampson began q cautious re-
treat, but was obliged to expose himself
| in doing 80. The wounded Indian had
partly risen and aimed at him. At the
same instant Chauncey. the son, drew
bead on the wounded savage, while
the unwounded one leveled his gun mt
the boy. Rather singularly, all three
fired at the same moment.
Mr.. Lampson received flesh wound
In the shoulder, the ball Of the unharm-
cd warrior grazed the boy s cheek. while
the missile Of the youth instantly killed
the wounded Indian. Then, fearing a
charge from a war party, Chauncey
dashed of for help As it grew dark the
father started for home by a circuitous
route and safely reached there after
midnight. The body Of the slain Indian
was carried to Hutchinson, where, to
the astoBishment and relief Of all, it
was identified as that Of the famous
chief Little Crow. Free Press.