The Van Buren press., 1895-02-02
A SIOUX VENDETTA.
The Murder Of spotted 1aii 10 Avenge II
Death Of Chief BiE Mouth.


A visitor TO Rosebud Indian agetics
will naturally, when seeing the sighti
and prominent Indians there, INQUIRE
for Crow Dog, the Indian who four:
teen years ago shot and killed the
noted chief, Spotted Tail. Grow Dog
himself is very reluctant about talk.
ing to strangers concerning the deed.
The story of the killing and the causes
leading up to 1t are always interest.
ing. Various contradictory accounts
have appeared in the daily press from
time to time, but the following is .
true narrative of that interesting chap.
ter of Sioux history: -
During the latter years of his life
Spotted Tail was recognized by the
government as the head chief of all the
Sioux. He was distinctly progressive
chief, and used every effort for the ad.
vancement and civilization Of his PED,
pie. This did not suit the nohprd-
Eressive or ''blanket'' Indians, and this
fact and the jealousies existing on the
part OF other ambitious Indians to.
ward Spotted Tall on account of the
exalted position which he held were
the real causes leading UP I'd the fierce
and bloody vendetta which terminated
in the killing of Spotted Tail. His
principal enemies were Grow Dog and
Big Mouth and their followers; who
used every means and lost no oppor.
tunity to create feelings against the
head chief am. thus break his influence
with the Sioux nation.
Nothing serious occurred until the
summer of 1858, when the indians
were all camped on the.Laramie plains,
near old Fort Laramie. Evidently
with the determination Of effectually
putting stop to the guerrilla war.
fare waged against him by his own
people Spotted Tail one day went to
the tepee Of Big Mouth, called his
enemy outside and shot and killed him.
Why he should have selected such a
time and place seems to be unknown
to the Indians, and the years which
have since passed by have thrown no
light on the mystery. Spotted Tail
was never arrested for the crime. The
anitnosity OF the outspoken enemies OF
the chief became even moro bitter, and
Crow Dog at that time swore he would
kill Spotted Tail and thus avenge the
murder of his friend, Big Mouth.
Although Crow Dog has always had
the reputation of being brave Indian.
he did not appear to be in q hurry to
carry his threat into execution, but in.
stead made every effort to induce the
Indians to engage in an uprising
against the head chief, the intention
being to overthrow and kill Spotted
Tail during the attendant excitement.
These efforts, of course, were unsuc-
cessful.
Time passed on until the year 1880,
Spotted Tail and Crow Dog still being
bitter enemies. In the month of Au.
gust of that year and on ration day
Crow Dog came down the hill to Rose.
bud agency in a wagon. When at the
foot of the hill he CHANGED to glance
behind him and saw his enemy starting
down the hill, also on his way to the
agency. Spotted Tail was on horsc-
back Crow Dog stopped the wagon,
jumped to the ground, and, con.
cealing himself behind the vehicle,
awaited the approach OF the unsus.
pecting chief. When Spotted Tail had
approached to within about twenty
yards Of the wagon Grow Dog sudden
ly jumped to his feet, took careful aim
and sent bullet into the body of his
hated foe. Crow Dog had carried out
the vow made twelve years before.
After the assass ination Crow Dog got
into his wagon, drove to the agency
and coolly entered one Of the post
traders stores. BY this time the news
of Spotted Tails death had reached the
agent, and he sent force of Indian
police to arrest the murderer, who sur.
rendered without resistance. Instead
of his act being received with favor and
rejoicing by the Indians generally, the
reverse was the case, and the indigna-
tion of the Indians found vent in
threats of bodily harm to the murder.
er. Many of the angry and excited In.
dians were industriously arousing their
brethren to take Crow Dog from the
agency authorities and burn him at
the stake.
At this exciting juncture, troops that
had been sent for arrived from Fort
Niobrara, and the prisoner was SNUG.
gled by them from the reservation and
taken to the fort, where he was kept
we'll guarded. When the Indians
learned that Crow Dog had been taken
away their rage knew no bounds, and
they became hostile, and openly threat.
ened to 60 to the fort and take the as.
sassin from the military authorities
by force. In anticipation Of such an
attempt the garrison was kept under
arms for three days and nights, the
horses Of the cavalry having their sad.
dies on during the whole of the time
until the excited Indians had quieted
down. To the Indian agent is due the
credit for preventing an outbreak which
would have been serious in Its conse.
quences. Crow Dog was taken to Dead
wood, where he was tried and convict
ed. While waiting for his sentence, the
officer in charge of him permitted him
to return to Rosebud reservation, on
the promise that he would return in
ten days. Not having returned at the
expiration of ten days the officer went
after him, finding him without difa.
Guilty, as the convicted murderer re.
fused positively to go into hiding. He
was subsequently granted a new trial.
which resulted in his acquittal. Time
has obliterated the feeling occasioned
by the killing Of Spotted Tail, the mat
ter being seldom If ever referred to by
the Rosebud Indians. Spotted Tail was
about fifty years old at the time of his
death, and Crow Dog is about that
now. Crow Dog and his wife have q