The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-13
SENATOR sHOUP.
Interesting sketch of Idane's Brilliant
senstor-An Indian Fighter.
From the PHILADELPHIA Times.

Senstor-An Indian Fighter.
From the Philadelphia Times.
Senator George l.. Shoup Of Idaho 1
has just entered upon his second term /
IN the upper house OF congress. II the |
republicans carry out their proposition |
of reorganization of that body on a
party basis-which seems probable
II Is almost a certainty that Senator |
Shoup will be chairman or the commit
tee on Indian affairs. Should this hap |
pen q will be not only a fitting tribute
TO the worth of a noble man. but a
justification for an act committed more
than 80 years ago whereby, In the East, !
| he was denounced as the Infamous
| leader in the Chivington massacre, out
| lauded in the West as the hero OF the
battle of Sand Creek. There Is no man
| IN this country to-day better lifted 70
| dead with the Indian question, although
his intimate knowledge OF the atroci-
| ties committed by the warriors OF the
plains does not lead him to view gently
the problem which for so many years
/ has been a perplexing one in the ad-
ministration OF the affairs OF the gov.
eminent. The position which he Will
probably soon occupy naturally brings
l to mind the story of the bloody ARRAY
/ of 1868, with which his name VIII De
forever Identified.
| George L. Shoup was a resident OF
| the little mining town of Denver, Col.'
/
/ rounding country was overrun with a
| band of aborigines known as the SAND
Creek Indians, under the leadership OF
| White Antelope. They were what are
known as friendly Indians" although
| that term always causes an outburst
of Indignant protest from the man who
Is now senator from Idaho. and they
| were treated with particular favoritlsm
by the government. Notwithstandlns
thei- demonstrations of affection. nu-
merous outrages were traced 10 the
| warriors OF the tribe; men were muir
dered women outraged. children stolen.
property purlolned and stock driven or
the ranches. To all demands for AID
the United States officials responded
that the Sand Creek Indians were
''friendly' and could not be the au-
thors of the outrages. One day mutt
lated bodies OF four settlers were
brought into Denver. They had been
treated with nameless violence. People
OF what was then little mining camp
now a great and prosperous city OF
the west-arose In indignant might.
militia regiment of 400 men were a.
once organized: all trained. picked
men, familiar with Indian methoos.
George l.. Shoup was one of this oody.
He was not ats nominal leader. but In
the events which followed he took vir-
tual command and led the nghtins.
The men who went out upon this ex-
|
fians. They were quiet-voiced. gentle
but determined citizens OF a pioneer
town; nearly all with what have Deen
described as "the inevitable blue eyes
which seem TO prevail among the ne
! roes of the West" They followed the
Indians, found their village at nigh tfaii
and prepared for attack at sunrise.
| line of pickets was thrown out TO guard
against surprise. During the night one
of the friendly Indians sneaked up
| al
scalped him. cut out his heart, divided
Al into four quarters and laid II upon
the bleeding body. This was the spec
tacie which confronted the band OF
avengers In the morning. The sight
drove them to frenzy They fell upon
the Indians with merciless purpose,
sparing neither warrior. squaw nor pa
! poose. Crazed by the knowledge that
their brethren had been subjected 10
torture beyond belief and whose de-
scription Is unpermissible IN print.
knowing that the squaws had subject
ed women in captivity to fiendish cruel
ties beyond the comprehension OF the
ordinary mind, and that the children
of the tribe would only grow TO fuller
height to perpetuate the methods OF
. their ancestors. the men of Denver,
kindly hearted, gentle. struck down
squaw as well as brave and dashed out
the brains of infants upon the rocks
OF the plains. 1t was a battle OF ami
|
people were absolutely wiped from ths
. face of the earth. Not one lived TO tell
the tale. But from that day 20 this, q
| period covering more than 81 years
there has never been an Indian out
break in Colorado.
! Colonel Shoup-we call him senator
| now-led the men who destroyed tna'
band OF Indian marauders. That the
claim made for the Indians OF beine
l 4F..gs n
! ! strated by the fact that in their camp
were found the scalps OF three women
still wet with blood. and a vast amount
of plumber which had been stolen from
. settlers and from trains passing through
= that region. When subsequently asked
. why ne permitted butchery to extend
TO both women and children Colone
Shoup quietly answered: 1T was Inn
| possible TO control my men. The spec
tacle Of their comrade. with his dis
E membered heart smoking upon hii
: breast. made madmen OF them. AS q
the squaws. they fought US more des
: perately than the warriors. The,
: crawled on their hands and knees In
Z efforts 70 cut us down. There was no
a man among US who had not witness
ed evidences of the most nameles'
I atrocities which they had perpetratet
E | upon white women. members OF theil
: own sex. The battle was probably
e considering the numbers involved. ont
: OF the fiercest in the history of ths
. world. 1t was a hand-to-hand conffic
= from beginning to end and II We has
not wiped the Indians out OF existence
they would have destroyed US. / admi
v that Il was a butchery. but a necessar,
: one"
= Western history will ever refer q
= the battle OF Sand Greek as an even
to be recorded in testimony OF the vslo
OF George l.. Shoup. and among tn
4. people OF that section OF this grea
country his name Is synonymous will
integrity and humanity. In govern
I, ment circles he was called a murderer
4 but ne was not a contractor nor a pol
ltician in the days when contractor
and politicians lived by deceiving tn
| people regarding Indian affairs. Shouts
a ne become the head or the senate com
mtttee on Indian affairs he will brlni
2 10 the consideration OF a much vexes