Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-09-04
OLD SITTING, BULL
His Story of the Massacre Of General
Clusters Army.
CALLED IT 4 GREAT MYSTERY
Scout Allison Tells of the Great
Sioux Prophet.
PECTLFAR IRA DTTION
A PECU LIAR TR ION
Written Exclusively for The Evening Star.

the hostile Sioux, in the latter part of Oc-
tober, 1850, 1 had no more real knowledge
of Sitting Bull than the ordinary reader of
the daily newspapers, though 1 had lived
many years among peoples of the same
great tribe to which he belonged. 1 had,
of course, heard from the agency Indians
the same conflicting stories which were
published from time to time in the news
papers. Sitting Bull was Of the Hunk papa
band, and l had heard Thunder Hawk, an
agency chief Of the same band, say that he
was not chief. I had heard Long Sol
der chief of the Hunk papa band, and a
rival of Thunder Hawk for official honors
and preference, say also that Sitting Bull
was not a chief in any sense of the word.
but a pretentious fraud, lust like Thunder
Hawk" Another petty aspirant for the
honors of craftsmanship in the same band.
and at the same agency with the two men,
toned above, was Tce-Zig-Zi-tea (Belly
FaU, who declared that Sitting Bull was a
usurper, a coward and fool; that, in truth,
he no better than Long soldier or
Thunder Hawk.
There were other warriors of the Hunk
papa band at Standing Rock agency, how
ever, who Were not chiefs, who had no am
billions in that direction, but were content
to live the humble lives of common, every
day braves who had better words for the
great philanthropist Sitting Bull, the Peter
Cooper of the Sioux nation. But these
kindlier sentiments were expressed in a
whisper, while the speaker looked anxious
ly around, fearful least he be heard by a
spy of the regime of the white man. In
whispers they declared that Sitting Bull
was great man, that he was true patriot
who loved his fellow men, pitied the father
less and motherleSs. the aged and infirm
and loved to feed the hungry and shelter
the homeless, and they would conclude
with deep-drawn sigh that rose from a
hopeless heart laden with love for the last
great priest and prophet of a once proud
but now vanquished and vanishing race.
Early Life.
During the winter of 1SS0-'Sl, while con-
Quoting negotiations for the surrender of
what were known as the hostile Sioux,
was a guest for many days in Sitting Bull 8
lodge, and at night after We lay down to
rest he told me much about himself. His
friends and relatives confirmed all that he
told me, and they added many things which
his modesty had forbidden him to reveal.
From his old mother, who was still living
at that time, learned that he was born in
March, 1924, on Willow creek. small trib-
utary of Bad river, in South Dakota. In
lis early youth he was different from other
Indian boys only in an unusually mild dis
position and u marked desire to avoid dis
putes and alterations which were common
among his playmates Reaching that age
when the young warriors ambition usually
II clines him to the warpath, his friends and
relatives were disappointed to find that he
preferred the more peaceful vocation of II
hunter; but~his energy ami skill as hunt
er, which enabled him to provide an abun-
dant supply of meat and robes for his IA
Tiers family, soon reconciled them to his
preference.
AT the age of twenty-five years he mar
ried. and set up an establishment of his
own, which proved to be a vertable home
for the frieldless. In Sitting Bulls tepee
there was always food for the hungry,
ff.1< 10.
Il place for the weary traveller to lie down
and rest. If, in passing through the camp
he came upon an aged man or woman In
need of food or clothing, he would conduct
them to his lodge and provide for their
necessities; an orphaned child he would lift
in his arms and carry to his house, where
1t would receive the tenderest care. What
wonder that where Sitting Bull pitched his
tent there would cluster around him a band
of devoted followers, and when a stranger
entered the village any brave, any squaw
or little child whom he might meet would
point him to Sitting Bulls tepee and tell
him that there he would receive food and
shelter And is 1t SC very wonderful that
the name of Sitting Bull should soon he
come a household word among all the Da-
kotas, for that traveller would carry with
him to his distant home a grateful remem-
brance of his generous host, and when ask
ed whose camp he visited, how natural il
would be Tor him to answer Sitting
Buiis Thus it happened that without any
iorinailty, without any public ceremony. he
became the great man, the head center of
the Sioux nation.
Not a Leader.
fet he was never leader The people
carried him about very much as the Israel
ties carried the Ark Of the Covenant or
as we carry the stars and stripes What
the queen bee is to the swarm Sitting Bull
was TO his people, with him they were
United. without him they were scattered
abroad. In these earlier years of his man
mood there was peace between the Sioux
and the whites. SO that his only practice
IN !ne art OF war was in repelling an oc-
caslonal attack by their Indian enemies
and when on very rare occasions he be
came one of a war party on an expedition
against the Crows. he never gained distinc-
ton as fighter: on the contrary his con-
duct In battle was such that he was nick
named "Hunkecui." or Feeble.
Nor was he regarded as a wise states
man. In matters of public interest his ad-
vice or opinion was never asked. and If
asked would probably not have been given
At the council which 1 held with him and
the chiefs of his band to urge their sur
render, when asked for decision he would
turn appealingly to the chiefs and beg
them to declare for the people what should
De done, saying that the question was so
great that he dare not decide. But for
deeds Of charity and unselfish patriotism
the people loved him. and he continued
nation until the day he was murdered with
his little son by the Benedict Arnolds of
his own tribe.
An Old Tradition.
For about three hours in the early part
OF the first night that 1 slept in his tepee
l listened to his talk about himself and
his people and their experience with the
white man, occasionally asking a question
to draw him out. Immediately after we
lay down in our beds Sitting Bull began
the conversation by saying:
so your name is Hoga (Fish) is it?"
Yes" l answered
rs Hoga your real name is that the
name your parents gave your
No" said l, 1.-The Sioux only call me
Hoga"
ION what occasion and for what reason
did the people give you that name?' he
asked.
1 explained to him that the Indians called
me Hoga because they saw me swim the
Missouri river under circumstances which,
they said, would have drowned anything
but a fish.
He was silent for moment when he
asked:
"What is your real name?"
Allison said, ''is my real name"
"Ollyso. Ollyso.' he muttered, "say 1t in
Lakota."
1 told him that Ally meant the same
exactly as Lakota. and is simply another
81 rt,1rr f-lA