Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-07
Fought With Rifles and Each Result
ed in One Death.
bow TEE SIOUX AVENGE INSULTS
Trouble Grew Out Of the Distribu-
ton of Beef.
NO THOUGHT OF RETREATING
Written Exclusively for The Evening Star.

Rock. During the three years that the
agency was at Grand river a little cemetery
had received the remains of about thirty
white men, mostly soldiers, few agency
employees and two three rowing adven-
turers, who had met death at or near the
agency. About one-half Of those who were
laid to rest in the little graveyard had
died of natural causes. The other half
were victims of violence. Some died by the
hand of lawless white men, few died by
their own hands, but by far the greater
number were victims of the westward
march of empire" and the direct cause of
death was either an Indian bullet, arrow
or knife.
detachment of about thirty men from
the 18th United States Infantry, under
command of a non-commissioned officer,
had been stationed as guards over the lit
tie cemetery until the bodies could be re-
moved to a permanent military post.
In August arrangements for the removal
OF the bodies had been completed, and Cold
Hand, an Indian scout, who was serving at
old Fort Rice, was detailed to carry the
order of removal to the non-commissioned
officer in charge of the guard at Grand
river.
1 was at Fort Rice when Cold Hand left
with the dispatch, but he had been gone
only about one hour when a steamboat, on
Its way down the river, landed at the Fort,
and took passage, reaching Grand river.
ahead of the Indian scout, who delivered
his orders some time after sunset when he
was provided with food and lodging, and
spent the night with the soldiers.
"Beef Day"
The following day was "beef day" for the
remnant Of Indians still at Grand river,
and to get their beef they had to cross to
the east side of the river Cold Hand,
though a government scout was Hunkpa-
pa Sioux, and as such was entitled to a
share of all the rights of the Sioux under
the treaty of 1868, though he seldom avail
ed himself of his rights. On this occasion.
however. being on the ground, he determfn-
ed to present himself to the agent and de-
mand his share of the beef. He according
ly went to the boat landing, whittier 1 &C
companied him, and there we found huge
yawl already well filled with passengers
men, women and children--about ready to
pull for the opposite shore, where the
slaughter of beef was to take place. The
boat was manned by Indians, with an In
dian captain at the rudder. Cold Hand,
who was crippled in the right knee by
bullet while defending the United States
mail against an attack Of hostile Indians
In 1867, stepped down to the boats PROV
and was about to go aboard. when the cap
tain of the boats crew forbid him, claim
ing that there were already too many in
the boat for safety.
IF that is so," said Cold Hand, come
ashore and 1 will take your place. It is rot
often that take my share of the beef, but
l purpose to take it today, and being lame
1t Is fitting that I should be among the
first on the ground"
All this was very reasonable and just, but
the captain only jeered at his words ard
ordered the oarsmen to pull from the shore.
Quick as flash the scout brought his
Winchester to a ready and dared any man
to move an oar. In an instant the boat
was emptied of every passenger, warriors,
squaws and papooses leaped over the
sides into the river, some of them into
deep water. Every oarsman deserted the
boat, and only the captain remained. Fer
a moment he sat, solitary and alone his
hand on the rudder. Then he arose with
walking to the boats PROV he stepped
ashore. and as he passed Cold Hand he
simply said: You are not the only brave
man in the Sioux nation"
The Preliminaries.
1t was only about 500 yards to the CAP
tair's lodge. toward which, with a slow
and measured tread, he made his way.
watched him till he entered his lodge. Cold
Hand in the meanwhile had stepped into
the yawl, and deliberately seated himself
in the captains place. holding his rifle at
ready, the breech resting on his thigh.
A long log warehouse stood parallel to
the river and about so feet from it, At the
end of this building, nearest the boat,
stood watching developments. The boats
captain optIt perhaps Ten minutes IN his
lodge. when he reappeared. He was a
changed being. The blanket and leggins
which he had worn no longer fettered his
limbs. With the exception Of breech-
clout and moccasins he was naked His
face and body were smeared with the
black, blue paint of the warpath and in
his hand he carried a Henry rifle Giving
utterance to ear-splitting war whoops and
vening sage brush, he approached the
warehouse at the end where 1 was stand
Ing, whereupon I quickly vacated my posi-
tlon, stepping around the, corner of the
building toward the river.
But One Shot Fired.
Cold Hand observed my action, and. as
1 caught his eye, 1 indicated by pointing
with my thumb the direction in which he
might look for his adversary. 1t was al
together tame affair. As the captain
came in view around the end of the build.
ing the scout fired single shot and the
captains brains were spattered against the
logs at the corner of the warehouse The
DEAD warriors friends came and bore his
BODY away, while, in response to a loud call
from the scout, the boatmen hurriedly re-
turned to their places at the oars and
roWed Cold Hand, solitary passenger. to
the slaughter pen on the east side OF the
river Cold Hand was so far civilized that
ne ignored the rites of publication usually
observed by Indians after the shedding of
blood. "a
Curiousiy enough. the next duel which !
Witnessed was occasioned by the govern
ment issue of beef. and happened four
years later at the Standing Rock Indian
agency, In the fall of 1876, and again an
Ind1an scout, named Shave Head. was one
OF the principals, and, as In the first in
stance, he was also the victor The Stand
ing Rock agency is situated on the west
cank OF the Missouri. and, as at Grand
river, the beef for the Indians was killed ON
the east side, thousands of warriors
squaws and children crossing in every con.
ceivable kind of craft-fat boats. yawIs.
sklffs, log canoes and bull boats-to par-
ticipate In the killing of the beef About
21O head of Texas steers were crowded into
a strong corral and shot down, expert
marksmen being employed to do the shoot
Ing, but usually any one, Indian or white
man, who had ammunition to spare, and
who loved that kind Of cruel sport, took
an active part In the slaughter.
Distributing the Beef.
After the steers were all down the agency
clerk would enter the corral with his issue
book and distribute the beeves, giving to
each chief Of a band according to the num-
Der of families. He would begin at q point
on the outer edge of the corral, giving to
the chief Of the largest band first about