The Winslow mail., 1898-05-21
INDIANS ARE WAITING
They Would Seek Revenge in the
Event of War.
The Hostiles Have Always nad.
Trouble When the Government
Troops Were Engaged
Elsewhere.

tTOuDle Oh any klnU IHe american IN
dian finds some good reason for MAX
ing trouble with this government.
Should the United States become in
yolved with Spain and, all the Indians in
this country remain peaceable, it will
mark a new epoch in the history of the
country. The French and Indian war
was, of course. largely with the Indians,
and during the American revolution the
pioneers of the frontier were almost
continually fighting with the Indians.
During the war of 1912 the indians were
again troublesome, Tecumseh and the
famous battle of the Thames in Indiana
going down in American history. Dur
ing the Mexican war the Indians in the
west were a constant source of annoy
ance, and it was during these times that
William Gilpin, former governor Of
Colorado, acquired considerable dis
tinction for bravery during his career
as major with DcrarhaE's men, who
wers engaged in fighting the savages
Following TIE Mexican war came the
Indian trouble with the Navaios and
Apaches, and during the war the battle
of Sand Creek. Col, enc of the his
toric conflicts with the savageS. Since
then the pages of history have recorded
the Custer massacre, the Tfornbery
and Meeker fight, and the more recent
battle of Wounded Knee, with the
Sioux, in 1890.
1t is this tribe that gives most active
promise of causing the United States
autharities some trouble. 1t is report
cd that they have already heard of the
trouble brewing between this country
and Spain, and Capt. Allen G. Fisher, of
the national guard of Nebraska, has
wired Gov, Holcomb for orders author
izing him TO organize a ccmpary cf
militia and to send arms ard equipment
in order to be prepared fer any out
break pn the part Of the Sioux
aFhere is considerable danger of the
Sioux breaking out at most any time"
said Capt. Elon F. Wilcox, of the United
States army, detailed for duty in con-
pection with the national guard of the
state.
'sfhese Indians haveia bad heart, are
vindictive, and hope some day to avengc
the killing of $50 Of their number at the
battle Of Wounded Knee" Capt, VII
cox belongs to troop F, Sixth cavalry,
pnd was with the Sixth during the
trol1ole with the Sioux Indians which
led up to the battle of Wounded Knee.
He has had 90 years service arcng the
Indians, ten of which were spent in
Arizona and New Mexico, and the rest
further north with the sayages. Capt.
Wilcox wears three scars, each received
from Indian bullets, and one il the side
almost proved fatal for him. And
speaking as cne who knows, be says
that war, so much talked of, is not a
very funny thing.
Should the regular troops be called
to the coast" said he, "there are many
things favorable to the belief that the
Sioux Indians would soon don war
paint, These Indians differ from the
southern Indians, who mostly run from
the soldiers, but the Sioux are fighters
and brave fighters at that. The country
about the Pine Ridge and Rosebud
agencies has been settled and fenced
up very largely in the past few years,
and this has done much to keep the In
dians from roaming off, but it is very
likely that we will have trouble with
them sooner or later.
'Thc Sioux are tall, well shaped and
hard fighting savages, and in case they
should be aroused l believe that about
5000 braves could be raised from South
Dakota and Nebraska. There are more
than 5000 Sioux at the Rosebud agency,
ard the same number Of Cgalalfa Sioux
at Pine Ridge agency. These are among
the fiercest and most warlike of the
Sioux. At Fort Robinson we have eight
troops of cavalry and there is one regi-
ment Of infantry at the Rosebud agen-
cy, and should the regulars be called
away the Indians would be free to do
pretty much as they pleased"
In Gaze the regular troops were with
drawn from the Indian posts the care
of the Indians would be left entirely to
the national guard. and trouble would
almest surely follow. The Indians have
some little respect for the regular SOL
diers, but very little for the national
guard, ard they would not be slow TO
take advantage of the change. For sew
eral years past the Indians have felt
that the government has been steadily
t4SAtCAiuS Tie SOTu around Inel1, ana
they are hardly less eager for chance
TO break from their restraint
The close confinement to reservations
and the denial of hunting privileges
have worried the Indians not little,
until now it is only with the exercise of
great care that several of the western
tribes are induced to remain quiet. The
Uintahs and Uncompahgres in Utah
have recently caused much trouble by
hunting off of their reservations, but
no trouble is looked for, either from
these or the southern Utes and Jicarilla
in the south. The probability is that
trouble would be confined to the Sioux
in Nebraska and South Dakota.
At many of the South Dakota agencies
now live, some working, but most fed
by the government, some of the most
dangerous Indians on the American
continent. Many of them were fierce
fighters under Sitting Bull. and in 1890
were desirous of reviving their warlike
prowess.-Denver Republican.