The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-10
THE INDIANAPOLIS JOURNAL MONDAY JANUARY 10 1898.
OLD RED CLOUD DYING
NOTED SIOUX INDIAN CAN LIVE HIT
A FEW DAYS LONGER.
An Exclusive Red Skin Who Gave the
United states Much Trouble Thirty
or More Years Ago.

4
| PINE RIDGE AGENCY, Neb., Jan. g.
| Old Red Cloud, the noted Sioux Indian. is
dying in his shack on the Ogallala reserva-
ton here. He can live but a few days
| longer.
| Red Cloud is the single survivor of that
famous coterie of Sioux Indian leaders of
which Old-Man-Afraid of-His-Horses, Spot
ted Tail and Sitting Bull helped to make
history on the Western prairies. 1t can
| not be truthfully said. however, that 'Old
Red" as he is Familiarity known, was as
powerful in war or debate as the three
great chieftains who have been mentioned.
| He possessed all their craftness, and it can
not be denied that he enjoyed certain ee-
ments of personal magnetism which marked
him as a leader among his tribesmen. lie
was pre-eminent in planning mischief, but
/ he was, as rule, mysteriously absent when
his plans were carried out according to his
| mapping
Perhaps the most atrocious piece of work
| in which he took hand was the Fort Nc
| Kinney massacre, in which over score or
| United States soldiers were led into ambush
and slaughtered That was when he was a
| vigorous young buck. Before this lament
able tragedy "Old Red was a common ma
| rauder, full of deviment and it is probable
that he took many scalp from the wagon
| trains then on their way to titan ana the
land of gold beyond the Rockies. But Tor
the last thirty wears Red Cloud has led
| comparatively peaceful life. Whle ms
crafty counsel was often sought by his
tribesmen. and his rank among them was
that of a leader, the government did not
clothe him with the dignity of chieftain' but
reckoned him only as Red Cloud, powerful
enough without title and yet too danger
| Gus to be its possessor.
| When the Sioux and Cheyennes rebelled
| against the invasion of gold seekers In the
| Black hills in 1876 Red Cloud did not go on
the warpath, although many of his band
| cast their fortunes with Sitting Bull, Gall
/ Grass and Rain-in-the-Face and were finally
| forced to sue for peace on the British line.
| But while Red Cloud was to all appearances
| a friendly Indian his heart was with the
| hostiles who were crimsoning the grass
| along the Little Big Horn with the Dloou
| Of the Seventies troopers. Red Cloud, how
1 ever, was too cunning to leave his agency lor
| war While the Sioux had the dement's Oh
| the workings Of the red leaders willy BRAIN
| Red Cloud himself knew too well what would
| be the ultimate outcome OF the uprising anu
| therefore held aloof.
HIS HOME AT PINE RIDGE.
4 1t was IN cOuSlQtIdllOI VI Nlu ASCN
sence from the theater of conflict that the
government built the warrior a substantial
two-story frame house at Pine Ridge and
painted it white. 1t is to-day the most pre-
tentious dwelling on the great Ogallala res
ervation The building stands near White
| CLAY creek rifle shot distant from the agen-
| cy buildings, and at the foot of a long range
of buttes.
Red Cloud watched the construction of his
house with satisfied curiosity. He figured
that it was sort of payment for his ponies
which the government contiscated during a
time when the soldiers were at war with the
Sioux and for which he had never received a
penny. This bit of robbery, for 1T amounted
| to little else, ranked and still rankles in the
breast of the old fellow Always bitter
/ enemy of the whites, this wholesale sWoop
| on his herd forever sealed his hatred. When
| the house was finished the carpenters erect
ed a pole in front of the house and hoisted
| the American flag. The spectacle OF the em-
| blem flying above his own abode so angered
| Red Cloud that he cut the halyards and tore
| the flag into strips as soon as 1t fell futter-
| ing To the ground The staff still stands in
| front of the house, but no again tried to
| float the emblem from its towering peak.
| Red Cloud was a vain and exclusive In
dian. He seldom offered counsel. 1t was al
| ways sought. He was too pompous to mingle
| in dances unless they were held In the round
| omaha to the east of his house. He was
| conscious of his power and fame. If the
| agent was lax or vacillating "Old Red
| ran the reservation to suit himself. Laws
! governing Indian reservations We're held in
! contempt by him unless there was strong,
1 firm hand administering them. In that case
! Red Cloud, although cowed, would stalk
! past the agents office with meek and lowy
| air, but one could rest assured that MS OLD
/ red heart was in rebellion.
| missing from his reservation. Not one of
| his wives or followers knew whittier he had
| gone. At least they said SO. Runners were
| sent here and there, but no trace OF the old
| fellow could be found. Days passed, when
| finally the agent received a telegram from
| Washington to the effect that Red Cloud,
| dressed in a ready-made suit of clothes had
| called at the White House TO see the Presi-
| dent on his own hook. Later it was learned
that the aggrieyed traveler inf6 6rh.e Inc Inc
| his people were getting pickaxes instead of
| beans for rations and that, above all other
| ponies the troop had taken from him. A
! week later Red Cloud appeared on the res
| eryation as unexpectedly as he had disap-
peared He had made the long trip without
| escort or permit and had made MS appeal
single-handed and without the presence of
| a. delegation of his tribesmen, a custom
| which he held in contempt.
| OF all the agents at Pine Ridge Red Cloud
| held but one in respect This was Or: Nc
| Gillicuddy, who now lives in Rapid City, 5.
| D. When the latter took charge OF the res
| ervation Red Cloud at once attempted to
| hold the officers in contempt. He even went
SO far as to laugh at the Doctors slender
| physique and to pooh-pooh the way affairs
| were being conducted in the agency office.
] KICKED OUT OF THE OFFICE.
One day Red Cloud was particularly Of
| fensive McGillicuddy, who was not court
| ing trouble but who is not afraid of the
| devil himself, took the pompous, conceited
| leader of the Ogallalas and pulled his big
| Roman nose and swatted him hip and thigh.
| AS Red Cloud emerged from the Office door
| he was kicked in the most ample part of
| his royal carcass and sent sprawling upon
| the walk From that time until McGill-l
| cuddy left the agency he and Red Cloud
were the best of friends So much did the
| Indian think of the DOCTOR in fact that he
| bestowed upon him the name of Thunder-in-
| His Neck, observing, it is supposed, the
| hoarse voice of the doctor. One night Red
| Cloud was sorey troubled with an obdurate
/ liver. He called at the agency pharmacy
/ and told McGillicuddy by means of signs
/ and an interpreter that he was ill. Two
| doses of calomel were given the red man.
who swallowed the powders and proceeded
! to make payment. When he was told that
! the medicine was free he demanded two
more doses, which he tossed into his mouth.
Later that night there were wild bowls
| and grunts from the white house by the
creek and it was nearly a week before "Old
| Red" appeared for duty. His face then
! looked like an old russet apple, wrnkled
| and shriVeled was it. So profoundly weak
| was he that he could smile but feebly to
| DIR. McGillicuddy, who found the old man
| squatting on a knoll above the agency and