The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-10-16

lies wanted to take him away and shoot
him so they might rob the Bear Island
ers at their will, and the performance
was wound up with a war dance. When
an Indian once goes through the evo-
lutionS of the war dance he must fight,
and that's all there is to it. He may
know that he hasn't ghost of a chance
to win, but he is going to fight even II
certain death or defeat stares him in
the face. 1t was so with Bush Ear and
his Pillagers. They had danced the war
dance, and in the excitement the whole
300 Of them abandoned themselves to
this pledge.
Word came to the agency that the
Bear Islanders were arming and get
ting ready for a war, and were also
sending out runners to the other reser-
vations to induce warriors to join their
ranks. It was at this juncture that
Marshal O'Connor decided that ener-
getic steps to put down the revolt must
be taken. Last Thursday he got Deputy
started for Bear Island under guard of
a detachment of twenty United States
soldiers commanded by Lieutenant
Humphrey. The party stopped at
Walker in order that the Indians might
be given another chance to come into
the agency and submit quietly to Fed
eral authority.
agencies, was at Walker and relieved
Agent Sutherland of immediate charge
of the negotiations. Word was at once
sent out, calling the Indians of the
Leech Lake reservation to a council on
Monday noon. Only the agency and
Pine Point Indians attended those OF
Bear Island, Otter Tail Point and Cass
Lake remaining away, and sending an
answer Of defiance. An adjournment
was taken until Tuesday, when word
was received from Bush Ear that he
would not surrender and that his peo-
pie were determined to fight to the end.
You may Kill US ALL he said, but 1t
will be in battle After this Inspector
Tinker and Marshal OConnor went
alone to a point on the short Of Leech
Lake near Bear Island where they had
a talk with the unruly Indians which
satisfied them that they could be sub
dued only by a shadow of overpowering
force Bush Ear was present at the
conference and reiterated his intention
IN fight. declaring that he and his peo-
nile might as well die in battle as to be
robbed continually, year after year, by
timber thieves II was then that Tin
ker and O'Connor, after returning to
made the sortie in which, as told in the
Geographic advices. six soldiers were
killed and eight wounded.
Tt may seem strange to the residents
of a great city like Chicago that they
should have a real Indian war right
under their very windows, but 1t Is a
fact nevertheless, and while Uncle Sam
is certain to win in short order, his
troops will know they have been in
fight. The Indian district of Minnesota
Is only a few hundred miles from Chi
caeo but it is bad country for white
men to operate in, and just the kind of
Mace that timber Indians like the Chip
I,eras are at home in. If the war
should continue for week 1t is proba-
HE the White Earth, Otter Tail Point,
Cass Lake and Red Lake Indians would
ioin with the hostiles, as they are all
discontented and ready to make trou-
HE If there is any show of success: Be
tween them they could muster probably
1900 lighting men. The chances are,
boweyer. that one good fight will take
tho conceit out of Bush Ear and his
men, provided the troops are not de de-
front and shoot down few OF the tur,
buient warriors, there will be a howl
for peace that old Bush Ear cannot
1ri+betand. He has made his followers
believe they are invincible, but few