The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-21
DIR. T. " GILLYCUDDY, THE FAMOUS INDIAN AGENT.

panies Of the country. He was seen yes
terday In the Seattle hotel and grew REM
iniscent oykr his seven years experience
as agent Of The Pine Ridge reservation.
II regard 1t as very fortunate thing"
he said. "that Sitting Bull, was killed.
Were he now alive he would surely
take advantage Of our war with Spain
to stir up the fighting blood OF his
people. There Is no other to take
his place as leader. OF the cd fight
ing chiefs but Red Cloud remains and he
is almost blind and IS growing quite
feeble. There is no danger Of an outbreak
so long as the Indians are kept well fed.
Ninety per cent OF the trouble heretofore
has been the result OF an empty commits
sary building. / think the trouble at
Wounded Knee in 1890 and 1891. could
have been averted had the aid Of United
States troops not been called in. The
ghost dance was no more liable 10 rouse
a war spirit than any other and had It's
origin in fact in the teachings of Chris
tianity itself. The true cause Of the ghost
dance has never been clearly understood.
The real explanation, as j heard IL from
the old chief. Wounded Knee, was very
simply. AS an officer OF the stan OF the
governor OF South Dakota / was sent TO
Pine Ridge in 1880 to represent HIM at the
scene OF trouble. The United States cav
airy, under Gen. Brookes, had just ar
rived at the agency and / asked his per-
mission 10 so among the Indians and
talk 10 them. / went to the council OF the
Indian chiefs and asked Wounded Knee
why the Indians were dancing.
Dancing for Christ.
'tIIe told me that some time before an
indian samed Porcupine had come down
from British Columbia and had said, that
in the far north a beautiful and fair
beard. had one day met him IN the forest
and said: am the Christ whom the
white people crucified. / am now come
again, bat this time only my friends shall
know me, for i fear again the torture.
And that I may not mistake those who
love me will abide with the people who
have certain signs and dance Porcu-
pine had learned the dance and the signs
ard had brought them TO Wounded Knee
The old chief told me Ia the most simple
manner possible that he believed his tpeo-
PIE should dance for fear the Christ might
come that way and pass them by. n they
found the dance was not q good tfissg they
would quit. The intention OF the Indians
you see was perfectly innocent. Had the
troops nos been called In they would have
danced a few months and when no Christ
appeared tire craze would have died
natural death.
Between 1872 and 1886. while agent on
the Pine Ridge reservation, there we're
many c-ses when a call for troops would
have precipifated an outbreak, but I
found diplomacy always effective IN avert
ing trouble. / allowed the Indians 10
govern themselves and whenever there was
danger I called a council and told the
chiefs tina. under existing conditions Il
would soon De necessary 20 call On the
White Father for soldiers and tina. It lay
in themselves whether sucn a step sllcuiG,
be taken or noe. They were always open
10 reason AMI gather than have war, made
many sacrifices. Net that they we're
afraid: the Siouxs are not towards. but
they thought Of their wives and children.
Trouble With Red Cieud.
''In the early days. IN order to facilitate
matters. the government deal. with The
tribes through : head CHIEF. Red Cloud
was the recognized chlet Of the Sioux
and with him were made ali treaties and
agreements II became later the policy
= attempt 20 break w ths cid tr-bai sys-