Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-05-20
wINNMBAGo FIRE DANCE.

subjugation the surrounding tribes, exact
ing tribute and in every way exertiDg their
superiority. For more than 100 years the
WfnnebagOes reigned supreme. They were
fearless warriors, naughty and defiant.
No power seemed great enough to break
their hold upon the tributary tribes.
From masters they became tyrants and op-
press0rs. and the inevitable came.
4 grand coalition of smaller tribes was
formed against them. There was "a gen.
eral and preconcerted uprising through
the middle west, and the tributary Indians
marched against the capital of the Winnie
bago country, not far north of where Chi
cago Eow is, and for years a war of eXter-
mination was ragged. The Winnebagoes
were cut down in the zenith of their glory
their braves were scattered, their homes
destroyed, and their name became a by
word and n kissing.
But, although plunged into insignIf-
cance and disgrace, they never lost their
naughty spirit, ever their strongest char
acteristic
This was true to such an extent shat
when the powerful tribe of Illinois In
dians. attempted to interfere in behalf IF
their unfortunate brothers the Winneba-
goes resented it and refused the slightest
aid. This ingratitude so fired the Illinois
Indians that they sailed into the Winneba
goes soon afterward and killed 800 of their
best warriors.
During the Revolutionary war the In
dians lent aid to the British. Their tur-
bulent spirit was not easily quelled, and
at the conclusion of peace they took an ac
tive part i'll the Miami war in Ohio, which
b1ys .
Wayne, the famous fighting general of the
young republic.
The ever present willingness of the Win
nebagos to fight made them easy prey to
the wiles of Tecumseh during the war of
1912.
After the close of that conflict the tribe
lived for some time in comparative quiet
and increased in numbers to about 5000.
In 1926 rich mines, chiefly copper, were
discovered on their lands, and this set in
flood of white immigration. This arous-
ed the Indians, and several white men
were killed. For this offense Red Bird,
one of their subchiefs, and three others
were held responsible. For several months
they eluded arrest but were captured by
a detachment of United States soldiers.
All four Indians were tried, convicted and
shot.
Red Bird, who was "a typical Winnie
bagO, is described as a remarkably fine
specimen of Indian manhood. He was 6
feet i'll height, weighed 100 pounds and
was erect and agile. His nose was long
and thin and his eyes BLACK and piercing.
His hair was shining black and hung to
his shoulders.
After his execution the Winnebagoes
Ceded their lands to the government for
Uthers farther west and received also many
goods and an annuity
The effect of this move upon the tribe
was bad They became slothful and un-
settled, acquiring many of the habits of
the homeless, rowing Indians common at
that time. The ground they had was un-
fit for cultivation. Disease and want
killed many, but the government said
they must remain.
In 1856, however, national officials rec
ognized the extremity of the situation and
ordered the removal of the Winnebasoes to
Minnesota There they again prospered,
but had lived there only nine years when
the Sioux war broke out. Although the
Winnebagoes were friendly, their presence
was considered menace to the safety of
the white inhabitants of the vicinity, and
again the poor Indian was ordered to
"move on"
This time they were sent to the north
ern part of Dakota, to The Bad Lands"
where lawless Indians were exiled The
place was superlatively bad. There was
no water, the ground was sterile and the
climate unsuited to them. Many suffered
death ut the hands of hostile Indians. In
three years starvation and sickness killed
half of the tribe. In 1866, when they were
allowed to move to reservation in Nc
braska, they, the descendants of people
who once could call 80, 600 braves to bat
tie, numbered only ,222.
Life was commenced anew under the
supervision of a government agent, and
the Indians attempted to gain II liveli-
hood. Reforms were instituted, although
it is not matter of record that they were
particularly welcomed by the Indians.
Ono of these reforms provided that tho