The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-12
BRAVE MEN AND COOL
rHs NORTHWESTERN MOUNTED 20
LICE poN'Y KNOW FEAR


.Aadacious Courage Displayed ~
Them In Handbag the savages.
How Chief Piapot's BluR Was Cali
ed-A sitting Ball Adventure.
A tiny force Of 750 men, the North
western mounted police Of Canada,
guards and controls territory nearly as
large a. the whole of Europe. They are
big, powerful men physically, most OF
them Of sturdy Scotch or Irish extraction,
and the moral force of the brilliant red
tunic which they wear Is minor reve-
lstion Of the method by which the tiny
British isles govern an empire. Although
there are thousands Of Indians and half
breeds more dangerous than Indians and
rough. reckless miners and outlaws in
their domain. they ride the plains and
climb the mountains and keep the peace
Of the third of continent, The mission
II thsse scarlet coated guardians u peace.
Here are Illustrations. They perhaps
picture the method:
WheS Riapat. restless, qusrreisome'
drink loving, and his swarthy, hawk fac
ed following spread their circle Of smoke
tanned tepees near the construction line
of the Canadian Pacific railway beyond
Swift Current, there was inaugurated
the preliminary Of massacre, or what
ever form Of entertainment the brain OF
Piapot might devise.
Then the railway management sent q
remonstrance to the powers. The lieu
tenant governor issued an order, and two
policemen rode forth carrying her majes-
tvs commands. Not a brigade nor
troop. The officer bearing the written
order was lNt a sergeant. With him was
one constable. That was the force that
was to move this turbulent tribe from
good hunting ground to secluded spot
miles away.
Piapot refused to move. The sergeant
calmly gave him Is minutes in which to
begin striking camp. Result, 10 min
utes of abuse. The Indians screamed de-
fiance at the sergeant and fred their guns
under the sergeant's nose as they circled
about him In their pony spirit war dance.
When the IL minutes were up, the SER
geant threw his picket line to the consta-
bic, dismounted, walked over to Chief
Piapot's tepee and calmly knocked the
key pole out. All the warriors rushed for
their guns, and one Of the biggest bluffs
on record was played by the rsdskin.
But the sergeant continued msthodical-
~ knocking key poles out, and Piapot
saw that the game was up. He must
either kill the sergeant stick his knife
in the heart Of the whole British nation
or give up and move away.
He chose the latter course, Tor Piapot
had brains.
After the killing Of Custer Sitting Bull
became more or less orderly tenant Of
her majesty the queen. With 900 lodges
he camped at Wood mountain, Just over
the border from Montana. An arrows
flight away was the Northwestern mount
ed police post. One morning the police
found six dead Saltaux Indians scalped
In approved Sioux fashion. A seventh
Saltaux, still alive. had seen the killing.
The police buried the dead Indians and
took the living one to their post.
With characteristic cheek Sitting Bull
came, accompanied by chiefs and war
riors, to demand the seventh SaltauK. In
Wood mountain there were 20 policemen
backing Sergeant Mcdonald. With the
chief there were at least 500 warriors.
Sitting Bull threw his squat figure from
his pony and thrust the muzzle Of his gun
into Sergeant McDonald's stomach. Nc
Donald was typical Of the force. He
pushed the gun to one side and told the
chiefs to step inside the gate, stack their
arms and come inside the shack for
powwow.
They demurred. The sergeant was
firm. Outside it was play day in bedlam.
The young bucks rode and whooped and
fred their guns.
"Send your men away" said the SER
geant to Sitting Bull. Sitting Bull de-
INJURED.
"Send them away" repeated the ser
geant. III you have authority"
Sitting Bull and his chiefs made to-
ward the door, but there were interrupt
tions-red coated objections-and outside
in the yard the chiefs rides were stack
cd.
Sitting Bull, like Piapot, had brains.
The bucks were sent away. Then the
sergeant persuaded the chiefs to listen
further, mainly by the force Of the red
coated arguments he had brought to bear.
'Tarry here, my brothers." he said, "un-
til send Constable Collins and two 9TH
ers Of my men to arrest the murderers.
The Saltaux are subjects of the queen.
We cannot allow them to be killed for
the fun of the thing"
Then big Jack Collins-wild Irishman
~ Ill %bn ~ st-ruanf 10 tho
Sioux camp and arrested three. The
bucks jostled and showed them and fired
pistols over their heads, but big Jack
and his comrades hung on to their pris-
oners and worked their way to the post,
with no sign of annoyance until big
buck spat in Collins face.
A big mutton leg fist shot out, and the
Sioux lay like crushed moccasin at
Jacks feet. "Take that. ye black
baste!" he Kissed between his clinched
teeth. IAN ye'vc made me disobey or
ders, ye foul 6end"
Then he marched his prisoners into the
post and reported himself for msesn-
duct in striking an Indian.
During the Riel rebellion the police
were always at the front. 1t was at the
taking of Batoche that Jack French,
biz, hard fighting Irishman, inspector of
police, became immortal. After hot
scrimmage wounded policeman was left
on the field. Jack French saw him and
shouted, with brogue with the music
Of an organ in 1t, "What are you doin
there, Cook?"
I'm wounded" came back faint call.
"It's mesilf'll carry you, thin" And
down be marched. whistling, though two
bullets cut the skirts of his tunc.
They're gettin pretty close now"
Jack, but be was only a few
feet from Cook.
May It be remembered, to the credit Of
the half breed rebels. that when they re-
allied what French's mission was they
ceased firing, and when he swung his
romrnde upon his broad shoulders and
started home with him cheer ran along
the whole rebel line.
He brought Cook in safe and then went
back to the fighting. His reward was not
The Victoria cross, for in half an hour he
was dead. Cook still lives.-San Fran
risco Call.
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