New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-02
A PAINTER OF INDIANA
SOME INTERESTING SCENES hfnoNS
SIOUX AND CROWS by T.. w.
DEFINING.


are in many respects the most interesting mo
fans OF the West In spite OF almost contfnuA
wars either with the white men or with othsr
Indians; in spite OF forced removals from pi.c-
70 nlace with steadily diminishing territory each
time and in spite OF a terrifying reduc'in "
their food supplies OF all kinds. they are sfin
,bo ,aroest and strongest tribe In the Unften
States There are nearly twenty-six thousand
., than, within the borders OF this country, and
about six hundred more in Canada. I'd 70 IN
,,oar 1868 ,bev were the true Indian lords OF the
plains. having driven southwark and WESTWARD
oil tho sn,aIIer tribes which had ventured to
DISPUTE their sway. But in that year sheN
hooon far tho Sioux a series OF disasters which
has continued ever since. and has reduced 'nefn
greatly in numbers and still more III wealth. .HH
shirt Treaties with them were made limiting
their territory: gold was discovered on the and
that belonged to them, and miners and despera-
aoos eocLed IN nv thousands With the coming
~ tho white men such a slaughter OF the bunao
hogan that in a few years that magnificent
animal upon which the Sioux had placed Their
main reliance for food. was almost e1term|
mated.
The tribes discomfort finally broke out n
open revolt. and there came the terrible Custer
massacre in 1876 Then new treaties reduced
the Sioux to still smaller possessions. IN ms
eighties misfortunes came thick and fast Crops
failed year after year, owing to the Climate;
cattle died from the same cause; disease Dr0As
out among the tribe, and, as GROWING EVIL, ths
Government rations were reduced Another der
perate rising resulted in the fierce battle OF
Wounded Knee on December % lSoo' and
smaller conflicts in the course of that winter.
After every revolt against the whites the SIOUX
like all other Indians. have found themselves
worse off than they were before
The picturesque and romantic history OF the
tribe attracted several years ago the attention
of an artist f. w Deming, and he has spent
much time in sketching among them as wen NJ
among other tribes OF the West. A series Of
large photographs OF his paintings Of Indian liz
is now on view at Klackners, IN Twenty
eighth-st. near Fifth-ave. Although they repre-
sent miscellaneous subjects they are chleny Oh
the Sioux and Of their deadly enemies. tns
Crows One in fact is a scene OF hght Dc
tween members of these two tribes. IL is called
The Wounded Sioux" and represents one Sal
wart warrior urging his pony on as he supports
his stricken comrade in the flight from then
pursuers. There is an interesting portrait head
Of Chief Gall, the famous old Sioux leader
Although the tribe is noted for its revengsfu
ferocity and cruelty in battle. observers "hs
have heen able to watch their daily life in thar
homes say that the Sioux are remarkably kind
and even gentle among their families
1.-THE souaws are not beaten. continually III
treated and made to do all the hard work, as ths
exaggerated stories Of Indian customs wouid
lead one to believe" said man who has viEtss
the Sioux 1.-The braves help their wives In ~
rious WAYS Jus. as any decent white man would,
and show great affection for them. AS Tor tns
children, | never saw them treated win Sns
slightest unkindness. In fact. they are seldom
corrected, no matter how roughly they play OK
what they do All the family life is pleasant -
far as I saw and there Is the sincerest mourn
ing when death visits home"
Compared with the Sioux, the Crows are
small tribe but they unusually rich In pro
portion to their numbers. They are noted to Be
the most skilfu horsethieves Of all the Indians
of the plains, and hence as might be expected,
a large part Of their wealth is in their ponies
They have not fought with the whites. and, as
their land did not happen TO contain much
mineral wealth, they have not been much dis
turbed. Mr.. Demings picture OF the Crow
brave decorating his son is a typical wigwam
scene Another amusing picture, not reproduced
here. represents Crow squaw teaching her ut
tie boy. scarcely more than pappoose ths first
steps Of the great war dance. The young Crow
squaws are often very pretty but their beauty
soon fades A popularity Of this tribe which
has aroused much interest among students OF
Indian types is that some Of them have brown
hair and gray or grayish-blue eyes Instead Of
the almost universal black hair and eyes Of
their race Among other interesting pictures Of
Mr. Demings, not reproduced here, are: An
Indian Horse Race: The start; The Wages of
War, Big Horn Mountain" and Prayer to ths
Gods OF Chase" representing a Pueblo Indian