The times., 1900-12-26
TWO STRIKE IS DYING.
The Famous Unreconstructcd Sioux
Chieftnin Nearing His End.
pine Ridge Correspondence of the Chicago
Clronicle.)

Chieftnin Nearing His End.
(Pine Ridge Correspondence of the Chicago
Chronicle)
Two Strike. the noted Sioux chief. one
Of the most bloodthirsty and relentless
redskins ever hunted by Federal troops,
lies dying here, serenely confident that ne
will but close his eyes in death to open
them in the happy hunting grounds be-
yond the dark river. The aged sage has
never even made any pretence OF being
reconstructed and will die hating the
Pawnee and the white man with hatred
which has grown stronger as his years
increased in number. These are the her
editary foes of his tribe, and in Two
Strike has been concentrated hatred
which in the past few years has largely
disappeared from other members of the
tribe The chieftsin took part in the last
uprising of the Sioux against the viii es
ten years ago, and when forced with the
others to give up the unequal combat, he
said: The body is given up, but the
spirit never surrenders." There is only
one being on earth whom Two Strike
holds in greater hatred than the white
man, and that is the hereditary foe of his
tribe-the Pawnee warrior.
Old Two Strike bears the distinction of
having been the leader in the last battle
which took place on the American Cont
nent between two hostile tribes Of Indians.
For years without number the Pawnees
and the Sioux have hated each other The
wars that we're waged between them were
wars of determination. No prisoner, war
rior. squaw, or pappoose was taken in bat
tie or in the raids upon sleeping villages.
All were put to the knife or he toma-
hawk. In one of Cooper's novels Hard
Heart. the Pawnee chieftaln, taunting the
Sioux, says: "Since water ran and trees
grew the Sioux has found the Pawnee on
his warpath."
The battle in which Two Strike led the
hosts of the Sioux against the Pawnees
was fought near little stream known as
THE Frenchman," a branch of the Re-
publican River, about 200 miles south of
Lexington, Neb. For generations the Paw
nees had held the valley of the Platte.
1t was the most famous buffalo hunting
ground on the continent. the Sioux from
the north constantly invading the buffalo
plains of The Pawnees- This in itself was
enough to bring about constant battles,
but back of everything else there was set
an hereditary hatred between the Two
nations. the beginning of which not even
the old men of the tribes pretended to
know. The masterful Sioux had thrashed
all the Indian tribes with which they had
come in contact, but they met foe wor-
thy of their tomahawks every time that
they came in contact with the Pawnee.
About the middle of this century disease
ravaged the Pawnee nation. 1t carried off
little children and stalwart warriors with
equal impartiality. The strength of the
tribe was sapped, but its spirit was un-
broken. The Sioux won frequent victo-
ries, over their weakened enemies and
force5 them to a course which they had
ever before spurned an alliance with the
whites
The Sioux had killed scores of whites
who had the courage to pierce the will
derness and establish homes. Soldiers
were sent against them to punish them
and the Pawnees. burning for revenge,
went with the white soldiers as scouts.
The Sioux warriors were punished. Two
Strike bided his time With the other
chiefs he finally urged his people to make
peace with the whites. 1t was the only
time the words of peace had ever been
known to come from the chieftain's lips.
1t was not case of hating the white
man less, but the Pawnee more With
the end of the active campaign the white
soldiers withdrew from their Pawnee al
lies, who returned to their hunting ground
and their villages. Adabel Ellis, who
knew better, perhaps, than others the full
ness of the Siudx plot and the circuin-
stances of the Pawnee annihilation. has
told the story.
L
opportunity. They would not be content
with mere battle in which so many war
riors should be killed off, but they were
after chance for determination. They
wished to root the tribe out from its place
in the land. Early in August, 1874 the
Pawnees started from their homes on
great hunting expedition They were led
by Sky Chief, once noted for his prowess
in the Pawnee tribe.
Tod inf ion,
OF the hunt to Two Strike. Then-the Sioux
took the warpath. They cut down the
heart of the buffalo country and finally
found the PawneeS encamped in a COM
paratively narrow canyon. The Sioux
started small herd of buffalo. and, drig-
ing them into the upper end OF the canyon,
started them down toward the camp Of
the Pawnees. The Sioux goaded the ami
mails from the rear, but took themselves
out OF sight just before coming within
vision of the Pawnees. The buffalo went
headlong through the canyon and the
Pawnee warriors. hastily mounting fol-
lowed them out on the broad plain, leav-
ing the women and children behind.
Then the Sioux swept forward and be-
gan the work of determination. They
spared neither youth nor age, and had al
most completed the slaughter when the
Pawnee braves returned. Then followed
conflict in which the twang Of the bow
string was heard oftener than the crack
of the rife. The Pawnees fought as they
bad always fought, TO the death, but the
Sioux. armed for war and not for hunt.
and with overpowering numbers. won the
day and of the great nation Of the Paw
nees only vestige remained. Two Strike,
with his own hand, slew Sky Chief. The
conflict served to whet the Sioux appe-
tite for that other conflict less than two
years later when the same warriors at
tackled Custer and his band and left not
0ua living