The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-25

in farm and stock raising. A large
| number lease a portion of their lands
| to white cattle men for grazing pur-
poses and farm the rest. marketing
| their grain and other products along
side of the white farmers.
The Omahas use improved machin-
cry, have good, well-kept horses, dress
| in citizens clothing and are willing
| and anxious to send their children to
the government schools. The men,
bers Of the two tribes do not mingle
together to any great extent, because
the average Omaha's pride inspires a
feeling Of social superiority over his
neighbor, the Winnebago.
The Omaha Indian is preparing HIM
self in most admirable and commend
| able shape for the crown Of American
citizenship which he is to inherit in a
few short years to come. The Omaha
nation is increasing in numbers, the
| record of the agency showing the In
| crease each year Is at about the same
rate at which the Winnebagoes are de-
creasing.
The Winnebago tribe has participant
ed in no great wars, but have been
prominent as individuals in a number
| of massacres during the period of their
| residence in Minnesota along about
Civil war times. Their career shows
evidences of their obstinate and OBJ
streperous natures from the beginning.
Formerly in Minnesota.
History associates them with the
Sioux nation. About seventy years ago
the Winnebagoes had their home on
the Turkey river in Eastern Iowa, near
Dubuque. They removed from there to
Long Prairie, Wis, near Fond du Lac.
Then they went to Blue Earth county,
Minnesota, near Mankato. The gov
eminent had established a reservation
for them in Blue Earth county, but a
large number refused to go there, pre-
ferring to remain at Long Prairie.
Those who went to the reservation
remained there until 1861. The year
previous to that, in 1860, a number of
Winnebagoes took part in the famous
Blue Earth massacre, which was led
by the Santee Sioux and In which so
many white people were cruelty muir
dered. For this crime thirty eight red
men were hung. Little Winnebago,
one of the famous chiefs Of the Winnie
bago tribe, who is yet living and is
nearly eighty years Of age, was one of
those under sentence Of DEATH but he
escaped the execution by some means.
The government in the spring of 1851
set apart a fine reservation for the
Winnebagoes at Crow Greek, S. D., and
gave orders for them to be removed
there, but there was a division of the
tribe again when it came time for
them to be transported. Only little
over half of them wanted to be moved.
The rest were brought on steamboats,
down the Mississippi and up the Mis-
souri, river to the new reservation in
Dakota Those who remained in the
North congregated together around
Black River Falls In Wisconsin, and
hundreds Of them live there yet. They
have no reservation. Those who were
brought to Dakota became dissatisfied
in a few months and in the fall an exc
dus started.
Down the Missouri.
They built canoes and 1,40o strong
they f1oated down the Missouri to the
Omaha reservation, where they landed
and went into camp. The agent took
charge of them and later the govern
ment provided a home for them there
by purchasing a large portion Of the
reservation of the Omahas for them.
The most of the old-time chiefs have
long since passed away. But three are
now living In Nebraska. They are
Gray Wolf, White Grass and Big Bear.
All are well advanced in years. Gray
Wolf and Big Bear are over eighty
years Of age and White Grass is above
seventy five years. Little Winnebago,
another old-time chief, who lives in
Wisconsin, is past eighty.
The members of the tribe in Ne
braska have an annual May pole"
dance which is INDUCED in regularly
and which always attracts a large
number of white people. This dance is
given usually about July and is
time of great rejoicing for the red
skins. The dance lasts for several
days and ethe Indians come from all
over the reservation to one spot and
go into camp in tents to stay for the
event. On account of the immortality
attending these dances, the agent has
threatened to forbid them. The agent
in charge of the Omaha and Winnie
bago reservations is Charles P. Math-
ewson, who has been in chage of
both tribes for the past four years.
The tribes were under separate agents
up to 1880, when both were turned over
To one man