The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20
RED CLOUD is DYING At
THE PINE RIDGE AGENCY
Famous. Chief of the Sioux Who
Has Led His People in War and
Peace for Forty Years.
FEEBLE AND IN POVERTY

PINE RIDGE, S. D.. Dec. Bred Cloud,
the celebrated Sioux chief. is dying in
tepee in corner of the yard surrounding
the little wooden house which the govern
ment baiIt for him here years ago He is
eighty-five years old, almost blind
scarcely able To hear and so beclOuded IN
mind and feeble in body that his death is
likely at any hour
Although at one time lord of all Kansas.
Nebraska, Dakota and parts Of Iowa, Wy
oming and Montana Red Cloud is now al
most destitute. The small piece or land
that was given 10 him by the government
when the Indians were placed In the Da-
kota reservations has gradually been sold
until to-day only about ten acres remain
AZ few months ago. thinking that his death
was near, Red Cloud called his children
around him and divided his property, IN
Guiding 500 in cash But death nd not
come as soon as he expected and now ne Is
almost dependent on charity.
Red Cloud in his time was one or the
most successful daring savage chiefs or
the great Sioux Nation. DURING the nos
tilitles waged so brutality on the plains
against the encroachment OF the whites, MS
name was the dreaded one on every emf
grants tongue.
security, but by his force Of Will, mtelli-
gence and bravery he became In time the
leader of his people. The story is told OF
how he first gained the title OF chief" 1t
seems that a well-known warrior OF his
tribe was Jealous of Red Cloud, and with
six OF his followers waylaid the young
brave Two were armed with rifles and the
others carried bows and arrows. Red Cloud
was armed with a Winchester and, though
wounded in the first fire, he succeeded IN
killing all HIS assailants. Soon followers
gathered around him, and as wars broke
out with the whites these followers in
creased In number. He became member
of the various secret societies and went
through the fearful agony and torture or
the sun dance.
After the Fetterman massacre QS66) he
refused TO meet the special peace commits
sion to sign any treaty Instead he de-
clared war against the whites and called
TO his aid the dissatisfied Indians Of the
various tribes. Then came the Fort Phil
kearney massacre, IN which the Indians
Were led by Red Cloud, who showed the
sulting in the humiliation OF the soldiers.
After this victory Red Cloud was pro-
claimed chief OF all the Sioux tribes, and
he has held this position for nearly forty
years.
In the outbreak which led TO the Custer
massacre and the flight of Sitting Bull TO
Canada QS76), Red Cloud declined to aid
Sitting Bull. Notwithstanding which Gen
eraI Crook deposed him from his command
and sent him to the Pine Ridge agency,
South Dakota, and the government confls-
1sSS-S9, when government commissioners
were attempting TO induce the Sioux TO sell
their reservation in South Dakota that il
might be opened to settlement. Red Cloud
refused TO sign or TO let his Indians sign the
treaty. When the government agreed to
pay him SIS 90 for the ponies and property
confiscated in 1876, he signed the treaty and
induced the chiefs still holding out 10 do sc
also.
1t may be said to the credit of Red Cloud
that since he signed the first peace pa
per" he has never once fought against the
whites. He refused an appeal of Sitting
Bull TO order an uprising OF his tribe al
Pine Ridge agency on the strength OF the
Messiah craze QS9O-9D, and after his bucks
had joined Sitting Bulls ghost dancers in
the Bad Lands he was the first influential
Indian to accept General MfleS's invitation
10 return TO the agency under a pledge OF
amnesty. Red Cloud has visited Washing
ton ten times on business connected with
the Sioux, processes friendship for the
whites and a desire to have his people live
like them. Yet he is very much opposed 70
the new idea OF the government in cutting
off the rations Of the younger Indians and
an address he issued to his people short
time ago, he. said: Should all Indians re-
fuse TO accept work, they will remain as In
dams. but should they follow in the paths
OF the whites, in years to come there will be
no Indians, but instead a lot of slaves"
In his old age Red Cloud has become
childish and returned. 10 many OF the habits
OF his. younger days.. He left the house
which the government built for him and
now lives in tent In the corner of his yard
Although old and feeble, he keeps in touch
with the affairs Of his tribe through his
private secretary Cut Meat And through
his secretary Red Cloud isues his orders tC
the subchiefs.
Red Cloud is the last OF the great Indiar
chieftains whose names are written indelf
bly, on every page Of the history OF the
West And with his death his people will
as a great warrior, but also as a diplomat
af rare ability