The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-09-18
Tie Downfall Of 4 Medicine Man.
IContinued on page 81

we're storm and had a number Of cat
tie struck by lightning. These were
Immediately appropriated by follow
.ers of che medicine man. There was,
OF course, a feast, and the participants
took advantage Of the opportunity to
say that which, in the ~vernacular OF
the American, would have been: Il
told you SOL"
One day after having ridden about
the agency three times, as he often
did, he cried to his followers: II
have made medicine. Tomorrow there
come a rain, and the soldiers go
away" The next morning there was
a shower and the company was or
dered back to Fort Custer. They had
scarcely reached there, however,
when the comandant, receiving full
knowledge of the conditions, ordered
them to return, and the weary pale
faces, long unused to marching, came
stumbling back to their old camp;
many of them so entirely exhausted
that they could do naught but sit by
the wayside. This prediction and full
fllment OF Cheestapah naturally
went far to persuade the Indians that
their leader could do all things
through the Great Spirit who had SO
favored him. The subsequent illu.
sion, for such they must have been,
would now be accounted for through
the %searchlights of hypnotism and psy.
chology.
One day Crazy Head came to my
father to tell him how utterly useless
it was for them to struggle against
the Indians. why" Sc said, lone
day l was riding along with this young
man when we came to a tree. He
touch it with he sword, sent him by
Great Spirit, and it fall to the ground.
A little further on we seesa rock.
Again he raise he sword and tap it in
the middle and it fall apart. You no
hurt him or u.s." 1t was with innu-
merable such instances that the beau
tiful autumn days were fraught.
Meanwhile the reinforcement had
been steadily increasing until upon
the 4th day of November there were in
all thirteen companies. 1t may be OF
interest to the reader to know that
among these were a battalion of the
Fifth infantry, General Miles old regi-
ment; n troop Of the Seventh cav
airy, of the gallant and lamented Gus
ter's command, and one troop of the
Ninth cavalry, upon which was be.
slowed the soubriquet of Buffalo Sol
diers," apropos of the dusky hue pre-
dominating. There we're also several
troops of the First cavalry, Jefferson
Davis old regiment, and n company
of the Third infantry under command
of Major Wilkinson, who 70 nobly
yielded up his life some three years age
in an encounter with the ChippeWas.
Indian Inspector Armstrong and Gen
cray Reuger, department commander,
who had recently arrived at the agen'
cy, now sent for Chiefs Plenty Coos
and Pretty Eagle and others. To them
it was stated very plainly that they
would be given until - o'clock OF the
next day in which to deliver the pris.
oners, and in case they failed to dc
SO the troops would come to theil
camp on business quite as strong as
the medicine Cheestapah was brew
ing. The chiefs made it equally as
plain that they would not give them
up. That il the palefaces wanted then
they must take them, but that many
moon would pass ere there was a vic
tory or the part of the whites.
All that night the barbaric drubbine
of the tom-tom and the half-demoniaca
chanting which always accompanies
war dance, proclaimed that such wa
taking place, preparatory to the "heas
fight" of the coming day.
Now, Cheestapah possessed a mos
extraordinary intellect. His ambition
to become a great man among his pee
pie had caused him to unconscious,
lead himself into a trap. But he nov
realized his folly and doubtless kney
that his doom was sealed. The beau
tiful morning of the 5th arrived an,
found the medicine man grovelini
upon the floor of his tepee and com
planning of being cheap sick" Dea
Bull, the bravest and most rockies
of all the tribe, came to him saying
you must get up and no say 20
sick. The whites are going to tigh
us. We believe in you and we fight TO
UnJ1 hl1f n y,o,,ct oo% $50 ..l Nh -.