Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-05-11
TheReYoltofTYo-Strike.

- AAS AtV VANV2 \
YES said Kelly, the post trader,
refectively, I think that McLaren
was the best Indian agent l have
known-best for the Indian and the
government. If we'd had more agents
like him. we should haveshad fewer
Indian wars.
After the trouble with Two-Strike,
McLaren had things his own way with
the Sioux here. Ever hear about
that? No? Well, that happened be-
fore the Wounded Knee trouble, and
some years after had secured my
license as agency trader.
"There'd been change in the ad-
ministration, a shift of party power
On Congress, and as result Indian
appropriations were slow, and Nc
Laren had run short of rations for his
Sioux. The Indians here hadn't learn
ed much about farming yet. The
buffalo had all been killed off or driv-
en- away, SO that for time they were
on short rations, half starved in fact.
They had to kill some of their ponies
for subsistence.
Finally Two-Strike and his band,
to the number CT about three hun
dred. moved across the agency near
to the ledge of the cattle-range and
began to kill beeves. This of course
made trouble. and soon lot of cow
men, as hot as hornets, rode in at
the agency to warn Mac that If he
didn't take care of his Indians and
get them home, they would see after
'em themselves.
Mac knew what that meant. If
Two-Strike's party were attacked, ev-
cry man of his four thousand would
be up in arms. He said what he
could to pacify the angry cow-men,
and promised remuneration for the
damage dozen their herds.
"I'll get my Indians back he said,
and very soon.'
He sent e. courier across the river
with VIII q % - - ~ &c ID |,
the Interior, asking, not fox soldlefs.
but for emergency supplies. Then he
came to me. 'Aleck,' he said, Il
want you to go with me tomorrow
and bring in Two-Strilke.' You may
guess how l liked the prospect of
that job!
Il suppose really had more in
fluence with the Sioux here at that
time than any other white man; I'd
been with them so long and spoke
their language readily, but-well, l
knew old Two-Strike pretty we'll, and
my faith in the undertaking wasn't
strong. Yet agreed to go and do
what could to help Mac out.
1.-THE cattlemen had hardly got out
of sight. though, when a Sioux rum
ner came in with the news that Two
Strike had pulled his teepee stakes
and cut loose for the Bad Lands
Still McLaren didn't waver.
'Aleck,' he said, we must go after
them at once
Thirty minutes later three of the
swiftest ponies on the reservation
were brought in for us. We packed
one with our blanket rolls and five
days rations. mounted the Others and
set out on an errand that seemed
to ME risky and hopeless enough.
1T took lis all night to cross the
reservation, and about sunrise we
found ourselves at Two.Strike's camp,
which had been abandoned some
twenty-four hours. Here We grazed
our ponies and took three hours of
sleep.
"TwoStrike had made no attempt
to conceal his trail, but was dragging
his 'travvies' at headlong rush for
the Bad Lands. We followed the sec.
ond day in ride which covered sew
enty miles. We were now in the
heart of a big cattle-range, aud Just
before sunset We found near to their
trail the heads and refuse of eleven
steers. which had been corralled and
shot down in a bunch. The Indians
had camped here. and cooked meat
within two miles of tho Honeycomb
Ranch.
Mac looked sober enough, and I
ventured to say that we might as we'll
turn back, for old Two-Strike was
surely burning his bridges behind.
But Mac Wouldn't turn back, and /
went on with him. We slept the
whole of that night, for our ponies
were sadly in need of rest.
About noon the next day we came
to the mouth of the Belle Fourche,
where we found evidence of another
roundup and cattle-killing.
"a little later we saw three COW.
men cross our trail, half-mile or SO
In advance, and ride rapidly toward
the foothills on our left. McLaren
waved his hat at them for five min.
utes or more, but they gave no sign
of having seen us. Our horses were
not in fit condition 10 chase them,
and SO we rode on after Two.Strike.
we rested again at sunset; then,
as the trail of the Indians was very
fresh and the stars were shining, we
pushed on. At midnight, and at a
point fully halfway from our agency
to the Bad Lands. we came upon the
Sioux camp. We ran against bunch
of ponies just at the mouth of coll-
lee, and as these whinnied and snort.
ed picket fired two shots at us be.
fore could raise my voice and make
myself known.
His bullets sang close, and the
man was surly and glum when l ask.
ed why he had fired at friends. We
rode in among the teepees to find a
q lot Df Indians outside with guns In
eaEd. They supposed their camp