The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-10
NDEANS WHO WERE | NOBLE IN REALITY How the Crazy Band" BattIed
 for the Whites CAPTIVES ARE RANSOMED Young Sioux Braves Give Up All They Possess to Free Woman and
 Children Held by Chief
 White Lodge.
CAPTlVES ARE REASONED
R. c. B. in the New York MaIl.

R. G. B. in the New York Mail
 Pocohontas and the noble red man have been subjects of jests for years.
 'Pokey3 was burlesqued half a century ago. and since Coopers time opinion has swung about the current belief that uncas and Chingachgook ct al were creatures of the novelists imagination But this is not quite true. The noble red he is discovered, and he certainly appears in the story that Senator Quay related to the senate the other day.
 In August, 1s62 the santee band of SIOUX Indians went on the warpath, and swooped through western Minnesota killing many settlers, destroying much property and finally retiring into the Dakota country with nine prisoners two of them women, one a boy of six the others little girls. White Lodge was chief of the band. which consisted of slime 1S0 persons, and November 1, 1862 found the party, passed along from one band Of Indians to another, encamped on the Missouri near the present line be- tween North and South Dekota.
 About the time of the Santee attack the Teton Sioux near Fort Pierre had held a council and decided to remain neutral as between their relatives and the whites. This decision was reached against the views of the younger braves some of whom had been influenced by the missionaries, and wished to defend the whites. They were long headed young men, who saw a great deal further than the average Indian. and when they had been defeated in council they went after their ends in less direct manner. Two of them, Charge and Kils-and- Comes, had long discussion a day or two after the council was over and de- cided to try and organize the young men af their tribe into association to help the whites as much as possible without involving the Teton in war with the Santee. The older men jeered at them to such purpose that oniy nine of the younger men joined them The oldest of the little band was only twenty. The members bound themselves solemnly by oath to help the whites and sacrifice They called themselves, The Young Thew called themselves 'The Young Mems Association" but the elders of the Tetons called them ''The Crazy Band.
 It was not until November that the
 
 White Lodges land. Then they heard 1t incidentally. from trader whom the Santees had tried to capture. When they learned of the captives. the members of the Crazy Band knew that the time had come to cary out their oath They gath cred their property together, and ex- charged 1t all at traders store for food and sugar, and then started for White Lodges camp. They travelled for four dave befora fbaV reaphed then thnv made their own and asked for a council.
 Charger opened it. He said: You see us here. We are only young boys. Our people call us crazy, but we want to do something good. If a man owns any thing, he likes it,and he will not part with 1t for nothing. We have come here to buy the white captives and give them back to their friends" White Lodge and his head men refused, but the boys gave them a great feast, which they enjoyed, yet at the end they again refused. second council was held interrupted by brave not entitled to sit in it, who shouted advice from without, that White Lodge should not sell his captives.
 After much barley, 1t was finall agreed that the captives should be exchanged for the hosese which the Tetons had, and preparations were made for the ran som. There was only seven whites-Mrs. Duly and six children: and as each was claimed by a different Santee, the Tetons had to bargain for them separately The sale lasted for hours until the Crazy Band had given up everything they had except one horse and four guns. By that time however the seven prisoners had been ransomed. An eighth remained Mrs. Wright, who with her baby had been taken by White Lodge himself; the baby, however had been killed to get it out of the way.
 The condition of the party was desper- ate. The captives were almost naked, and the boys gave them their blankets. It was bitterly cold, and the Tetons had to keep moving all night to prevent them selves from freezing, and to guard against a surprise by White Lodge But the Santee chief made no attack, and the next day the party started on it's 1O0-mile journey to the trading post from which the Tetons had started. That day they met friendly Yanktonais Sioux. who sold his horse for two of the remaining four guns. Five of the chill dren were placed in travois or traverse one of the Indians carried the youngest child, and the women walked. one of them wearing Chargers mocassins, that Teton brave walking barefoot. That day White Lodge appeared with five warriors. 
 bluffed him off again, and he retired per- manently. Later on they bought a cart from an Indian. in exchange for one more gun; and went ahead, much of the time the boys pushing the cart which the pony could hardly drag
 They camped the second night, but starting on the third day they pushed On for twenty-four hours until they were opposite the trading post to which they crossed with difficulty, and after three days the rescued prisoners were sent on to Fort Randall where they remained until their friends could come for them. They were captured on August 20, ran- somed on November 20. and brought to the fort on November 29, 1862.
 Seven of the Crazy Band still survive. During the Sioux war of 1876 the band stood like a rock between the hostiles and the whites, and in the Messiah craze of 1890 the survivors did much to prevent the madnes from seizing their tribe, or ganizing the younger men against 1t, and during much to save the white set dement's east of the Missouri safe from the predatory bands of ghost dancers" The seven survivors are all Christians now and pillars of the Episcopal church in their reservation.