Bisbee daily review., 1905-09-23
RAIN-IN-THE-FACE
 NOTED SIOUX CHIEF
Expired on the Reservation Known as a Bad Indian
 Fulfilled Vow

Pierre. s. D. Sept. 22.-Rainin-the-
 Pace, the Sioux Chief who was reput-
 ed to have fired the shot which killed
 General Custer is dead at the Stand
 ing Rock reservation, in Foreman
 county. His death occurreed Sept.
 J2, but the fact only became known
 to the state authorities today.
 The Indian. during his lifetime, gave
 theUnited States troops as much trou-
 ble as any other who ever lived. He
 a bad" Indian, and never lost his
 hatred for the white man.
 Rain-in-the-Face joined Sitting Bull
 in his famous uprising, and was one
 of the leaders in the battle of the
 Little Big Horn River, June 25, 1876,
 which is popularly known as the Gus
 ter Massacre He always claimed
 that he fired the shot which ended the
 life of Custer, Rain-in-the-Face was
 a pure blooded Sioux, and was 62
 years old at the time of his death.
 A hard fighter. maker of trouble, horse thief. an Indian who would kill
 on the slightest proyocation, the best general Sitting Bull ever had under
 11AAAA III HIS BdASAlos lNctAA-lAA- dNC was one of the most picturesque, dan
 serous and daring chiefs who ever fought against the troops of the Unit
 ed States. He belonged to the Sioux tribe, and was a full-blooded member of il. without a drop of any other In- dian blood, in his viens-a fact which he was excessively proud.
 The Custer Massacre was largely due 10 his oath of vengeance against the entire Custer family-an oath re- sulting from his arrest in the early '70s by Tom" Custer, a brother of General Custer Custer arresi ed Rain-in-the-Face for murder in west ern Dakota and took him to a govern ment prison in Missouri. Here theI Indian chief was held captive several months, but finally made his escape.
 -I will kill you all," was the threat he left behind him for Tom Custer and the whole Custer family. The Cnsters were warned by friendly guides and Indians that Rain-in-the- l Face was the most formidable and dangerous man in the entire Sioux tribe, and that he would surely do all in his power to carry out his threat of vengeance. The Clusters, however, were inclined to scoff at the Indians power of fulfllment of his oath. I
 After his escape Rain-in-the-FaceI joined Sitting Bull and his braves. 1t is a curious fact that, although associ- | ated with Sitting Bull in many desper- ate battles. Rain-in-the-Face never had | a high opinion of the old chief.
 It was a year and a half after the escape of Rain-in-the-Face that Gen aral Custer and some 300 men of the Seventh Cavalry started on the hunt for Sitting Bull. The command fol lowed the trail of the Yellowstone, and | on June 25. 1876. the United States soldiers finally found the Indians in camp in the valley of the Big Horn. The Custer Massacre, inspired in great | measure by Rain-in-the-Face and in fulfiDment of the Indians threat, fol- | lowed
 Not knowing that they had come upen the full body of Sitting Bulls | General Custer and his men ! rode into a trap which, according to other Indian chiefs, had been prepar- ed by Rain-in-the-Face when he knew the Americans were coming to join | battle. Rain-in-the-Face had thrown cut scouts who kept him thoroughly posted on Busters movements for more than a week before the opposing forces came in sight of one another.
 When the fighting actually began. and when many men of the Seventh | had been killed by the volleys of the Indians, it was Rain-in-the-Face who led the final charge against the knoll where Custer and the survivors stood gallently defending themselves as best they could Gradually the dauntless handful Of men in blue became fewer and fewer and gradually the shots from the soldiers became more scat tered, as man after man fell beneath the bullets of the Indians.
 Finally but one living form stood erect, facing the ring of Indians. It was General Custer, his sword shat tered, his revolvers empty, the last member of tke Custer family at the mercy of Rain-in-the-Face, the gener- aIs brothers already having been kill ed There was silence for a moment and the Indians ceased to fire or ad- vance. Then came a puff of smoke, a single shot, and General Custer fell i dead beside his troopers. Rain-in-the- Face had kept his oath.