The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-03-22
CHIEF Drift TING GOOSE
An Incident From MajOr Burns' Rec
elections of the Sioux.
THE BEAuTIFUL INDIAN SINGER.
Whose War Song rIade Ii Unsafe Tor
the White Thieves Who Tried 10
Steal a Fertile Val!ey-Goyern-
ment Protected the Natives.

Several extracts from the lee
lures Of Major J. NJ. Burns on his
personal recollections of the Sioux
Indians already published have
been read with a great deal of in
terest. The following vivid &C.
count of his adventure with Chief
Drifting Goose was given in his
first lecture on the subject deliv-
cred week or two ago at Nor
gantown:
During the summer of 1877
trouble arose between some un-
scrupuIous whites and Chief Drift
ing Goose's tribe, which was To-
Gated upon the James river. about
100 miles east Of the Missouri riv-
er. I was ordered to go with NV
company to the Indian camp to
ascertain and report the cause Of
the trouble, and, if possible pre-
vent an outbreak. On approach
ing the camp, I sent All interpre-
ter forward 10 notify the chief Of
my mission and to assure him that
we were his friends and that we
would like to camp there that
night and talk over his trouble.
He at once mounted d pony and
rode out to meet us, and welcomed
me to his camp, As we rode along
he told me that a number Of white
men had come to his camp during
his absence and taken possession
of his house, and that on his re-
turn they had refused him admis
sion, AID ordered him and his
whole tribe to leave that part Of
the country. This greatly enraged
the young men, and they wanted
to kill and scalp the thieves" as
he expressed it, which they could
have done with very little loss.
But Drifting Goose said, mo, 1
will send word to the soldier chief
(meaning the general command
ing), and ask him for advice and
assistance in retaining our homes.
Turning to me he said; "You
have come, and I want to assemble
my head men and lay our griev-
ances before you 50 that the Great
Father (the President in Wash
ington may understand our case.
You will promise that you will
send Our words to him?" prom
ised that I would carefully write
down his words and forward them
to the President. The following
morning after breakfast was fixed
for the council.
then called on the white men,
with view of hearing their side
of the question, and l found them
strongly barricaded in Drifting
Goose's house. They were a band
of as hard and desperate looking
white scoundrels as ever went un-
hung. | asked them what they
were doing there, and the spokes-
man said. They had taken pos
session of the Chiefs house during
his absence and had notified the
whole tribe to leave; that there
was over three hundred acres of
very valuable timber land, which
would be worth more than a gold
mine, and besides that the sur
rounding land would be very waltz
able for agricultural purposes.
l said to them: "You are rol =
bling these Indians of their homes,
you have stolen the chiefs house
and made a fort out Of it, and you
are now planning to rob several
hundred more honest Indians of
their homes"
The spokesman replied. That
is the way with you army officers,
you always side with the Indians
against the honest white men," l
replied that he was mistaken; that
the army stood for everything that
was Just and right, no matter
whether it related to an Indian or
a white man. added that I knew
they had no right or justice on
their side in this affair, and that I
sincerely hoped the Indians would
eCo1r, tho Loot QUO n 6 4lo,.. T IL