Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-05-02
HOW SHERMAN
FIXED Them
SOME OLD INDIAN HISTORY is
REVIVED.
The FATE OF BAD Ones
General Phil Sheridan Also Takes a
Hand in the Treatment Of Mas
sacre Leaders

Aline, Okla, May 2.-An interest
ing find was made last week in the
Big Timber park near here, which
Woods county people have tned 81
hard to have reserved as a public
park. in the shape Of an Indian pipe,
said by the old timers in Oklahoma to
have belonged to Satanta. the kioWa
chief, who was for years the living
perSuniiication of the hend incarnate
e. the minds of trontlerSmen IA bot.
Kansas and Texas. The Big Timber
vas always a favurite camping place
for the Indians. and for many years
il was the winter headquarters of Sa-
tanta. the elder Lone Wolf and Biz
Tree, who were the war chiefs Of the
Kiowas. when that tribe was perhaps
the most powerful in the Southwest.
In 1869 the Kiowas and affiliated
tribes had made a treaty with the gov
eminent by which they were to emam
on the Fort Sill reservation, where
the government provided for their
wants. but whenever they could escape
the vigilance of the soldiers, bands Oh
them would steal away, pounce down
n the scattered settlements, either IN
Kansas or Texas, bring back with
them a string Of ScaIps and a bunch Of
cattle and horses.
General William r. Sherman was
then in command of the army, and in
May, 1871. he reached Western Texas
IN an inspection tour. From San An
tonic he followed the line Of forts
along the old government trail leading
to Fort Sill. passing through Fort Bel
knsp and Fort Richardson. While he
was at the latter post, a band Of
Kiowa warriors, headed by Satanic,
Satank and Big Tree. fell upon
train Of teamsters bound for Fort
Griffin. on the Salt Creek, about ten
miles from Fort Richardson, killing
seven of the party and making away
with all their mules and supplies. The
scene Of the attack was on the trail
over which General Sherman had pas
sed only the day before. 1t was not
essentially different from many simil-
ar m~assacres, but the fact that such a
thing could occur almost under the
eyes Of the commander-ln-chlet
brought the matter very forcibly to
his notice.
Within a few days after the Salt
Creek massacre all the Indians con-
cerned in it were back ON the reserva-
ton. and ON May -. Satanic, Satank.
Kicking Bird and Lone Wolf came to
Fort Sill to draw their r%ations. In
conversation with the Indian agent.
Satanic boosted of his recent exploits
in Texas, declaring emphatically that
his party was responsible for the Salt
Creek massacre, and that any other
Indian who claimed credit for ii was
a liar. The matter was reported to
General Sherman, who had then reach
ed Fort Sill, and i'll his presence, Sa-
tanta again stated that his young men
wanted to take a few scalps and that
he had gone with them to show them
how to make war; that he had been
present and directed their operations
at Salt Greek, but that he had killed
no one himself.
General Sherman at NEE ordered
the arrests of all the chiefs concerned
in the affair.". and directed that they
should be taken to Texas and tried
for murder. While the conference was
still going on. and before the order
of arrest had been carried out. Lone
Wolf rode up, carrying two carbines.
a revolver and a bow and arrows. He
handed one of the accused chiefs a
carbine. another the revolver and the
third a bow and arrows. Then cock
ing the remaining carbine, he assum-
ed an air of defiance. Twenty armed
soldiers Immediately covered the
chiefs with their weapons, however.
and no attempt at resistance was
made.
Lone Wolf was able to prove that
he had no connection with the mas
sacre, and was released, but Satanic,
Big Tree and Satank were started
back to Texas under heavy guard. As
they neared the scene of the massa-
ere Satank succeeded in slipping off
his irons and seized a rifle to resist
arrest. He was instantly shot down
by the soldiers. 1t developed that he
had gnawed the flesh from his wrists
until il was possible for him to slip