The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-07-09
"HE-L|ES-.BLACw
REAL SLAYER
Of CUSTER
Rain-in-the-F Face Not the In
dian Who Killed Custer, the
Famous General.

Rain-1n-The-Face did not kill Cen
eral Custer in the famous battle on
the Little Big Horn thirty years ago.
lhls is the unanimous opinion of the
members Of the party from the Stand
ing ROCK Indian reservation. Intimate
~ acquainted with many of Sitting
Bulls followers on that fateful day
thirty years ago when the little band
OF United States soldiers were wiped
out OF existence, the Indians and
squaW men from the reservation smile
when Rain-In-The-Face's name is
mentioned and mutter something
which Enthusiastically means in United
State, Hot Air"
1t was at the time of the worlds
fair in Chicago that Rain In The-Face
attained no little notoriety as the man
who had killed Custer.
He made heap big money, too"
remarked an Indian from Standing
Rock. Just how Rain-In- The Face
made big money" is we'll known to
many visitors at the big fair, and many
tenderfoot today treasures some
piece of garment that Rain-In-The-
Face wore ION the day he killed Gus
ter
But while Rain-In- The-Face was in
Chicago gaining wide spread notriety
the real slayer of Custer was living
in the wilds of Montana, afraid to re-
turn to his home on Standing Rock
reservation.
"He-Lies-B Black killed Custer" said
Ben Gilland, squaw man who has
resided on the Standing Rock reserva-
ton for thirty years.
He was an uncle of mine," remark
ed an intelligent redskin. HE has
described the battle to me-"
1t was not until four years ago
that He-Lies-B Black dared to return to
his home on the Standing Rock reser-
walton near Grand River. He died two
years later and it was only relatives
and friends who knew that it was He
Lies-Black who killed the famous In
dian fighter until recently.
In-The-Face owed me $13
when he died." remarked Ben Gilland.
He was not popular on the reserva-
ton and it was we'll known to the
Indians that he had not fired the shot
that killed Custer"
He-Lies-Black was satisfied that
Rain-In- The-Face should take the
credit for killing Custer, for he feared
that should it become known that he.
was the real slayer, he might be pun
ished and it was in fear of punishment
that he remained away from his for
mer hunting ground for twenty-six
years.
THE Indians did not want to kilr
Custer" said Ben Gilland, who has
often heard the story of the famous
battle told by eye witnesses. "They
simply had to kill him. The Indians
tried to make him understand that
they wanted to spare his life, but he
apparently thought that his life was to
be spared only to save him for torture
later.
Everyone who knew He-Lies- Black |
speaks we'll of him. He was brave
fighter and rarely spoke of his ex-
ploits either on the hunting ground or |
battle field. In all of the engagements
which the Indians had with the sold
iers thirty to forty years ago, He
Lies-Black took an active part. He
returned to his old lodge at Grand
river four years ago an old man,
broken in health, but the light of bat
tie shone in his eye occasionally and
it was at such times that l have per-
suaded him to recount his experiences
on the field of battle 1t was at such
time that he told me of the killing
of Custer. Afterward the story was
confirmed by od-Voiced- Eagle. who
resides at Bull Head station and who
Is one of the survivors of the followers
of Sitting Bull who participated in
the Custer massacre"