The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-02-24
GEO. CROOKS
NOT THE MAN
Had Nothing to Do With the
Story of Brothers MUIR
der at New UIm.
Never Even Heard of Indian
Prisoner Having Been
Killed There.

The Gazette last week received a
call from Geo. Crooks, the Sioux
Indian whose alleged account of his
recollections Of the Indian uprising
was copied from the Morton paper
two weeks ago. Mr.. Crooks mildly
objects to being reported in this
way, inasmuch as he never wrote or
sanctioned the account as printed,
and more particularly because the
story as printed is to some extent
absolutely false. In justice to him
and for the benefit of readers who
would know more of the true story
Of that terrible period in the history
of Minnesota and of this county, we
print the following abstract of Mr..
Crooks recollections, together with
information which came to him in
later years through association with
his father and older men of the tribe
who knew about the things which
led up to the out break, from the
Indian standpoint:
Il had nothing to do with the
story which appeared in the Morton
paper and do not know who wrote
it. 1t is true that | was about six
years old at the time of the trouble.
but it is all wrong about my brother
and some other things said in the
paper. My brother was Is years old
at that time instead of 16, as the
paper said, and instead of being
killed at New Ulm, died natural
death from consumption in '66, four
years after the trouble, at Grow
Creek agency.
LAS | was only six years old, my
recollections at that time are not
important. | know. however, that
the women and children were taken
from Camp Release and went in
carts to St. Peter, and not to New
Ulm or Mankato at all, neither did
my brother or the prisoners go
through New Ulm, as | understand
My brother was among those tried
and acquitted at Mankato. never
heard of any Indian prisoner being
killed at New Ulm.
My father was a scout under Gen.
Sibley and Col. Crooks for several
years. John Crooks, my father. took
his name from General Crooks who
is living today. | think. My father
died at the agency near Morton
about seven years ago. my mother
dying a little while before. My
mothers name is on the monument
at Morton in the list of friendly in
diansswho helped save the lives OF
white people. She took Mrs. White
into her home and did all she could
in helping Mrs. Carruthers, mother
of Mrs. DIR. Pease, who died here
some years ago.
My father was not a talking In
dian. He went with Sibley after
the surrender and was scout under
one Of his commands at Lynd, Lyon
county, in 1864, | think.
after the surrender. my mother
and | were taken from St. Peter to
j Fort Smelling and afterwards to Men,
dota. We went to Faribault in 1863
along with my people. and lived
there until we came to the agency
near Morton about twenty years ago.
almost all the Indians who were
old enough to fight at the time of
the massacre are dead now. About
the only one at our agency now is
David Wells, the oldest man there.
He tells me that the outbreak was
not started by our chief. Little Grow,
or any of the tribe, but by four
Wapheton Sioux who murdered a
white family on their way to their
camp in Rice Creek, which is now in
Delhi, this county. The Waphetons
were commanded to surrender the