The Washington herald., 1912-04-21


dams, newly placed on view at the Ma.
tionai Museum. is largely composed Of
relics from the so-caIled battle Of
Wounded (Knee-the most disgracefu
episode. bar none, in the history OF thiI
country. It was a massacre pure and
simple, In which women and children
were shot down with machine guns
those OF them who escaped the first
wholesale slaughter being pursued FOL
miles by tn1 soldiers and ruthlessly kill.
ed; many OF them mothers with infants
IN their arms Finally. and to cap the
climax. the wounded OF both sexes and
all ages were allowed to remain without
srccor for three days and TO freeze 70
death in q blizzard that followed the
tragedy.
The exhibit in question, which includes
several OF the ghost shirts worn by
the Sioux at that period in the notion
that these garments would render them
invulnerable 20 the white mans rife bull
lets, has for one OF its features a life
Ike figure of young squaw wearing
n bucksIxin garment which Is pierced by
several holes. They certainly look like
bullet hopes. and. II they are such. one
Or the bullets must have passed directly
through the wearer's heart.
When the Held OF the massacre was
cleaned up all OF the Indian dead. in
cluding about one hundred men and 10
women and children Figures from ofiicial
reporD were thrown like -cordwood into
one big trench for burial. Many had
been stripped by the whites, who wanted
the ghost shirts and other articles of
spparel for relies Even the infants did
not escape such despoilment. AS one of
the burial party wrote, 'It was a thing
to melt the heart Of any one, II not Of
stone. to see those little children, with
bodies shot to pieces, thrown naked into
the pitt"
The Coat of sswhItewash."
The War Department made an investi-
CATION, administering a coat OF white
wash to those concerned. and nobody
was ever punished. All Of which shows
what a truly civilized nation we are.
But. In order to understand how the
tragedy came about Il Is necessary to
grasp the circumstances which led up
to II. Also. one should realize that the
troops were themselves overcome by
panic fear. which, beyond any other
emotion Whatsoever. renders men fero-
cious and bIoodthirsty. 4, They had not
forgotten the Wiping out Of Custer and
his command by the Sioux.
lAG FBuooN pEkdH Lne WnOlc
trouble. But this, to start with, needs
explanation, for notions as TO the char
acter and reason why Of the ghost dance
have been many and commonly erro-
neous- Summed up in a word, II was
ceremonial connected with a new re-
lieion, spreading among the Indians in
1888 and later, which promised the wip-
ing OF the white people OF Of the earth
and the return Of all the tribes of dead
aborigines, together with the buffalo and
other game-the whole Of North Amer
lea to be thenceforth the exclusive prop
erty and happy hunting ground Of the
red man.
The excitement, which started among
the Piutes. and was later taken up
with enthusiasm by the Sioux, bore much
of the character OF what we call IRE
vlval" II. had even the inspiration OF
Messiah. James Mooney. an expert OF
the government Bureau Of Ethnology.
went to see him and talked with him.
He was a full-biood PIute named
Wovoka. and otherwise called In the In
dian tongue Big Rumbling Belly To
the whites he was known as Jack Will
son. and he worked as q laborer on a
ranch In q shut-in valley among the
ruggedest mountains of Nevada. He
was tall, mild-mannered, and dwelt in
z modest hut with 4 wife and two chill
dren.
He told very simply OF a revelation
which had been made to him from on
high. The sun died twas ecIipSedJ, and.
falling asleep In the daytime, he was
taken up to the other world. There he
saw Goo. with all the Indians VINO nad
died long ago, engaged in their oId-time
sports and occupations-alI happy, and
forever young. God told him 10 tell his
people to be good and love one another,
and to abandon war. Also. He gave him
the description OF q dance. by the per-
formance or which happiness would be
secured. and bestowed upon him con-
troll over the elements so that he could
make II rain or snow, or be dry, at
will.
Thereupon Wovoka returned to the
earth and began to preach. convincing
the people by the exercise OF the won
derful powers conferred upon him. lie
asked an empIoye OF the local Indian
agency to draw up and forward to Pres
ident Harrison a statement OF his super
natural claims, with a proposition to
take up his residence on the reservation.
and, in return for a small regular
stipend. TO keep the people of Nevada
informed OF all the latest news from
Heaven, and to furnish rain whenever
wanted.
There is no doubt that the man ruIIy
believed In his own claims. There was
an eclipse OF the sun. observable in Ne