Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-07-28
GRANDSON VIEWS RELICS.


oFANDso on VIEWS REtlcs.
Little Crows Descendant Looking For
Traditional Treasure Ia st.
Paul Banks.
Whatever his feelings or emotions,
Jesse Williams, an Indian from the
Sisseton, s. D.. agency. did not betray |
them yesterday afternoon when for
the first time he gazed upon all that
was mortal OF Little Grow, his grand. |
father, in an exhibit case in the rooms
of the State Historical society at the
State Capitol. .........5s.. s..,.s....
The exhibit, grinning skull, bullet
shattered; scalp with the hair long
and black, and part of it naturally
braided; and two bones of the right
arm, was shown William, but beyond
a slight grunt he evidenced little in
terest. The skull was no different
from those of half-dozen other In
dams Of lesser note, displayed in the
cases, while as to the scalp, with its
cruel tear where it fitted above the
ear, there was nothing to indicate it
was genuine beyond the exhibit card
attached.
What did interest William, who was
accompanied by George R. Nimmons,
Minneapolis real estate dealer, was
the oft-told tale Of $500 left in st.
Paul bank by his grandfather. and
which Little Crow had failed to call
for. |
The story of the lost money, to-
gether with similar amounts deposited
by other Indians who had Joined in
the treaty at Mendoza, has been told
and discussed at many campfire, and
William wanted to know the truth or
falsity of the tale, as the case might
Se.
| The treaty of Mendoza, by which
much Of Minnesota and part of the
Dakotas and Iowa was coded by In
dams to the Federal government, was
contaminated in 1851, and the story, as
told the family of Little Crow, was
that each of the Indian chiefs who had
participated had been given $4,000.
OF this money, William said, Little
Crow, his grandfather, and the other
chiefs, had been induced to deposit
$1,000 in a St. Paul bank for safe
keeping. Troublesome times follow
ed, and that was the last ever heard
of the money.
! According to Major r. ]. Holcomh
i of st. Paul, with wide knowledge Of
the Indian period, the story of Little
Crow and his $500 largely is myth
He SO informed the grandson yester
day. Some money, Major Holcomb
says, was paid the Indians who f1gur
ed in the Mendoza treaty, but it was
invested largely by the Indians in fire
water and other pale-face luxuries. II
is not the first time relatives of Little
Crow have asked the society to HELP
them find his lost gold.
:. Little Crow, who was a very dad
, Indian, was active in the uprising Of
1862, and the troublesome times which
preceded the massacre of whites II
Minnesota. He was killed in 1863
near Hutchinson, Mimi, and his skull
together with his scalp, was taker
t possession of by the officer in com
: mand Of the troops which ambushei
[ him and his bloodthirsty followers
The skull, together with the scalp
and two bones of the right arm, were
: given to the society in 1896, and have
t been on display ever since.
| The scalp, with its long black hair
: is a gruesome object. The hair is IL
abundance, and is as black and glossy
( as the day it was lifted from his head
7 The skull is partly shattered, where
t 1t was struck by a bullet Minneap
oils Tribune.
In the last paragraphs, at least, thu
reporter has not taken the pains t.
, look up the historical facts. Little
Crow was not killed in battle, but was
, shot by a settler while picking berries
His scalp was taken to claim the re
ward offered for the killing of hostile
Sioux. Later it was learned that the
, killed Indian was Little Crow. The
, remains were disinterred and the iGen
tity was proved by the bones of the
right forearm which had been broker
when the chief was a young man, but
which had never been correctly set.