The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-09-23

Out of a mass of contradictory story
and legend, Foolish Elk, BruIe Sioux
Indian and an eye witness of the death
of Genera George A. Custer, has
emerged to name Spotted Calf, Santee
member of Chief I~nkpaduta'S band, as
the real slayer of the cavalry leader at
the battle of the Little Big Horn.
Foolish Elk, 80 years cid now and blind,
unable to read or speak the English LAM
guage, unawar Of the long controversy
over Clusters death, has told his story
to William j. Bordeaux, federal Indian
interpreter for the United States district
attorney at Sioux Falls, S. D., who pre-
sents the new version of the Staying in q
copyrighted article in the Mitchell IS. ID
Republican.
For BodeauX, himself a quarter-blooG
Brul Sioux, the evidence Of the old In
dian eliminates a long effort to discover
Clusters actual slayer. The effort was
begun by Bordeaux's father, Louis, now
dead, long an Indian trader.
Custer was slain, Foolish Elk says,
early in the battle; and the famous
painting by Frederick Remington, Gus
ter's Last Stand" which pictures the cav
airy leader, with his locks flying, stand
ing alone in the mids Of a circle of howl
ing, riding Indians, is in error.
The Indians tale, as set down by
Bordeaux, relates that Foolish Elk had
been unde in a battle against Gen
| GIdl OIOCk, JuSG elSDJ Gays before the
battle of the Little Big Horn, and that
when Clusters cavalry charged the In
dian villages, Foolish Elk sat in the
door Of his wigwam, saw Custer and
one or two officers cut off from his
troops, and saw Spotted Calf, the Santee.
a survivor of the Santee massacre of 1868
in Minnesota, fell the cavalry officer
with one blow Of his tomahawk.
Il could hear the war hoops of my
people" Bordeaux quotes Foolish Elk,
and / could see them surround the SOL
dlerS With repeated attacks led by Crazy
Horse. To my best recollection the fight
did not last more than an hour.
I watched the victors pass my lodge
and noticed Black Bear, an Ogalla, lead
ing a horse that had two arrows dang
ling from his side. That evening I in
vited Black Bear to my lodge and he
related to me and others his experience
l the battle. This is what he told me:
Together with Spotted Calf, the San
tee, 1 was crouched low behind a heavy
th1cket. To the south were hidden diff
ferent bands Of San-Arkas, Blackfeet.
Santee and Yanktonians. The warhoop
5 sounded. 1t was the Sioux war cry, Ho-
Ka-He. Dashing OIL into the open, we
| came in direct line Of the approach
l ing bluecoats. The Cheyennes were lying
in wait east Of the village. The charg-
ing soldiers refined in when they saw
them, and charged south, right into the
4 ambush Of the San-Arkas, the Santee and
!, Jne blackIeeU, VINO opened fire. This at
, tack drove the soldiers straight ahead
l toward the village. The Ogallas followed
under Crazy Horse. We succeeded in cut
< ting the leaders. off from the main body.
My companion pulled ahead Of me,
D and was now riding alongside one OF
y the leaVers, waving a tomahawk as he
S rode. I urged my mount closer and
b hoped for a shot, but the Santee leaned
q forward, struck with his tomahawk and
g the leader was dislodged from his horse
4 by the terrific blow.
las 1 recall, the leader had a sabel
n strapped to his waist and held q re.
volver in his gauntlet gloved hand. The
horse, now riderless, slackened speed anC
d fell back beside me. I grabbed the reinl
and led him away from the battle. II
the saddle bags I found this and tn,
Ogalla showed a lock Of blond hair, abou
eight inches long, evenly sheared."
t, The statement that Spotted Calf wa.
Clusters slayer stands undisputed amonI
D, the Sioux, Bordeaux declares.
v In s-ubstantiation he has among severa
statements one made by Crazy Horse o.
that chiefs deathbed in 1877, in tn
IF presence of his father:
N one could identify Custer in tn
I'd excitement Of the battle. But we dis
&c posed OF the leaders in a very short tim
y and If he was unfortunate enough to b
~ one OF the group in the lead he was on
OF the first to fall"
s, Boroeaux's conclusion Is that dOuh
no longer exists that Custer was one c
ID the first to fall and that the Sioux kno
ID rightly who killed him: Spotted Cal
&c the Santee, ~avenging q massacre Of hl
own people IS years earlier.