Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-10-05
By ELMO

A trOOp of the First Cavalry was
lined m in front of the offices at
the Lame Deer Indian agency on
September Is, 1890. Beside them
stood the Indian police of the res
ervation. Both the cavalry and the
police were armed with loaded guns.
The people of the agency were
ranged about the grounds out of
any possible line of fire. There was
a tense expectancy in the attitude
Of the crowd. These people were
about to witness an unusual event.
Suddenly two Indians appeared at
the brow of a hill, dressed IN war
paint riding fast and chanting death
songs.
about to show their own people, the
troops and the civilian whites how
Cheyenne Indian could die!
Wanted for Murder
Some time before the two young
Cheyennes had killed white man,
Hugh Boyle. Authorities had demand
ed the surrender of the murderers. The
Indians tried to settle the matter by
offering a great number OF ponies, ac-
cording to the Indian ideas OF justice
They raised the bid each time the pre-
vious proposal was rejected. 10 the
ponies they added their wealth In
Blankets, robes and other property I'M
til acceptance would have Impoverished
the Cheyennes.
The Indians were finally made to
understand that payment in ponies and
blankets was not the white mans idea
of lust punishment for murder.
Negotiations between the authorities
and the Indians we're carried on WITH
some difficulty. The Cheyenne Ian
:g1Iage was one that no white man had
ever thoroughly mastered. through
some mixed-blood CheyenneS II was
finally made clear that the only solu-
ton was to deliver the murderers for
punishment.
The Cheyennes signified their will
1ingness that the culprits should be
punished by the white man, but they
would not surrender Head Chief and
Young Mule to die the death that
killed the soul as well as the body The
indians theory was that a mans soul
left his body with his last breath. But
If he we're hanged by his neck, the
strangulation of the rope confined the
soul within the dying body where 1t
would be forever confined.
The Indians had neither denied nor
defended the crime of the two young
braves, but, heinous as was their deed,
they would not be surrendered for
hanging.
Would Not Hang
A final ultimatum brought the reply
that Cheyennes were not afraid to die.
but would not submit to the rope. Head
Chief and Young Mule would show
white men how a Cheyenne could die.
The Indian agent had called for
troops, and a troop of the First Cav
airy had been dispatched to the agency.
indian diplomacy crumbled with the
appearance of the soldiers. They sent
word the two murdererS would be sur
rendered ready to die.
But they had elected to die with
weapons in their hands. They would
not surrender alive, but would ride into
the agency and meet the troops. They
would shoot at the soldiers and the
soldiers would have to kill them in
self defense.
The proposition was rather startling. /
but nothing was left but to accept it. |
Any attempt to arrest Head Chief and |
Young Mule In their camps would lead /
inevitably to a bloody conflict.
The Indians held solemn dances the /
night before the appointed day The /
murderers would meet death as war /
riors, and the usual ceremonies for war
parties were observed. In the morning /
The condemned men we're anointed by /
the medicine men, as were their fav-
orite war ponies which doubtless would
fall with their riders. They painted /
and decorated themselves with great