THE BLACKGOWN AND THE INDIAN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 21, 20 February 1891, Page 31

THE BLACKGOWN AND THE INDIAN.

1* (From the Irish World.) A STRIKING commentary on the anti-Catholic policy that has governed the Indian Department is supplied by the hazardous mission undertaken tbe other day by Father Jule, a well-known Catholic missionary, who has acquired great intiuence among the Sioux by years of unselfish devotion to their interests. A large body of Sioux had entrenched themselves in a position where they could not ba attacked by the soldiers in case of an Indian war, which had been expected auy moment for tbe last thiee weeks. No white man dared to go near the fortified camps of these Indians, General Brooke, who was in command of the department, was desirous of opening up negotiations with tbe red men with a view of making arrangements by wbich the threatened war might be averted. But who would undertake the perilous mission of opening up negotiations ? General Brooke had beard of Father Jule's influence among the Indians, and determined to send for him. Father Jule did not hesitate to accept the perilous task assigned him. Accompanied only by a guide, who was the son of an Indian chief, be went to tbe camp of the hostile Indians and harangued them in the interest of peace. At the conclusion of tbe speech he invited them to send a delegation of their chiefs to General Brooke's headquarters, where, he assured them, their grievances would be taken under consideration. The Indians to whom this proposition was presented have always been suspicious of white men. Nevertheless, on the mere assurance of this Catholic priest they consented to Bend a delegation of their chiefs to General Brooke. The only guarantee of safety they asked was the following pledge :: — l< Hold your hands up to tbe Ureat Spirit and tell us as if you were about to start on a journey to the last bunting-ground of the red man, whether what you say to us from General Brooke be true, and that we will not be harmed if we come in Bimply to talk with General Brooke." After Father Jule gave thia guarantee all the chiefs raised their hands to the heavens and solemnly promised to visit General Brooke, which they did a few days after. This is not the first time the Government has been assisted by Catholic priests in its dealings with tbe Indians. More than twenty years ago the celebrated Jesuit missionary, Father De Smet, whose influence among the Indians was unbounded, was employed by the authorities at Washington to negotiate a treaty with the Sioux. Other Catholio missionaries have rendered Bimilir Bervice. As the Irish World (January 3) goes lo press the dispatches from the scene of Dakota Indian troubles report that a fierce fight took place with the Indians near the Pine Bidge AgeDcy, in which about tifty soldieia were wounded and several killed outright. After the recent fight in which Sitting Bull was killed, a great number of tbe hostile Indians were induced to return to the Agency, as continued resistance to the military seemed to mean only extermination. They refused to give up their rifles after coming in, and when ordered to ' move about a hundred and fifty of them suddenly began firing on the soldiers, who, although numbering about 500, were at a great disadvantage for a while before tbe desperate assault, as they formed a complete circle around the Indians, and were in danger of wounding each otner if they fired. The band of Indians broke through the lines, and with their ranks decimated by the shots d the pursuers are reported still retreating. Amongst tbe list of mortally wounded appears that of Father Craft, the celebrated Indian Missionary, who was only a few weeks ago in New York, bat whu, immediately on the beginning of the hostilities, repaired to the scene of the trouble in the hope of averting a general uprising, as his influence among the Sioux was very great, and had been always exerted in tbe interests of peace, and for the securing of justice and honest dealing with the red men, who were only too often cheated and exasperated by tbe agents and speculators. Father Craft was commissioned by Bishop Marty to carry on the missionary work amongst the followers of thp famous Sioux Chief, Spotted Tail, who was treacherously killed about ten years ago at Rosebud, South Dakota. He made so favourable an impression that he was by common consent of the Indians selected as Chief to succeed Spotted Tail under the name of Hovering Kagle. The Indians had the greatest reßpect for their gentle white chief and instructor, and he on his part, though he resigned the active chieftaincy, was unreserved in the expression of his conviction that were the Indians honestly and fairly treated, and not left to the mercy of unscrupulous land-speculators and agent?, the Indian problem could be settled permanently and peaceably. Father Craft was a naiive of New York city, and was a convert to the Catholic faith, as was also bis fatner, who was a respected and eminent physician in the city. His zeal for the great and holy work of civilising and Christianising the Indians manifested itself from the early days of his priesthood, and the affection with which he was regarded by the rugged children of the savage forest showed how admirably he was adapted for the sacred mission to which be had been called . On the recent breaking out of hostilities he hastened to the scene of trouble, but, according to the dispatches, only to fall a martyr to his desire for peace. It is wonderful how Dr, Koch is honoured. His pictures are displayed in all tbe shop windows. Mother-of-pearl scarf-ping m the shape ot" a bubt of Koch are sold in the jewellery stores, and the latest scarf, collnr and enff la named for Kucb. When Koch goes out on Uuter den Linden on horseback, men take ofE their hate to town. He refuses banquets in his honour o.most every day. He i Bi B » plain, serious man, apparently always in deep taought. Now and then his manner, however, is almost jolly, and he is a most entertaining talker. He reads English, but speaks little of it. Very few phytiicians have been able to obtain an interview with Koch. Dr. Dixon is the only Amencau who has had an interview with him, and that was because Dr. Dixon's fame as a bacteriologist preceded him to Germany .