He checked the advance of General Crook, slaughtered Custer, and escaped into Canada, where he and his people were safe.
In 1877 a part of Sitting Bull’s tribe surrendered to General Miles, who pressed them so hard they could not escape into Canada.
In 1880 others of the tribe surrendered to General Miles at Fort Keogh, and later Sitting Bull and others surrendered to keep from starving. They were transferred to Standing Rock Agency.
Sitting Bull received tempting offers to go East on exhibition, but refused all except one from Buffalo Bill—whom he knew as a deadly foe in warfare and a good friend in times of peace—and so went with some of his people to join the Wild West, with which he remained for a year.
The killing of Sitting Bull is still fresh in the minds of the people, and his taking off has been condemned by many.
At the time of his death Buffalo Bill, Surgeon Frank Powell, Pony Bob Haslam, and others were on their way to his camp to demand his surrender. Had Buffalo Bill not been halted by the command of the President and had reached Sitting Bull’s camp, the great chief would not have been slain; and probably Cody’s influence would have been strong enough to have changed to a more peaceful settlement the emeute that culminated in Wounded Knee and Pine Ridge.
“OKLAHOMA PAYNE” (CAPT. D. L. PAYNE), THE CIMARRON SCOUT.
David L. Payne, known throughout the West as Captain Payne, of the Oklahoma Colony Company, was born in Grant County, Indiana, December 30, 1836. In 1858, with his brother, he started West, intending to engage in the Mormon War, but reached there too late. He settled in Doniphan County, Texas. His commercial pursuits there not resulting in success he turned hunter, and so became thoroughly acquainted with the topography of the great Southwest. Afterward a scout, he was often engaged in that capacity by the Government and by private expeditions. In this way he became acquainted with Kit Carson, Wild Bill, Buffalo Bill, California Joe, General Custer, and others of national reputation.
During the Civil War he served as a private in the Fourth Regiment, which was afterward merged into the Tenth. In the fall of 1864 he was elected to the Kansas Legislature. Upon its adjournment he again enlisted, and his command was detailed for duty at Washington City. His service in the volunteer army covered a period of eight years, his last position being captain of Company H, Nineteenth Kansas Cavalry, from October, 1868, to October, 1869. During these eight years he held the positions of postmaster at Fort Leavenworth, member of the Legislature, and sergeant-at-arms of the Kansas Senate.
