1891, March - Buffalo Bill Cody, after having denied any mistreatment of his Native American show performers, and tho there is supposedly a ban on "Show Indians" joining the Wild West circuit, Cody went to Washington "endeavoring to secure permission of the Indian bureau to take a number of Indians from the reservations to accompany his Wild West show to Germany." He was also trying to push a legislative bill that would allow Indians to decide on their own whether they wanted to join one of the Wild West shows, or remain on their reservations. It was presented that putting these Indians to work "would educate the Indian in the right direction, and be one means of permanently settling the Indian problem." Of course, there was no mention of the Native performers and their rights to be be fed untainted meat, not be be beaten and not to be abandoned at various cities around the world. - Source: 1891, March 12 The Kansas City Gazette
March 6 - Secretary of the Interior granted permission for Buffalo Bill "to engage all the Indians he wants for his Wild West show, from the Sioux reservation." It was determined that Buffalo Bill did not demoralize the Indians. (How this was determined, I am not sure, since I can not locate where an actual investigation was made. )
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| 1891, March 14 The Weekly Courier |
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| 1891, April 1 The Abbeville Press and Banner |
1891, March 27th - "Major Burke, of Buffalo Bill's Indian Show outfit, left Pine Ridge with about 50 Sioux bucks and braves for his European tour, to be absent one year. It is to be regretted that the Major could not have taken 500 or more, as their absence would be a great relief to many here. The bucks were all rigged up in their full dress toggery of blankets trimmed in gay colored ribbons and beaded, feathers, and pipes in profusion. I believe a few squaws and little papooses will accompany the outfit. Quite a large crowd of Indians collected to see their "chums" off and bid them farewell, while the old squaws did their part in chanting, weeping, wailing, crying and howling, mostly howling, and prolonged as long as appreciated and even longer."
1891, April 29: Herbert Welsh writes to the New York Evening Post: "A Wild West show under the management of Mr Cody (Buffalo Bill) has just gone to Europe, taking with it a number of Sioux Indians, by permission of the government. These Indians number sixty-four, twenty-three of whom were prisoners of war from Camp Sheridan, near Chicago, and the remainder were, it is understood, from Pine Ridge.
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| 1891, April 29 Democrat and Chronicle |
This case, as the friends of the Indians see it, may be briefly summed up as follows: The government should not make contracts for the employment of Indians for Wild West shows, since it has accepted the duty of educating and civilizing them. Such exhibitions accomplish the reverse of civilization."
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| 1891, May 2 Richmond Dispatch |
1891, May 2 - Buffalo Bill's Indians
"Buffalo Bill" is announcing himself to the potentates of Europe as the savior of our country during the recent Indian outbreak. In his circular heralding the coming of the "Great Wild West," "Buffalo Bill" stated that he was connected with the United States Army, and that in order to save the country from the ferocity of the uprising Indians it was necessary for him to go into the field and assume command of his regiment.
Another interesting announcement appeared in a London paper. "I am coming," it said "with fifty of the worst Indians who had been engaged in the Wounded Knee fight."
It is in connection with this flaring announcement that "Buffalo Bill" relates his wonderful and thrilling exploits in subduing the refractory wards of the Government. The Indians alluded to in "Buffalo Bill's" circular are the twenty-six prisoners who took part in the uprising and who were afterwards imprisoned at Camp Sheridan, near Chicago. Besides these prisoners of war who were permitted by the Harrison Administration to accompany "Buffalo Bill" on the junketing exhibition through Europe, the show this year consists of forty-one other Indians, who, it is understood, were obtained at the Pine Ridge Agency, despite the protest that was made by the missionaries among the Sioux. Powerful influence was brought to bear, and even Secretary Blaine gave Mr. Cody and his show a clear bill of character, and this letter or recommendation was chiefly instrumental in moving Secretary Noble to reconsider his determination not to permit the Indians again to accompany "Buffalo Bill" on his European tour." - Source 1891, May 2 Richmond Dispatch
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| 1891, May 23 The American Settler |
