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Iron Tail and the Buffalo
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
NOTHER favorite American myth
has been exploded! The In-
dian whose face appears on
the “buffalo nickel” is not
Chef Two Guns White Calf of
the Blackfeet! For many years
such captions as “Face You
Recognize on Buffalo Nickel,”
“You've His Portrait in Your
Pocket,” “You Carry His Pie
ture—Perhaps” and “His Face
Np Is Worth a Fortune in Nick-
" have appeared over pics
tures of him in the newspapers. Innumerable
tourists to park In Montana
have exhibited to friends home a picture
which they took—of “the huffalo nickel Indian.”
In the many trips which Two Guns White Calf
has taken to all of the United States
he has photographed, interviewed, adver
tised and written up as the “Indian whose like-
ness appears on every buffalo nickel” All of
which built up a typical American myth,
And now it turns out that the “buffalo nickel
Indian” isn't Chief Two Guns White Calf. In
the parlance of the day it's “two other fellows”
~—or possibly three!
els!
Glacier National
back
parts
been
has
The authority for that statement is the man
who, if anyone, should know. He is James
Earle Frazer, a famous sculptor (if you vis-
ited the Panama-Pacific exposition in San Fran-
cisco in 1015, perhaps you remember his strik-
ing piece of Indian statuary, (“The End of the
Trail”) whose design for the buffalo nickel was
accepted by officials of the United States Treas-
ury department when plans for issuing that
five-cent plece were made some 15 years ago.
The other day Mr. Frazer wrote a letter to
the office of Indian affairs in the United States
Department of the Interior in which he said
that he had not used Two Guns White Calf as
his model, but that he had used the pro-
files of three other Indians for his design. One
was Chief Iron Tall of the Ogallala Sioux, an-
other was Chief Two Moons of the Northern
Cheyennes and the third was an Indian whose
name he had forgotten. Of course, if you in-
sist upon cherishing the myth you can be-
lieve that the Glacier Park chief is the third
Indian whom Mr. Frazer has forgotten. But
even that's difficult in face of the fact that
the sculptor was quoted as saying he “had
never seen Two Guns White Calf”
But even though this does demolish our “pop-
ular beliefs,” it has its compensations. For one
thing, it makes valid a publicity story put out
by a press agent! “Press agent yarns,” espe
cially those which have to do with the show
business-—the theater, the circus, the movies,
et cetera, are more often than not, of the kind
which’ require more than a grain of salt for
the taking. A generation ago when the late
Col. William F. Cody was “amazing and de-
lighting two continents” with his famous Wild
West show, a part of his personnel was a band
of Ogallala Sioux Indians from the Pine Ridge
reservation In South Dakota. Among them was
a chief (at least he was a chief in the show pro-
gram, whether the Ogaliala looked upon him as
such or not) named Iron Tail. Later Iron
Tail traveled with the combined Buffalo Bill
and Pawnee Bill Wild West shows and still
later in the 101 Ranch show owned by the Miller
Brothers of Oklahoma and Edward Arlington,
Soon after the appearance of the buffalo
nickel some inspired press agent, whose name
is unknown, had a photograph (such as is shown
above) taken of Iron Tail and one of the buf-
faloes carried by the show and gave out the
information that this was “the original Indian
and buffalo on the new buffalo nickel.” Wheth-
er he really knew that Frazer had used Iron
Tail's profile in making his design is also un-
known, Anyway, it was a good story and the
press stuck to it. Bot for some reason the
story didn't “catch on™ with the public. Per-
haps It was dismissed as “just another press
agent yarn," even though there was some ele-
ment of truth in it
In the next few years the Wild West show
yarn about Two Guns being the “original buf-
falo nickel Indian.” And this press agent, who
had no real foundation for hig story, was be
fleved where the other press agent who had
tried to tack that fame on Iron Tall and who
had real Justification for his story wasn't!
Ko the myth grew and grew until this yoar
when James Earle Frazer exploded it.
”,
Chief \ :
% ’ ) N
Two Sa
White Calf
Note: —In many states the third Friday
in September is observed as “American
Indian Day,” an occasion for “recognizing
the contribution of the American Indian
to our national tradition.” The observ.
ance this year comes on September 28
and publication of this article, dealing
with some Indians whose fame has been
imperishably preserved in enduring metal,
is especially appropriate as that date
draws near.
I I Ne Oe ee Bi in. ln il ale ai
But more important than
veracity-—~in one case at least!—of =a press
sgent, is the fact that Frazer's statement re
calls once more the name of a really great In
dian chief, and Americans may well look upon
the buffalo nickel with new interest because
they now know that the Indian profile thereon
bas in It some of the dignity and strength of
the features of Chief Two Moons the
Northern Cheyennes,
establishing the
of
Two Moons rose to a position of importance
among the Cheyennes because of his feats as
& warrior. He was many times wounded in
battle, both with Indians of other tribes and
the whites. Once a Pawnee arrow tore its way
through his flesh; on another occasion he was
shot by a Crow in the Yellowstone country ;
In a fight with American soldiers In Utah he
was shot through the thigh. But he also counted
many coups, on both red men and white. The
opening of the Indian war in 1876 found him
the chief of a band of Cheyennes In the Powder
river country and when the Sioux were Joined
by their allies, the Cheyennes, Two Moons had
Rf conspicuous part in the Battle of the Rose.
bud when Crazy Horse of the Ogallalas defeated
General Crook,
A week later Two Moons and hiz band were
encamped on the Little Big Horn when Custer
and the Seventh cavalry made their fatal at.
tack on the big Indian village strung along that
stream, Two Moons’ account of the battle,
which was taken down by Hamlin Garland and
which appeared in the old McClure's magazine
for September, 1808, Is one of the most graphic
and at the same time one of the most impor
tant (from the Indians’ viewpoint) narratives
of that famous engagement ever written. In
telling of his interview with Two Moons Gar
land writes: “There was something placid and
powerful in the lines of the chief's broad brow
and his gestures were dramatic and noble In
sweep. His extended arm, his musing eyes,
his deep voice combined to express a meditative
solemnity profoundly Impressive. There was
no anger in his voice, and no reminiscent for
ocity. All that was strong and fine and dis
tinctive in the Cheyenne character camé out In
the old man's talk. He seemed the leader and
thoughtful man he really was—patient under
Injustice, courteous even to his enemies”
Two Moons not only participated in the Crook
and Custer battles but ‘also was in another fa-
mous battle—the attack by General Mackenize
on Dull Knife's village that bitter winter night
of 1876 when the power of the Cheyennes was
broken. The next spring Two Moons realized
that the game was up and he led his people to
Fort Keogh, Mont, to surrender to Gen. Nel
son A. Miles. In 1870 he served as & scout
under Lieut. W. P. Clark, in the effort to eatch
the Cheyenne chief, Little Wolf, after his epic
dash from Oklahoma towards freedom In the
north, After the close of the Indian wars, Two
Moons was looked upon as head chief of the
Northern Cheyénnes and he was sealous in lead.
Ing them “in the white man's road” even after
blindness handicapped him In his later years,
The Indian on the buffalo nickel, however, Is
not the only one for which a notable red man
was the model. The other day a statue which
has stood at the foot of Eighteenth street In
Chicago for nearly 40 years was removed from
its stone base and taken to the Chicago His
torical Society building for safekeeping until
its final disposal % determined, So travelers
coming Into the Twelfth street station in Chi
engo over the Iilinols Central or Michigan Cen.
tral will no jonger catch a fleeting glimpse of
the spirited bronze group which once stood
AO oe AR in
4
ve
near the site of the historic Fort Dearborn
Inassacre
representation of one of the
most stirring Incidents in that tragic affair, t
shows Black Partridge, a
tain, saving Mrs, Helm, wife of one of the of
ficers of the Fort
temahawk of a blood-mad
there's an interesting
Indians who were the sculptor as his
models In making this piece of statuary, For
they were none other than Chief Short Bull of
the Brule Sioux, high priest of the Ghost Dance
religion, which came so near to resulting in a
great uprising of the Sioux in 1800.01, and
Chief Kicking Bear of the Miniconjou Sioux,
& fierce warrior who was irreconcilable to dom-
ination by the white man and saw in the Ghost
Dance excitement a chance to rouse his people
against their enemies,
How It happens that these two Indians from
the plains of the Dakotas came to be the models
for & memorial to a tragedy on the shores of
Lake Michigan, is told in a book published in
1883 “The Chicago Massacre of 1512," by Joseph
Kirkland as follows:
“Carl Rohl-Smith, «a Danish sculptor who had
already won distinction in Europe and America
and, who came to Chicago under the strong at-
traction which preparations for the World's
Columbian exposition offered for all artists, won
notice and praise by his statue of Franklin cast
for the entrance of the electrical building. He
was invited to prepare a model for a group
commemorating Fort Dearborn mafkacre
of 1812
“Mr. Rohl-Smith set himself to work with ut-
most diligence, Fortune favored him: for there
happened to be just then some Indians of the
most untamed sort at Fort Sheridan (only a
few miles away) in charge of the garrison as
prisoners of war, they having been captured
in the Pine Ridge district wheréof the affair
of Wounded Knee was the chief event. By
General Miles’ permission Mr. Rohl-Smith was
allowed to select two of these red men to stand
as models for the principal savage figures In
the group. The two best adapted were Kicking
ear and Short Bull,
“Concerning them Mr. Rohl-Smith says 'Kick-
ing Bear is the best specimen of physical man-
hood 1 have ever critically examined, He is a
wonderful man and seems to enjoy the novelty
of posing besides evidently having a clear un-
derstanding of the use to which his figure will
be put. The assailant of Mrs. Helm, the one
with the uplifted tomahawk (Short Bull) fills
the historical idea that the assailant was a
young Indian, naturally one who would not be
as fully developed as the vigorous, manly Black
Partridge. The presence of these Indians has
been of great value to me in producing the fig.
ures. 1 have been enabled to bring out some
of their characteristics not otherwise possible.”
“The savages were accompanied by an Inter.
preter and the newspaper of the day gave some
amusing accounts of their demeanor in the stu-
dio—thelir mixture of docility and self-assertive-
fhe group is a
‘ottnwatomie chief
Dearborn garrison, from the
young brave, And
story connected with the
ised by
the
war paint, earried a string of six scalps) was
much amused at the fact that he was assigned
the more humane part. “Me, good 1
cried “Him, bad Injun” And he
at the jest”
its counterpart in the
the model for the Indians in the
Massacre monument statue,
bronge endures Short Bull, who wat a vision
ary, a dreamer, a man of peace who did not
desire war with the whites, will continue to
threaten the life of a woman of the white race.
And the figure of Kicking Bear, a warrior, a
hater of the white man and a leader who
to use religious frenzy to stir up his people
against the whites, will continue to hold out a
restraining hand to save a white woman's life!
(B® by Western Newspaper Unio.
Wita the back-to-thecity
" ment, wh
ich soon will be bring
2
fashiondo
rt
a
HE
=
od
* dress or Jacket
Dew travel prints
“eity prix
suit made of
(some call
the
is”) which do not wrinkle or
'
{to fonkineg®
Aesel = X 2
gee. And = they trig 21
They are |
An opportunity to look dressed at one's
smariest during the daytime bours
The colors of these handsome travel
prints are planned for service at the
same time that they reflect the rich
autumnal tones and tints which fas
They are expressed
in terms of gay plaids, checks, novelty
strips and tweedlike effects which are
typical of the fall mode.
Almost without exception every one
piece dress has its own jacket. Then.
too, they are tailored in a town way
and this adds to their swank. Cun-
ning Jetalls mark their styling. such
88 a tricolor sear? collar or a bolero
ACCESSORIES ADD
LIFE TO COSTUMES
Out-of-door costumes for early fall
are deemed very fashionable when in
white with pastel nccessories. The
soft pink and blue tones In suit or
frock conversely are accented by white
gloves, bags, hats and shoes.
Smarter and newer is the duet of
Summer green with the coloriess or
waite ensemble, an alliance enhanced
by the sports shoe of brown and white,
One alluring outfit blessed with several
sets of accessories is perhaps the most
satisfactory way of varying a limited
wardrobe,
Whosoever has chosen white acces.
sories for the pink or blue costume,
may add to this by the green or yel-
low frock or suit without much ex.
penditure. For these two colors loom
Inrge on the midsummer color horizon,
Black also is a happy thought in ac
cessories for yellow, as is brown, pro
vided the latter Is suited to the com.
plexion,
New Millinery Styles
to Influence Hairdress
With the dawn of a new era for
millinery, comes now the question of
hair arrangement which shall effect a
nice harmony with the quaint little
tilted brims which are making their
debut for midseason and fall,
Coverings, as these little hats of
second empire influence do, the right
of the head, revealing the hair at the
left, also showing it at the back, be
mousseline collar and
white kid and gauntlet gloves
is possible to get these prints
may desire, the
checks and intermingled
effects being worked out to
tones of
as modest tone? as one
and plaids
4 hicely
in prevailing red, brown,
green, rast, navy or black.
Of course, nifty
travel silk prints will be topped off
with chapeanx waich announce a revo
iutionary change in the millinery pro
gram, in that the new hats are small
and are worn with a roguish tip-tiit
over-the-eye manner which is proving
most interesting and becoming,
1531. Western Newspaper {slon y
these costumes of
(®
Sandals for Children
The wee moderns come into the
fashion spotlight with these three-tone
kid sandals in fochia, blue and pink.
with a pink kid back strap. They have
a square toe and medium belght beel,
Just like the grownup ones. This san-
day is worn with crepe pajamas in
pink, with long trailing ohiffon ruffles
set on below the kvee
CHERIE NICHOLAS.
Designers Take Stand
for Two-Piece Dress
Designers have taken a bold stand
favor of the two-piece dress, the
darling of fashion a few seasons ago.
two-piece bas even invaded the
field at the same time that the
obstacle to a woman's getting
dressed To SChuduin Hin. slong with
|
tradictions of sorts.