Buffalo Bill performer Wounds-One-Another

[Dietmar]

I got a request from a curator at the Municipal Museum in Brunswick, Germany (Städtisches Museum Braunschweig).
They do have a pair of mocassins in their collections that once belonged to a Buffalo Bill Show Lakota performer by the name of "Wounds-One-Another." On the way from Hannover to Brunswick/Braunschweig, he fell of the train and died and was buried there in July 1890.

In preparation for their new exhibition, they would like to connect, if possible, with any living descendants.

Perhaps we are able to find out more about that individual's family tree, etc. The museum in Braunschweig would be very grateful for any support in getting any additional information on Wounds-One-Another.

[rainerha]

Thank you very much for introducing this subject, Dietmar! It might be helpful to add that Wounds-One-Another had been listed as a Cut Off in the 1887 Queen's Souvenir Album. Although I agree that there are many points that raise questions as to the validity of the pieces of information presented in this source, this is the only possible starting point I am aware of right now. Considering the fact that the Cut Offs were and are basically unknown in Europe - in stark contrast to the other groups mentioned in that source but listed later -, I'm presently inclined to think that there might be some truth to this association. I would greatly appreciate any new piece of information and/or pictures that might help me shed some more light on Wounds-One-Another and his descendants. Thank you!

[Dietmar]

Wounds-One-Another was already with Cody´s troupe on the 1887 tour.

In 1889 he went with Buffalo Bill to Europe again. From a list provided by Tom Cunningham the tour opened in May 1889 in Paris, France and then visited two other French cities. After a short stint in Barcelona, Spain in December 1889, they moved on to several cities in Italy, staying there from January to April 1890.

In June 1890 began their German leg of the tour with performances in Munich, Dresden, Leipzig, Magdeburg. After two weeks in Hanover, they ended their stay on July 14., 1890 and moved to Brunswick to perform there on July 15. This must had been the moment when Wounds-One-Another fell off the train and died.

The cast of Buffalo Bill´s tour was photographed many times during 1889/90. Most pictures I have seen are from France and Italy, a few were taken in Munich. There may be more. So, Wounds-One-Another likely was in one of the pictures, but I haven´t been able to identify him, yet.

[Dietmar]

This article seems to confuse the routes of the train, but it mentions where the accident happened. Vechelde lies west of Brunswick, so between Hanover and Brunswick:

FATALITY TO ONE OF BUFFALO BILL´S INDIANS
[FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT]
BERLIN, THURSDAY.

Whilst Buffalo Bill`s Wild West Show was proceeding by rail from Brunswick to Berlin one of the Indians fell from the train near Vechelde Station.
Half the train passed over the unfortunate fellow and he was killed.

Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales) Friday, 18 July 1890


One local newspaper in Brunswick had already reported on July 15:

"A member of the Buffalo Bill Company was struck by the accident of falling off the train in front of Vechelde and both his legs and one arm were cut off."
The 'Braunschweiger Unterhaltungsblatt' wrote of "a complete crushing" and found out that it was a Sioux Indian.

The next day they wrote."The Indian, who fell from the extra train yesterday, succumbed to his severe injuries. He is buried with great ceremony at the Braunschweig Central Cemetery."

[rainerha]

Wounds-One-Another's accident, treatment in the ducal hospital, and his burial at the city's main cemetery have been covered by almost all newspapers in Braunschweig. These produce little new information on him and his background. This includes what had been registered at the cemetery (here only his name had been recorded but no further information on where he came from, what age he was etc.). Judging from passenger-information provided by Tom Cunningham and Steve Friesen, for which I am very thankful, he should have been 29 years at the time of his accident. Beyond that, a remark in two newspaper clips is interesting: They made curious remarks when reporting on what Rocky Bear said on the occasion of his service: they thought to know that Rocky Boy spoke a "Methodist death prayer" in his native tongue. I have no clue where they had it from, but this is curious as Rocky Bear had reportedly been baptized by Catholic missionaries (Moses 1996:88). Beyond that, I only found out that Wounds-One-Another's grave-site has been reused several times since 1926, and that only his mocassins have survived in the Municipal Museum.

[rainerha]

It’s probably a futile question as the information would likely have been out already. Still, I want to make sure not to miss something: Does anyone out there know whether Prince Bonaparte kept a ledger in which he recorded the names of the individuals of the 1889 Buffalo Bill group of whom he took pictures? I noticed that he had recorded some 1883 Omaha performers' names, but so far, I have not seen any for the individuals he photographed in 1889. The number of the individuals he took pictures of that year was probably too high so that he likely never bothered doing so. Yes, some performers are easily identifiable, but many more are not. Anyway, I am just curious and want to make sure that I’m not missing out on something obvious.

[Dietmar]

Rainer, I think I have seen all photos Prince Bonaparte took of the 1889 performers, but unfortunately without identifications. However, I´m pretty sure there is a list somewhere. Emily Voelker of the University of Carolina has made a fascinating speech at Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody, Wyoming in 2017. She obviously had access to this list:



I know that Emily Voelker is just writing her book “Plains Indian Portraiture in Paris” covering the Bonaparte photographs and I hope it will be published soon.

[rainerha]

Thanks, Dietmar! I'll try to connect with her and ask her. I'll let you know if she has unearthed any names associated with that collection.

[rainerha]

Dietmar, I had a look at Emily Voelker’s really fascinating presentation. Here, it becomes clear that the three volumes in which Prince Bonaparte presents his 1889 Lakota photographs, and which I still didn’t have a chance to look at, actually do include lists naming the sitters. Thanks a lot for bringing that presentation to my attention!

[rainerha]

Just a brief update: Emily Voelker was so kind to inform me that Wounds-One-Another is unfortunately not among the Prince Bonaparte collection sitters. So the search goes on ...

[rainerha]

By a stroke of luck, I have been able to identify „Wounds-one-another“ and his family. A letter by Agent Callagher to Indian Commissioner Morgan (Aug. 13, 1890) identifies his father's name as "Bull Bear." In this letter Gallagher states:

"'No Neck' says 'Wounded one Another' had $108.00 due him at the time of his death. He was also possessed of a number of trinkets and a quantity of clothing which he carried tied up in a bundle, having no trunk. 'Bull Bear' the father of 'Wounds one Another' would like to have the money and property bleonging to his son sent to him here." 

Census records then clarified that he was the son of the Kuhinyan Bull Bear and his wife Cloud from Medicine Root District and that his siblings were Nina / holy stands, John, and Elize / Lizzie. That makes him a member of this important family. Census entries render his name „Shot one another“ and confirm his identity as a showman. As the first entry gives his name as Jackson, I will open a new thread to see whether this will render any results.