The Oglala Sioux Tribe was misled by the sellers of a rifle that they claimed was the last gun owned (above) by Crazy Horse. And the supposed Derringer pistol (right) that shot Crazy Horse, a gun said to have been owned by Bad Heart Bull and loaned to No Water. PINE RIDGE — The Oglala Sioux Tribe was misled by the sellers of a rifle that they claimed was the last gun owned by Crazy Horse.

In May of 2016 the Oglala Sioux Tribe made every effort to the prevent the sale of hundreds of items held sacred by Lakota people, as well as the Pueblo of Acoma, by the Eve Auction House in Paris, France. Oglala Sioux Tribal President John Yellowbird Steele even wrote a letter addressed to United States Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell, Secretary of State John Kerry, and United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch asking the federal government to step in on behalf of the tribe in attempt to prevent the sale.

Those efforts failed however as bidders paid tens of thousands of dollars for items including a 100 year-old shirt worn by a Lakota warrior.

So when the word came of an opportunity for the Oglala to purchase a rifle that was touted as the last gun that Crazy Horse ever owned they jumped at it.

The tribe would spend approximately $75,000 for the rifle and two other guns. Each gun purchased was supposed supposedly connected to a historic Lakota figure. One pistol was labeled as a pistol owned by Bad Heart Bull that he loaned to No Water and another rifle that sellers said belonged to Dull Knife.

The rifle would sit in the tribe’s hand for some time before current OST Treasurer Mason Big Crow thought to have the weapon appraised.

The appraisal would tell a different story and deliver the news that it these guns were not connected Crazy Horse and that they were not worth the large sum of cash that was paid for them.

“It took a long time for the appraisal to come back,” said OST Treasurer Mason Big Crow. “It was hard to find someone that could provide an accurate appraisal,” he added.

The appraisal report came back last Monday and found that there was no evidence that connected the weapons were modified and that the “claim that this weapon was Crazy Horse’s last gun is false”. The appraiser found that the rifle had an altered serial number and that there was no evidence presented that could verify the claim of it being fired or owned by Crazy Horse.

“When the report came back we notified the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s office who told us that they would begin looking in to the matter,” said Big Crow.

He would add that he believed the tribe was defrauded. The purchase had been made by the previous OST administration without the approval of the tribal council.

(Contact Brandon Ecoffey at editor@lakotacountrytimes.com)