1898 Delegations
President:
William McKinley (3/1897-9/1901)
Commissioner of Indian Affairs:
William Arthur Jones (1897-1904)
Jan. 10, 1898: Evening Star: [Choctaw, Seminole]
[Burning alive of two Seminole youths]
…Indian Commissioner Jones immediately telegraphed to Indian Agent wisdom for full particulars of the affair.
Shortly after the telegram was sent off Governor John F. Brown of the Seminole nation, accompanied by Thomas McGeisey and K. N. Kinkehe, visited the commissioner for the purpose of discussing the pending treaty, and asked that he obtain an audience with the Secretary of the Interior for the purpose of discussing affairs in the territory. N. B. Ainsworth and Wesley Anderson from the Choctaw tribe also called, and accompanied by Commissioner Jones, both delegations visited the Interior Department and had a conference with Secretary Bliss.
Jan. 31, 1898: Minneapolis Journal: [Dakota: Brule]
The Sioux delegation had a conference with Indian Commissioner James to-day. The talk was, more or less informal and all matters pertaining to the transfer of the lower Brules to the Rosebud delegation were discussed. The Rosebuds insisted that they should receive $1.25 per acre instead of $1 as proposed. The Brules want a division of the tribal funds so that they may be paid their annuities at the new agency. Another conference will be held in a day or two and a conference will also be held with the secretary after some agreement has been reached by the commissioner. –J. S. Van Antwerp
Feb. 1, 1898: Evening Star: [Dakota]
A Delegation of Sioux.
Robert Hakewaste, chief of the Nebraska Sioux Indians; James Oyemaza, Dr. Eastman and Rev. Mr. Eastman, all full-blooded Sioux Indians, called on the President this morning. Chief Hakewaste is getting fat and would not be able to easily ride a pony of his tribe should ever they go to war. He does not dream in the fantastic costume worn by some of the Indians who come to Washington, but appears ill at ease in civilized garments. He has found the great advantage of trousers pockets on cold days, however, and this morning kept his hands well down in their depths while walking through the White House grounds.
Dr. Eastman is the best known of the Nebraska tribe. He has lived in Washington some time. Prior to 1862 the Nebraska tribe of the Sioux was drawing from the government the interest on $1,000,000 set aside in payment of some property. After the Minnesota massacre in 1862 the government ceased paying this interest and has never resumed, probably because the Indians violated a treaty in rising and massacring the whites. Dr. Eastman and others of the tribe have been at work for a good while to get what they claim is due them, and will continue to work until some disposition is made on way or another. They say that the government punished those engaged in the massacre, hanging some and imprisoning others. This, they claim, was sufficient punishment without taking away the money rights of the Indians.
Feb. 10, 1898: Minneapolis Journal: [Dakota: Brule]
The Brules—The Lower Brule and Rosebud Indian delegation had final conference with Indian Commissioner Jones to-day. They asked for an accounting of the tribal funds, for prompter delivery of clothing and urged the commissioner to try and give them better buildings than there were now on the reservation. The delegation will see Secretary Bliss and the president to-morrow and will leave for home Saturday.
Feb. 11, 1898: Evening Star: [Dakota: Brule]
President McKinley had an unusual delegation to visit him this morning. It was a body of Sioux Indians, half of them dressed in the fantastic clothing and wearing the moccasins of their native homes. The delegation represents two different tribes of the Sioux—The Lower Brules and the Rosebuds. Secretary Bliss introduced the red men to the Great Father, as they speak of the President, and the greeting he gave each man was responded to with a great grunt of satisfaction by the dark-skinned recipient. The Indians simply wanted to shake the hand of the President and had no complaint to make. The Rosebud Indians consisted of Chief Two Strike, Swift Bear, Hollow-horn Bear, Black Wolf, Good Voice, Sky Bull, Reubin Quick Bear and he Dog. With them were C. E. McChesney, agent, and Charles Tackett, interpreter. The lower Brules were Chief Big Mare, Louis Dewitt, Swift Hawk, Black Elk and John Desmet. Their agent, B. C. Ash, and interpreter, Alex. Rencontre, were with them.
The representatives of the two tribes have been here some time. Some of the Brules want to settle on the rosebud reservation and want the assent of the government. After they receive this approval, however, they must return home, and each tribe gave its assent by a two-thirds vote. The Indians enjoy these visits to Washington. They are placed in boarding houses on 2d and 3d streets, near the Capitol. Their board is paid by the government out of funds belonging to the tribes. The full-blooded Indians are great meat eaters, although they are beginning to acquire a taste for vegetables. The Indians like beef, well cooked. They won’t eat beef which shows signs of being rare.
Feb. 14, 1898: Minneapolis Journal: [Dakota: Brule]
The Indians—the Rosebud and Lower Brule Indian delegation, accompanied by Agents Ash and McChesney, left for home to[day. They will report the result of the conference with Indian Commissioner Jones and will undoubtedly secure the signature of three-fourths of both tribes to the agreement for the transfer of the Brules to the Rosebud reservation. Inspector McLaughlin, who is acting for the Indian office will leave here to-morrow.
March 19, 1898: Sault Ste. Marie News: [Dakota: Sisseton]
A Sioux delegation from the Sisseton reservation has gone to Washington to urge the payment of $640,000 as damages for an alleged error in surveying the reservation.
March 29, 1898: Evening Star: [Arapaho, Caddo, Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw,
Chippewa, Dakota: Sissteon, Delaware, Miami, Omaha,
Osage, Oto, Seneca, Tuscarora; unid.]
Here on Business
Several Delegations of Indians Visiting the Capital.
Many In The Old Costume
Some of the Things They Are Asking From Government.
Famous Warriors.
At no time, in recent years at least, have there been so many Indians in Washington. There are so many here that this fact is talked of not only by strangers, but by residents of the city. They can be seen any cay on the avenue or up at the Capitol, which they haunt as regularly as did any of the old-time lobbyists. A party of them, numbering fifteen or twenty, can be seen nearly every day passing the Peace monument shortly before noon on their way up to the Capitol. They are as punctual as the opening of the sessions of Congress themselves.
It was states to a Star reporter that there are now between 125 and 150 of the red men in the city. While, as usual, the headquarters of many of them are down on 2d street above the avenue, others are scattered about various sections of the city. Some of them are sufficiently Americanized to wear black store clothes and black slouch hats, with boiled shirts; but a number of them appear in full regalia of an uncivilized or partially uncivilized Indian. These are robed principally in red blankets, with moccasins and deerskin leggings, and attract no little attention as they walk along the street.
There are the following tribes represented here at present: Senecas, Cherokees, Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Seminoles, Chippewas, Caddos, Ottoes, Delawares, Osages, Arapahoes, Omahas, Tuscaroras, Miamia, Sissteons and one or two others. Among these are several chiefs, who have gained reputations through personal deeds of valor and by other actions which have made them distinct from their fellows. One of the most noted of the red men in America has just left Washington, after a stay here of some little time. This was Oquanah [sic] Parker, who was with the notorious Geronimo, but who has now become a “good Injun”—apparently so, at least.
Here on Business.
Nearly all of the Indians who are here at present have come to the capital on business. Some of the tribes which the delegations represent have grievances against the agents; others are working to defeat bills in Congress which they regard as inimical to their interests. All have matters which take them to the Capitol or the office of of the commissioner of Indian affairs. They enjoy their visits here, however, according to their own declarations, and manage to combine business with pleasure.
One of the most impressive looking delegations here now, and one of the largest, is that of the Arapahoes, from Oklahoma territory. They number fifteen or eighteen braves, many of whom appear in their aboriginal finery. There are two big chiefs in this delegation, which has its headquarters on 2d street just above Pennsylvaia avenue. They are Wan Shue and Wa-Tan-ga-a, or in English, “Black Coyote”. The latter is a well-known warrior and is a fine-looking brave of forty-five or fifty years of age. He speaks little English and wears an attractive costume which savors greatly of the wild west being decorated with quills, beads and other objects which delight the taste of the red man. Black Coyote also wears a large silver medal the size of a small saucer. This hangs dangling from a cord in front on his breast. It is nearly half an inch thick and bears on one side the portrait of ex-President Harrison with the name of the chief. It was presented Black Coyote in recognition of faithful services performed by that chief as chief of police of the Oklahoma territory. He held that position for several years and finally gave it up, having had some trouble with the agent. An effort was made to have the chief take the position again, but he refused to do so, his feelings having been too greatly injured by the agent.
Has Many Scars.
The chief bears on his person more than seventy scars, some of which were legitimate wounds, but the majority of which were self-inflicted. Black Coyote is exceedingly superstitious. At one time several of his children died in quick succession. As it the habit of the Indians in such cases, the chief fasted four days, in order to give the spirits an opportunity to tell him what to do in order to avert the calamity which had overtaken him. While he was lying on his couch he heard the voice like the howl of a wolf or the barking of a dog, and this voice, he thought, told him, in order to keep more of his children from dying, to cut seventy pieces of skin from his body. Immediately Black Coyote started to put the charm into execution. He first began with seven strips of skin, which were removed from his breast, the services of an assistant being required. The operation was performed by sticking a bradall into the skin, raising it up and then slicing the epidermis. This apparently had no effect, and the remaining sixty-three strips were removed. The chief showed the visitor how manfully he stood the operation, bracing himself firmly and allowing no expression to come over his features. When the whole seventy pieces were removed the spirits appeared to have been appeased, as no more sickness was had in the family. The chief’s face is serried with the wounds. His arms and breast are covered with them.
Black Coyote is one of the most celebrated ghost dancers among the Indians and is second in this respect only to Sitting Bull, another Arapahoe, who recently left Washington. This Sitting Bull is not the same as the Sioux warrior, being of a different type. Black Coyote is exceedingly politic and is fond of cigars. No opportunity was given him to find out whether he was equally as fond of fire water or not.
Waushee, a fellow tribesman of Black Coyote, is a most intelligent Indian. He speaks English fluently, and it was through his kindness the reporter was introduced to the other chief. The business which brings the delegation here is some matter to be decided by the indian commissioner. The members call to see the commissioner nearly every day before noon at his office, on F street.
Cherokee Delegation.
The Cherokee delegation here contains eight members of that tribe from the Indian territory, headed by Captain W. A. Duncan of Tahlequah of the Nation. The delegates are as follows:
Walking Stick, Faulkner, Tehee, Red Bird, Skawua Menus, lacey Hawkins, and Joe Le Hay. A. A. Ivey, a Cherokee, but not a full-blooded one, is also here pushing through some claims of his nation. He is a lawyer at Tahlequah and ran a paper in the Indian territory.
Of the Cherokees Red Bird is probably the most important. He is at the head of an organization in the Indian territory, known as the [Ketoo?] Wah Society. Only full-blooded Cherokees can belong to this.
“It is an Indian Tammany Hall,” Mr. Ivey told the reporter. “Its object is to promote the political organization and preserve the Cherokee Nation.”
So Red Bird is accounted a most prominent leader among his own people. He dresses like a citizen of the United States, but is not very fluent in his English. He is apparently most intelligent, and his manners to a visitor could not be bettered.
The presence of the Cherokee delegation here is to fight the Curtis bill, which is now pending in Congress. Representative Curtis is from Kansas. The bill which he proposes to have passed Captain Duncan, who is t the head of the delegation, thinks will be against all the interests of the Cherokee Nation. Captain Duncan explained to the reporter that the land which the Cherokees own in the Indian territory was bought by them from the United States and is their own. At present there are about 5,500,000 acres. There are about 30,000 Cherokees. Captain Duncan says that if the bill is passed it will take away whatever rights the Indians have now and will have the effect of making them an extinct race in a short time.
The bill, as explained by Captain Duncan, calls for the allotment of the land owned by the Cherokees, which he declares is not right and proper. The idea exists, he says, that there is monopoly among the Indians, which is not the case. The bill would have the effect of dividing the land equally among the Cherokees. While it is owned by them all equally at present, Captain Duncan says, some occupy more than others, and this fact has led people to believe erroneously that monopolies exist.
“Our land is held on the Harry George principle,” Capt. Duncan said, “and we look upon the idea of an allotment as being entirely wrong. We have no paupers now in our country, but it is an assured fact that if the land is equally divided there would be as many in proportion as there are among the whites. I seldom go on the streets here of Washington that some beggar does not strike me for a nickel. Such a thing does not exist among us. Then, again, the bill could segregate the mineral lands from the rest of the territory owned by us. This would go into the hands of speculators, with the consequence that we would lose it all and have nothing to show for it. According to the land in 1838, they have absolute control of it, to do with it what they choose. The bill provides still further for the setting aside of lands for churches and schools. This is u-American on the face of it. In my opinion the whole bill is to complete the extinction of the Cherokee race. Representative Curtis, the author of the bill, while half Indian himself, is doing all he can to injure his own people.”
Capt. Duncan is one-fourth Cherokee, his grandfather having been a Scotchman and his wife a Cherokee woman. He is a most intelligent man, and is keenly alive to what he regards the best interests of the Cherokees.
Mr. Ivey says that if the bill should pass it would completely do away with the self government of the Cherokees. They have their own government at present. Their territory is under the jurisdiction of a governor. There is a senate and lower house. If this government should be annihilated both Mr. Ivey and Capt. Duncan think that the Indians would come directly under the civil laws of the United States, which would not be best for them in any way.
March 31, 1898: Evening Star: [Arapaho, Seneca]
Big Chiefs Photographed.
Waushee, the Arapaho chief, mentioned in The Star of Tuesday, was up in the bureau of ethnology yesterday. He was one of the Indians who investigated and made a report to the government officials concerning the use of the peyote by the Indians in their ceremonials. According to his statement, he did not regard its use as best. Sitting Bull, another Arapahoe, had spoken favorably in regard to the matter.
Andrew John, a delegate from the Seneca nation of New York, who is here in the interest of a bill in Congress, was photographed with Waushee at the bureau yesterday. Full face and profile likenesses were taken, so that the types of the different tribes can be preserved by the bureau. This is a continuance of the work begun under the auspices of the bureau. The matter of preserving the speech of the various tribes of Indians, by bringing into requisition the graphophone, is a comparatively new thing. It is the intention of Prof. Mooney to later make a trip through the southwestern section of the country to record languages on the graphophone.
April 5, 1898: Evening Star: [Arapaho]
Amusements.
“Indian Night”
Will be repeated April 6 at 9 p.m. at Mrs. A. L. barber’s residence, “Belmont.” Mrs. [sic; Mr.] James Mooney will also introduce a delegation of Arapahoe Indians, who will sing the “Ghost Dance Songs.”
Ticket, 50c. For sale at Mrs. Barber’s residence and at Sanders & Staymen’s, 1327 F St.
April 7, 1898: Minneapolis Journal: [Chippewa]
Indians in Washington
A Party of Mille Lacs Call on Several Officials With Mr. Morris.
Special to The Journal.
Washington, April 7.—The Mille Lacs Indian delegation, accompanied by Representative Morris, called on Indian commissioner Jones to-day with reference to a resolution providing for patenting lands to settlers on their reservation. The Indians desire, if possible, to secure some assurances from the government that they will be paid for improvements placed on their lands, and also to secure reservation of burial grounds. The commissioner asked that these matters be submitted in writing and he would answer in a short time. The delegation will call on Secretary Bliss to-morrow in company with Judge Morris.
April 8, 1898: Minneapolis Journal: [Chippewa]
Special to The Journal.
Washington, April [8?]. –Representative Morris to-day introduced the Mille Lacs Indian delegation to Acting Secretary Ryan. The delegation made the same statement as to their wants to Judge Ryan that they made to Indian Commissioner Jones yesterday. Ryan promised to give the matter consideration. The Indian office has secured authority to send the three Leech Lake Indians, who have been here for the past two weeks, back to the reservation. They will leave Washington to-night.
April 11, 1898: Aberdeen Daily News [Aberdeen, S.D.]: [Chippewa]
Mille Lacs Indian Delegation Will Not Oppose the Morris Resolution.
Washington, April 11.—The Mille Lacs Indian delegation had a conference wiyth Representatives Morris and Eddy with reference to their claims in connection with the opening of the Mille Lacs reservation for settlement. They discussed the matters for some time and an agreement was finally reached that Morris and Eddy should press an amendment to the former’s resolution, providing that the Indian burial grounds should be reserved from entry and that the bodies of the Indians interred in places other than the main burial plot should not be removed to the reserved lands.
It was decided, upon suggestion of Assistant Secretary Ryan, of the interior department, at the conference, that the improvements on the reservation shall be appraised by a special agent of the department and that an effort will be made at the next session to secure an appropriation to reimburse the Indians for these improvements. With this understanding the Indians agreed to withdraw their opposition to the Morris resolution.
Nov. 21, 1898: Evening Star: [Ute]
Indians See the President.
Five Ute Indians, from the reservation in Utah, accompanied by Agent Myton, called at the White House today to shake the hand of the President, who is to them the “Great Father.” Sauce-a-Knock-It is one of the chiefs of the tribe. The others were Happy Jack, David Copperfield, Tim Johnson and Charlie Mack. Tim Johnson wore the coat of a captain of the United States army. The coat was given to him by an army officer. He is intensely proud of the shoulder straps and repeatedly looks at his shoulders to see if the straps are there.
Nov. 27, 1898: Boston Journal: [Ute]
Ute Indians.
Delegation Which visited Washington Carries Home a Number of New Privileges.
Washington, Nov. 26.—The Uintah Ute Indian delegation, which has been here in conference with Secretary Bliss over reservation matters, left for home to-night. The delegates held a last talk with the Indian Commissioner today and he assured them of the Government’s intentions to protect their best interests
They were anxious to carry back with them their new Gilsonite [sic] land lease with the Secretary’s approval, but went away feeling satisfied of the favorable action of the department. They also inquired as to their rights to hunt in Jackson’s Hole and elsewhere, and had explained to them the legal restrictions to their time-honored privileges along that line.
Nov. 29, 1898: Evening Star: [Arapaho, Cheyenne]
Chiefs From Oklahoma
A Delegation of Cheyennes and Arapahoes in the City.
A delegation of Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians from Oklahoma territory, who are here on business before the Indian bureau, visited the up-town departments this morning and paid their respects to Major General Miles, Secretaries Hay and Aiger and Assistant Secretary Allen. There were about twenty chiefs in the party.
Dec. 1, 1898: Evening Star: [Arapaho, Cheyenne]
Protests of the Indians.
The large delegation of Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians who have been here some days had a long conference behind closed doors with Commissioner Jones late yesterday afternoon. They made a protest against the Indian agent in charge of the reservation, protesting, among other things, against his making them live on their allotments and his methods of issuing rations and other enforcements of the rules and policy of the agency. Though agreeing to consider the statements made, the officials are inclined to sustain the agent as acting in the best interests of the Indians.
Dec. 21, 1898: Minneapolis Journal: [Chippewa]
Asks Uncle Sam to Pay
R. R Odell presents a claim.
The Indian Delegation he Took to Washington Incurred Bills Still Unpaid.
R. R. Odell to-day forwarded to Washington a bunch of depositions and exhibits that will arouse some smiles in the offices of the department of the interior if it does nothing else. The object of the bunch is to collect $392.02 to pay for the transportation to and from Washington of a delegation of Leech lake Indians who visited the capital last March under the chaperonage of Mr. Odell. The department of the interior per Jones refused to honor the bill when originally presented and Mr. Odell now makes this second attempt in ponderous form.
The second paragraph of Odell’s personal deposition sets forth that through the kindness shown to the deponent’s sons by William Bonga and certain leech Lake Indians in 1895, the deponent became acquainted with Bonga and, filled with a desire to ameliorate the condition of the poor redman. Out of this feeling grew the above-mentioned trip to Washington with the Indian delegation, which consisted of Head Chief Flat Mouth, Chief Ne-Sar-dar-Wence, james Fisher and William Bonga, interpreters. The delegation arrived in Washington March 23, and entered into negotiations with Indian Commissioner Jones, which were abruptly terminated March 29 by a statement from Jones in the public press that the delegation was off the reservation without his consent. Jones claimed that he had telegraphed the delegation at St. paul not to come to Washington. Odell swears that he in vain tried to explain that his delegation was another one, which had been elected some eight days after the other delegation had been warned back. Jones couldn’t hear him.
In the concluding paragraphs of the Odell deposition are found the following candid statements:
I ask nothing for myself, but these innocent parties (the [S…] Northern Pacific and Brainard & Northern railroad(s) should not suffer for any mistakes; the mistakes of the commissioner of Indian affairs or the mistake of the poor Indian in trying to get something for himself.
Deponent doth solemnly swear that he verily believes that in the foregoing statement can be found some little reason for the distressing massacre of innocent white men at Leech lake, because he verily believes the commissioner of Indian affairs got another delegation mixed with the one in question.
Besides declaring himself “innocent of any wrong or disposition to meddle with the affairs of the honorable commissioner of Indian affairs,” and asserting that he is sorry he tried to help the poor Indians if in doing so he violated any rules of the department. Mr. Odell asserts the good intentions of the railroads in advancing him the transportation in the faith that the government would reimburse them.