History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 12

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146

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One of the offers of General Miles was that the civilian or political Indian agents would be removed, and men experienced in Indian affairs would be appointed in their places. They were promised that Capt. J. H. Hurst would be made agent at Cheyenne River, Capt. J. W. Lee at Rosebud, and Capt. F. C. Pierce at Pine Ridge. The latter was soon relieved by Capt. C. G. Henney. After the surrender of the main body about twenty of the leaders, Vol. III-6

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

among whom were Kicking Bear and Short Bull, were sent as hostages to Fort Sheridan near Chicago until all danger of further hostility should be over. Among the leaders who surrendered were Little Wound, Little Hawk, Crow Dog, Old Calico, Lance, High Hawk and Eagle' Pipe. On January 30, 1891, the Dakota Indians in the state numbered 19,068, among whom were 1,356 males and 1,467 females at Cheyenne River Agency; 1,003 males and I,IOI females at Lower Brule Agency; 2,675 males and 2,858 females at Pine Ridge Agency ; 2,646 males and 2,735 females at Yankton Agency; 767 males and 755 females at Sisseton Agency. The others were at Crow Creek and Rosebud agencies.

Since 1891 the events in Indian affairs have been comparatively few, scat- tered and unimportant. In the spring of 1891, 568 settlers who had been evicted from Crow Creek Reservation by President Cleveland, petitioned to have their claims allowed. The amount claimed was over two hundred and five thousand dollars.

In the early nineties the Pine Ridge Indians who had been friendly to the Government during the war of 1890 and had remained its steadfast friends ever since, found much fault because they were not treated as well as those who had been hostile or stubborn during the Messiah craze. They declared, in effect, that hostiles received better treatment from the Government than the friendlies did. But they were soon pacified.

In April, 1892, the Sisseton Indians, having taken out their allotments, signi- fied their wish to have their reservation on Lake Traverse and Lake Kampeska thrown open to settlement. About this time the plan to enlist Indians in the regular army was formulated. In July, 1892, Senator Pettigrew's bill in Con- gress provided that the Fort Randall military reservation lands should be wholly devoted to school purposes. There were about ninety-six thousand acres thus turned over to education.

The admission of South Dakota to the Union threw a flood of light on the management of Indian affairs in this state. Numerous errors and mistakes in management were promptly corrected and in a short time the Indian schools were both efficient and well managed. The rights of the Indians were better protected than ever before. Senator Pettigrew was active in this work and deserves much credit for the excellent results which followed. In October, 1892, he delivered a strong address on citizenship to the Indians at Sisseton.

Soon after this date the Dakotas of this state were located on nine reserva- tion agencies and four citizen communities as follows: The citizen communities were Sissetons in Roberts and Marshall counties, Yanktons in Charles Mix County, and the Santees at Flandreau and Minnesota River. The nine reserva- tions contained the following: Santees in Knox County; Brules at Rosebud Agency; Oglalas and a portion of the Minneconjous at Pine Ridge; Lower Brules at Lower Brule Agency, also Yanktonais at Crow Creek; Minneconjous, Two Kettles and Sans Arcs at Cheyenne River; Blackfeet and Uncapapas at Standing Rock; Upper Yanktonais and Sans Arcs also at Standing Rock. There were good and prosperous Indian schools at Flandreau, Chamberlain, Pierre and Rapid City and prosperous elementary schools throughout the reservations. There were also denominational schools conducted by the Catholics, Congre- gationalists, Episcopalians and Presbyterians.

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

The buildings put up at the Lower Brule Agency were extensive and excel- lent. Over forty thousand dollars was spent on the buildings alone. It required 1,000 wagonloads of lumber for their construction. The Pine Ridge Indian church convention was a notable affair in Indian circles in September, 1893. The Indian appropriation bill of August, 1894, provided for the surrender of 168,000 acres on the Yankton Indian Reservation to settlement upon proclama- tion of the President. There were twenty townships the most of which were to be thrown open. This reservation dated back to 1859, before which date the Sioux Indians had owned all of South Dakota south of the 45th parallel of latitude and east of the Missouri River.

During the congressional session of 1893-94 Congressman Linton delivered in the House a speech of unusual power in opposition to the continuance and establishment of Catholic and other religious schools among the Indians. Over five million copies of this speech were circulated all over the country. Seven carloads of paper and wrappers were consumed. He showed in his speech both the benefits and objections to the denominational schools among the Indian tribes. The wide demand for the speech showed a strong undercurrent of opinion throughout the country against the continuance and effects of such educational institutions.

In September, 1894, upon request of the Indians and settlers, the name Forest River Agency was changed back to Cheyenne River Agency as it had formerly been. It was announced late in 1894 that the Yankton Indian Reser- vation would be duly opened for settlement early the following year. The Indians had taken their allotments and the remainder of the land had been surrendered. On May 21st the opening occurred. There was a rush of settlers, but not as great as had been expected. The land was partly in Charles Mix and partly in Douglas County.

In April, 1898, the Rosebud Reservation was swept by the most destructive fire that had occurred in the state during nine years. In April, 1898, the Crow Creek Indians held several meetings and decided to assist the United States Government in its war with Spain.

This year Senator Pettigrew introduced in the Senate a bill for the estab- lishment of an insane hospital for the Indians at Canton. It provided for an appropriation of $45,000 and a tract of 100 acres to cost about thirty dollars per acre. This bill became a law and the hospital was accordingly built. In April, 1899, J. B. McCloud presented a claim against the state for $2,700 which he showed was due him for supplies which he had furnished the militia during the Indian war of 1890. The Legislature appropriated $500 toward the claim, but Governor Lee vetoed the bill. In December, 1899, the Indian Department upon investigation reported that there was yet due the Sioux Indians for their ceded lands the sum of $687,000, which sum was to be divided between the approximate twenty thousand members of that tribe. By 1901 there was not a single blanket Indian within the limits of the state. All had adopted the habits and customs of the whites. They lived on farms, had schools and churches, dressed like the whites and were largely agriculturalists and stock growers. In October, 1901, the secretary of the interior did away with compul- sory education among the Indians. This order was due to the actions of the sectarians in increasing the number of denominational Indian schools. In Feb-

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

ruary, 1902, the Yankton Indian Agency, the oldest in the state, was abolished by the Government.

In 1902 Indian Commissioner Jones issued peremptory orders requiring members of the Rosebud Indian Reservation either to work or go hungry. This was at first regarded as a severe blow at the spirit and dignity of the Sioux, but in the end it prevailed in accordance with the plans of the Government for the industrial management of the natives. In fact, by 1903 the Sioux had accepted what to them was the lowest degradation to which a red man could be subjected, the habit of steady work. At first they were required to do day labor, then gradually the work became steady. It was declared with emphasis by the Indian agents and by the instructors at the Indian schools, that it was not the lack of disposition on the part of the Indians to work, but it was due to the inefficient and stupid attitude of the Government in not giving them the opportunity. Within less than one year many of the younger Indians were earning money cheerfully for themselves and their families. The only difficulty at first was in providing steady and profitable work for them. It had already been proved that the Sioux were willing to work if they were given the opportunity. They objected to temporary jobs, when half or three-fourths of their time was spent in vice and idleness. It thus became a serious question with them, a question which in large measure had to be solved by the Government, as to what they could do steadily to earn a living. Indian Commissioner Jones declared in * 1903 that he had 8,000 able-bodied Sioux who were persistently clamoring at his door for something permanent to do. Indian Agent Brennan of the Pine Ridge Reservation uttered a similar declaration.

After gold was discovered in the Black Hills region claimed by the Sioux, the Government sought to secure the Hills by purchase. The Sioux demanded $7,000,000, whereupon the commissioners laughed and the Sioux left the council ready to fight. Red Cloud interfered and in part effected the treaty of 1868. This provided that for thirty years the Sioux should be given rations and for a considerable time thereafter were likewise to be helped until they should become self supporting. By 1898 these thirty years had expired, but many of the Sioux were no nearer self support than when the treaty was signed, because the Government had not helped them to become so, as was promised and had been expected. In 1902 Commissioner Jones directed the agents to announce several months in advance that the regular and customary rations would be withdrawn July 1, 1903, and the Sioux were thereupon told that they would be given work by which they could obtain more food and clothing than they had ever received before. With July came grumbling and discontent. The older Indians were stubborn and implacable, but the younger members were prepared for labor. One day three Indians asked the Rosebud agent for work, which was given them. At night they showed their money to their tribesmen, with the result that ere long many were set at work. At first they were employed by the Government upon the roads at $1.35 per day, and when this work became slack they were put to work upon bridges. As soon as the Indians learned how easy it was to earn money, they became insistent for permanent work at good wages. To give them employment the Government thereupon carried out various reser- voir and irrigation schemes, 'constructed storage tanks for stock, etc. Three large reservoirs were built in Wakpamini District, four in Medicine Root Dis-

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

trict and six in .Pass Creek District. A dam built entirely by Indians was located near the Pine Ridge Agency, contained 3,500 cubic yards of earth and made a reservoir 1,000 feet long and 10 feet deep. The Government thus car- ried out with Indian labor solely all the work necessary to be done on the reservation, whereupon the Sioux were forced to leave to secure employment elsewhere. In 1903 for the first time a few Sioux helped shock wheat and barley in the northern counties of Nebraska and in Charles Mix County, S. D., at $2 per day. In the fall of 1903 about two hundred and fifty Sioux from Rosebud and Pine Ridge agencies helped on the construction work of the extension of the Elkhorn Railroad to Bonesteel. Several secured permanent employment as section hands. A few of the younger Indians became cowboys for ranchmen, and a few others secured work with ditching gangs. Red Elk of the Pine Ridge Agency conducted a ferry on White River at Westover. A son of Sitting Bull became a locomotive fireman on a South Dakota railroad. It was soon learned from these and other instances that the Indians made competent workmen when they were given opportunity and instructed what to do.

The Flandreau Indians were already self supporting and had been for a number of years. The Sissetons, Santees and Yanktons, all of whom had received allotments in severalty, did considerable work, although they usually leased their lands to white men for enough rent upon which to live. A great majority of the Sioux were yet confined to the reservation in the semi-arid district where the land could not be used generally for agriculture, but was amazingly suited for grazing. A small proportion of the Indians there already owned herds of cattle; in fact, the Pine Ridge Indians at this time owned a total of about fifty thousand head. The Indians were not good cattle raisers. They found it easier, even if not so profitable, to lease their lands to the ranch- men. Agriculture without irrigation was difficult in this portion of the state, and as irrigation was too painstaking and elaborate for the patience or industry of the Indians it was out of the question. All whites realized at this time that to transform the Indian into a working man required time, care, patience and opportunity.

An important problem on the Rosebud Reservation early in 1903 was the status to which the Indians of mixed blood were entitled among their fellows. At this time the Indians of mixed blood were not supported by the Indian Department, nor were they permitted to enjoy the rights of citizenship. Their names had been stricken from the agency rolls, yet the Interior Department continued to exercise its power over them. To meet this condition of affairs they drew up a petition, signed it numerously and forwarded it to Senators Gamble and Kittredge and Representatives Martin and Burke. The petition read as follows: "We, the undersigned mixed blood Sioux Indians residing upon the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, do most respectfully petition you to introduce and use your utmost endeavors to pass an act allowing all of the mixed blood Sioux Indians now residing upon the aforesaid reservation, to sever entirely their tribal relations with the Rosebud Sioux Indians, that they may receive patents for the lands they have taken by allotment in severalty and receive all moneys and credits which may be due them from the United States Government according to the treaties between the Government of the United States and the great Sioux Nation of Indians. It is understood that the passage

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

of this act does not work a forfeiture of any money to be paid to said Rosebud Sioux Indians for any land now within the boundaries of the aforesaid reserva- tion which may be purchased by the Government of the United States from said Indians subsequent to the passage of this act." The principal reason advanced for this action was that because the names of all the mixed bloods had been stricken from the rolls at the agency, they in consequence received neither beef rations nor annuities.

During the spring and summer of 1903, many allotments were made on the Cheyenne River Reservation. It was estimated by Colonel Knight, the allotting agent, that it would require at least four years more to permanently locate the Indians on these tracts. When this should have been accomplished there would be a large acreage, the agent stated, which would not be taken, but would become the property of the Indians in common to be used in any way they thought best for the interests of the tribe as a whole. When an Indian thus took his allotment for himself and family it became the property of the family and could not be disposed of for twenty-five years.

Under an order of the Interior Department in 1904, the money paid the Indian heirs was not given them in a lump sum, but was handed out by install- ments in order to prevent swindlers from cheating them out of part or all that was paid them. From 1868 to 1904 over fifty-five million dollars was paid to the Sioux Indians. Of this sum more than thirty-six million dollars was paid after 1875 when the Black Hills were first invaded by the whites.

In 1905 an Indian skeleton was unearthed in Charles Mix County, to which was appended a silver medal which had been bestowed by President Jefferson on an Illinois Indian.

The Indians of Cheyenne River Agency late in 1904 held a well attended meeting to discuss the delay in the matter of payment of money due them for rentals for their leases and for the right to use a cattle trail across the northern end of their reservation. They appointed delegates at this meeting to visit Washington to inquire into the matters which they desired adjusted. The delegates were Ed Swan, Percy Phillips and Walter Swiftbird, who were bright members of the young and progressive element on the reservation.

In the spring of 1905 President Roosevelt authorized the payment of $100,000 to the Sisseton and Wahpeton Indians of South Dakota. This sum was distributed from the principal of their trust fund held in the United States treasury, owing to the disastrous failure of crops among them for two years. One object of the distribution was to enable the Indians to purchase seed and another was to assist with food and other supplies the very old and helpless members of the tribe. Connected with this distribution of funds came the pathetic story of the gradual descent of the tribe into debauchery, that had been called to the attention of the Indian office for years. Ten years previously the Sisseton and Wahpeton tribe of Indians had $1,699,800 in the treasury drawing 5% interest. The tribe was then self supporting, was progressive, had learned rapidly the ways of the whites and had become good citizens or as good as Indians ever become. But other subtle influences were at work and gradually the Indian officials became aware that schemes or plots to secure the withdrawal of a certain amount of the Indians' trust fund from the deposit for direct circulation among the tribe were in progress. Soon afterwards

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

$100,000 was withdrawn under authority, then other sums followed from time to time, until by 1905 not more than one-half of the large sum above mentioned remained for the use of the Indians. By reason of this constant withdrawal of money and its misuse by the Indians and no doubt others, they soon ceased to be self supporting; grew worthless, lazy and drunken. Many became little better than gamblers and all drifted steadily back toward savagery and extinc- tion. It was stated by a high official in the Indian Department in 1905 that it was the positive opinion of thoughtful men that the downward career of the Indian tribes was mainly due to the pernicious and hazardous practice of with- drawing their funds from the treasury and giving to every man, woman and child a portion of the total amount set aside for distribution purposes, as it tended to make them indolent and wasteful and in consequence to drift from responsibility and respectability to degradation by easy and alluring stages.

In March, 1905, it was thought by many visitors to the Sioux Reservation in Western South Dakota that a change for the better had taken place in the warriors since the Government had required all able-bodied male Indians to work for their living rather than to depend upon the Government for support. The change certainly vastly improved the melancholy and abject condition of the squaws. The warriors had at last discovered that manual labor was not disgraceful nor degrading and would not result in death from heart failure at such radical change in their condition. Instead of the squaws doing all the hard and menial labor while their lords and masters spent their time in smoking and boasting as was the custom under tribal relations, the warriors now watered the horses, carried the water, chopped firewood, and did the chores and other- wise assumed their rightful portion of the burdens of married life.

This year about three hundred Indians were put to work at road making within the boundaries of the Cheyenne Indian Reservation. They were likewise required to build dams across the gulches at road crossings for the purpose of holding water in storage. By this time the number of Indians who had given up their government rations and taken to work had been materially increased. It was now realized and admitted that before many years every able-bodied Indian on the reservation would be earning his living and perhaps supporting a family instead of depending on the government issue of supplies. They were paid $1.25 per day in cash and were privileged to make purchases wherever they pleased. With this money the Indians themselves soon learned that they could live better and far more independently than on the government rations. They were now learning to look out for themselves, an accomplishment that never could come to pass under the old tribal system.

In the spring of 1905 the Indians at the different agencies in the western part of the state formed cattle associations of their own and conducted them after the practices of the white men. They alone planned to conduct a round-up on the reservation each year and to look after their own cattle, which were rap- idly increasing in number. While thus engaged they could prevent the trespassing of stock on the reservation. They planned to hold such stock for damages, or if not claimed by a certain time, to sell them for the benefit of the Indians. They "rode the range" extensively this year and held their annual round-up much after the fashion of the white man.

SOUTH DAKOTA: ITS HISTORY AND ITS PEOPLE

After a while the Indians of the Cheyenne Reservation came to the conclu- sion through sorry experience that the leasing of their lands for pasturage had not on the whole been satisfactory to them. It brought them an annual revenue, but, although the sum was large, it did not seem so when divided among 5,000 Indians. Previous to the leasing, many of them had gathered together large herds of cattle, but upon adopting the lease system these herds steadily began to diminish or disappear. Now, when it was concluded to give up leasing, they realized that it would be a difficult thing for them to do and require much time before they could expect to become again the possessors of large herds.

The Sisseton Indians at this time protested against the manner in which they were given their payments. The Indian Department ruled that all money due Indians under eighteen years of age should be retained. As fully 75% of the Sisseton Indians were under eighteen years of age, and as the proposed payment was for $100,000, the government policy would permit the payment of only $25,000. This, it was claimed, would work a serious hardship upon the Indians. These matters came out upon an investigation by Maj. James McLaughlin, the veteran inspector of the Indian Bureau. At this time it was estimated that these Indians owed almost five hundred thousand dollars.

An important case before the United States District Court at Sioux Falls in 1905 was that of Mrs. Jane E. Waldron vs. Black Tomahawk, which directly involved the ownership of a tract of land adjoining the townsite of Fort Pierre. Judge Carland conducted the case. It was considered important because other cases of similar import were in progress throughout the country at this time. While a tract of land was the immediate bone of contention, the rights of mixed- blood and full-blood Indians was also involved in the case. Mrs. Waldron had a trace of Indian blood in her veins, but was a refined and highly educated woman. Black Tomahawk was a full blooded Sioux Indian. The tract of land involved had been in litigation ever since the opening of the Sioux Reservation in February, 1890. As a result the Government issued to Black Tomahawk a patent to the land. Mrs. Waldron now sought to have the patent set aside and the land awarded to her. She was a member of the Two Kettle Band of Sioux Indians which occupied the Cheyenne River Reservation. She had established her residence on the land in controversy in July, 1889, and ever since had resided thereon with her family. After she had settled on the tract, Black Tomahawk claimed the tract as his allotment. It was charged that he was induced to make this claim by several townsite boomers who evidently were using him as a cat's paw to secure this land in order to place it upon the market. Black Tomahawk in due time applied for a patent to the land and after the case had been fought through the local and general land offices and before the secretary of the interior, he was granted a trust patent to the tract. This patent was approved by the secretary of the interior in December, 1898. The patent was issued to him because the department held that Mrs. Waldron was not an Indian in the full meaning of the term. A little later Indian Agent Hatch was instructed to remove Mrs. Waldron and her family from the land. She thereupon instituted suit. Judge Carland decided the case in her favor. He stated that Black Tomahawk's settlement on the land was not done in good faith, but was accomplished in the interest of other persons. This was considered an important decision because it defined the rights and status of full-blood and mixed-blood Indians.

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History of Dakota Territory, volume III, Part 12

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920 Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company Number of Pages: 1146

Author: Kingsbury, George Washington, 1837-; Smith, George Martin, 1847-1920
Publication date: 1915
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : S.J. Clarke Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 1146