Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-10-04
Indian Agents.

A brother OF the celebrated oeMin-
ole Chief Billy Bowlegs, who has at ,
no time been hostile to the whites
gives very unfavorable account of
the doings of Indian agents, of whom
he says he has known but one or two
honest ones. They are mostly scoun-
drels, and invariably cheat the In
dams out of seven-eighths of their
annuities, or of their money in trade.
Their method of dealing he describes
to the Louisville Journal as follows:
"The Indian agent makes his ap-
pearance at certain point to distri-
butte the annuities. The Indians of
the tribe, having been previously no.
tilted, are present. A young warrior,
in the first flush of manhood, ambiti-
Gus, inexperienced, comes up to re-
ceive, say, $40, which is due him as
the son of a chief The first thing
that attracts his attention is a beau
tiful blanket, a red Mah-kee-nah, per-
haps, which the artful agent has
placed in a prominent position for
the very purpose. He must have that
blanket. Very well; the agent is
willing that he should; it is just the
same as money. A roll is prepared
in blank (but the ignorant Indian
does not know it, He makes his
mark. Then the blank is filled by
the agent with as many blankets as
he deems prudent. Our Seminole
has known of instances where the
blank has been filled with forty
blankets, while only one was actually
received by the Indian receipting.
There are butcher knives, a very
nice article. An Indian who wishes
one is charged $40 for it. If he gets
drunk and wishes to return it and get
S ONE h ing else, he is h e
same day permitted to return it, and
is credited 1925.
, Presently the agent, hndlng that
his receipts will cover the whole an
nuity to the tribe, suddenly closes his
books, and announces to the crest
fallen Indians that there is no more
to come. But he has still few bIan-
t bets and other trifes for which he
t will dicker. If an Indian would like
an old French musket, for which the
l agent has paid So, he can have it for
SIS in cash, or furS at the lowest
t price. So the shameless trade goes
on. At night the agent has full re-
/ ceipts for his goods or cash, and has
: seven-eighths of the whole safe in his
e pocket or under guard. Perhaps he
e will have large portions of it exposed
y for sale on the frontier shortly after
l. ward. Perhaps he will have it safe
e ly buried at his encampment.
Now, if he can get all the Indian;
a drunk he can probably steal back the
/ greater portion Of the one-eighth dis
IS tributed to them. Next day he viii
d swear they traded with him foI
n whisky. So he rolls out a dozel
: kegs of whisky. knocks out the heads
y and winds up the day with the big
J. gest spree he can get up
is UNLOCKING THE ROCKs.-The grea
N cost of silver and gold arises not S,
.e much from their scarcity in the eartf
W as the difficulty of extracting then
re from their stony combinations. Dr.
a. J. c. Aver, the well known chemis
le of Massachusetts, has cut this gordia
Of knot. After having merited and re
,e ceived the gratitude of half mankind
By his remedies that cure their dis
,o eases, he is now winning the othe
lie half, by opening for them an cas-
10 road to the eXhaustless treasures 0
n. the hills. He has discovered an
ar published chemical process, whic
,s renders at little cost, the hardcs
70 rocks and ores friable like chalk, 5
&. that the precious metals are loose
ID from their confinement, and easil
is gathered. Mines too poor to pa,
Oh may be worked at a profit now, an
I'd the yield of rich mines is largely il
Mt creased, while the cost of extractin
tn the metals from the ore, is diminish
r ed. Either is a great achievement
rs to enrich mankind, or cure their di
I'll eases. But we are informed on
a. celebrated countryman adheres to tn
Mt latter, as his speciality and chief an
81 bition.-Bufdlo Sentinel.