Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-05-06
AN INDUSTRIOUS FISHERMAN.
THE REV. MR.. BATEMAN OF THE INDIAN RING,
WHO'S A FRIEND OF THE REV. +. L. SMITH,

THE REV. MIR. BATEMAN OF THE INDIAN RISG,
WHO is FRIEND OF THE REV. Z. L. SMITH,
DIT Wholesale DESTRUCTION OF TROUT.
F'on. tie Territorial Enterprise, the orga,s Of
Sendt0r JOnes.
In the name of the people OF the Slate of
Nevada, We ask our reverend friend MIR. L. A.
Bateman, to take up his seines, and gllnets,
and weirS and baskets, and traps, and attend
to his duties AS Indian Agent. We charge that
Tor the past two years lie has constantly vo-
lated the laws OF the State. by seining, tap
ping and destroying fish in the waters OF Ne
vada, both i'll an Out Ot season. This We are
prepared to prove. The Indians are not de-
ncd the privilege of taking fish for their sup
port i'll the waters OF The state in their accuS-
toned manner at any season OF theyear. u Dder
cover of this privilege,thc reverend rascal Eve
are still referring toMr Bateman) keeps 4 large
number of the Indians under his charge EN-
plOyed in taking trout from the Trukee river
and Pyramid lake ut all seasons of the year,
which fish the meek and .lowly missionary
and agent sells wherevera market can be
found, and piOusy pockets the proceeds. For
months past he has sold to one market in this
city fish to the amout of $500 per month. lie
has also supplied, we are informed wholly OF
In part, the fish markets of Reno. Winnemuc-
ca, Wadsworth, Unonville, and ether interior
| towns near the line of the railroad. We think
| there can be no doubt of this.
The tons of trout sold monthly by Mr. Bate.
man are furnished by the Indians under his
charge. 1t has been estimated that his Teyenhe
from the sale of fish does not fall short of an
average the year around of $4,000 per month
This revenue is directly from the labor oi
Piute Indians who are fed whea fishing al
| Government expense. When otherwise EN-
ployed they are permitted to provide theil
own rations, for which MIR. Bateman religious
ly charges the Government. Although he con
sumed the appropriation of last year, and in
his report represented that he was feeding ar
army of savages and rapidly converting them
to Christianity it is known that he furnished
rations for daily average OF less than thirty
during the year. Returning to the fish ques-
lion, it Is plain that such Indians as he Is able
to persuade to remain under his charge h'
keeps employed in seining, trapping ant
spearing trout for his individual use and bene
tit,
If the Government feeds these Indians is
not entitled TO the fruits Of their labor Ger
tain 1t is that Mr.. Bateman employed by tn
Government to feed and domesticate the In
dians at the general expense Is not lndivldual
entitled to their earnings, whether employed
as fishermen or agrcuturlsts. Were lie hones
he would permit them to take fish when til
law allows them 10 do so, and with the pr'
ceeds of the sales purchase flour, blankets an
such comforts would induce them 10 renal
upon the reservations. Instead OF TINS NE IL
structs them to take fish at all seasons or Ill
year and in all manners mlerdcted by I'll
law. When thus employed, he feeds them
The expense OF the Government and appropr
ates the fruits of their labors to the Batema
family. The money received by MI. Bait
q man from the sale of fish belongs either
- the Indians or to the Government. 1t cerIal
ly does not belong to him. The reyereI
gentleman is therefore not only violating.
D spirit il not in letter statue of the state, D.
Is defrauding the Government and the lndial
under his charge.
In the course of few days we hope to
able to bring forward such proofs of III
Bsteman's dishonesty as will render IT.
moval necessary.