The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-09-27
LO! the Poor Indian.

Every school-boy knows of Osceola,
the Seminole chief. He it was that made
the spirited "Seminoles Reply
"Blaze with your serried columns!
will not bend the knee" etc,
which, in times gone by, at least, was a
favorite on defamation day. But Osce-
ola was forced to submit, and at the end
of the Florida war was captive In Fort
Moultrie. His brother accompanied the
tribe on its pilgrimage to the West, and
was recognized as its chief; but, having
saved the fife of merchant and his
daughter from New York, he was induced
to 90 to that city, where he became that
merchants adopted son, and assumed the
name of Cooper. He travelled abroad
and had various advantages of education,
and having married Spanish lady at
Barcelona, took her to New York and
settled down as an Indian doctor. lie
gained wide reputation and lucrative
practice. He lived in a manner com,
bining civilized tastes and savage fond
ness for barbaric display, having rich
ly furnished wigwam as we'll as fine
modern house in the city and wigwam
at Saratoga for summer residence. He
drove his horses, travelled at will, visited
the tribe several times, and before his
death, in 1865, had accumulated large
fortune, invested mostly in real estate.
A son of this brother of Osceola, the
Seminole chief, and of his Spanish wife,
died on Thursday in Bond street attic
from the effects of intemperance. He
was known as OsceOla Cooper, and was
thirty-four years of age. He combined
in his personal appearance the Indian and
Spanish characteristics to a marked
degree, but the savage instincts were
strong in him. He might have had the
read and write. He led wild and irreg-
ular life, sometimes wandering over the
country and sometimes plunging into the
designations of the city. He served in the
war, and was distinguished for daring
bravery and great skill as scout. He
is said to have had great dignity at times
and fine sense of honor, but his appe-
tite for drink dragged him down TO the
level of common drunkard. When his
father died, his affairs, which had
been managed by confidential clerk,
using power of attorney, were found to
be in great confusion. Here young Os-
ceola felt the need of education and
of sober habits to enable him to secure
his own, but he seems to have been un-
mercifully swindled. He's his mark to
deed and powers of attorney, when intox-
icated, and so signed away large amounts
of property. He finally employed as a
lawyer VIM. c. Barrett, who absconded
some months ago, leaving the affairs that
had been intrusted to him in inextricable
confusion. The last years of Osceola's
life were embittered with struggles for
his property and with his evil passions,
aud he finally died in poverty, the victim
of drink.
There is believed to be considerable of
the fathers property still available for
the heirs, consisting of two children of q
sister of Osceola Cooper. That sister
was we'll educated and we'll married, but
died some years ago, and her husband
has since deceased. One of the children,
boy, was in the hands of foster sister
of old DR.. Cooper, Sioux squaw, who is
thoroughly Indian in all her instincts and
tastes, and Osseola had long been en-
gagged in futile attempt to gain pos
session of the lad and place him in better
hands. He died with that mission unful-
filled. He was but poor savage and
civilization did not agree with him. He
might have been better off at the head of
his tribe on the western plains. Wealth
and the advantages of civilized life we're
his ruin, because the vices and allure
ments which surrounded him fed and in
famed his fierce passions, while none of the
higher restraints had effect. Lo, the
poor Indian the representative of a
great chief of the last generation, died a
wretched drunkard in poor attic.-Bos-
ton Globe.