Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1879-10-02
TINE euL GENIUS Of the i'm.

tine ey,L GENIUS Of the i'm.
.a..,x. er he Man who Cenjsres Up
T.l,s e1 lssaasa ssnsrisg aud Pale face
l.hsnaally..A Choice Dish fer y. n,
saith.
FosrER CRY, Spiuk county. D. T., Sept.
20, ls79.-Editsrs Press and Dakotaian {:
Having observed several articles during ahs
past summsr published in the st. Paul
Pioneer-Prs bv B. NJ. Smith Of Mlnnsa.
polls, and especially the letter Of August
30.h, desire to inform the public thst every
article written BY "Smith" contains mis-
statements, apparsn,ly instigated BY malice,
which are hurtful 10 the progress Of this
valley. I shall not jamp at conclusions.
Nor will I work upon my Imagination, as
Smith has done, assisted in his deviltry hy
having in store full assortment of we'll.
planned falsehoods. shall contradict
some Of these, and back. what. Say with
proof unquestionable. ID,
In the month Of April last B. NJ. Smith
paid visit to this valley for the purpose Of
selecting townsite and locating it with
scrip. When within seven miles of this
place he found upon inquiry, that Drifting
Goose's" old camp had already been taken,
leaving him no chance in this vicinity. So
he pushed further up the river and located
town called Richmond" We next find
Smith in Wstertown, where something like
the following conversation took place:
Stranger-How do you like the james
valley, Mr.. Smith?
smith-Oh! charming; a delightful
country.
Stranger-Did you succeed in finding a
suitable location?
Observation-Disclosures, no, was
very much disappointed.
Straneer-Indeed! How so?
Smith-Well, from the fact that 1 started
out very early in the season intending to
locate "townsite" at Drifting Gooss's old
camp, but unfortunately some settlers have
got the start Of me and was obliged to go
further up the river.
Smith and the stranger, together-Too
bad.
Smith returns to Minnesota and consultl
the man whose pockets are crowded full o.
scrip. Then he flies off to the Sissetou
Indian reservation and sets afoat the "In
dian trouble" in hopes of obtaining the
heart of the valley.
The stranger referred to above residel
within 100 miles ofthis place, and At on,
time lived in Kansas, where hs was brought
in contact with several men by the name ol
Smith.
After Smith had met a portion Of Goose.
band at Sisseton and filed their cunning
heads With deviltry, he Gets to work himself
writing articles in the Pioneer Press, and
also to gentlemen high in authority, urging
on his we'll laid plans. This is al vel
enough and admire his determination t.
uphold these Indians if he thinks they ar,
oppressed, or even if his motives are pure
and if he would adhere: strictly to the truth
But when he writes articles that are the
essence Of fabrication and hurtful to The
interests Of the country, condemn him..
In the orders given at Washington t,
Major Greasy, Of tho sisseton agency, ARE
contained one OF more letters from B. n
Smith, in which he says that hs visited Iii
locality personally. This is not 90. Smith
never got nearer than Elk miles of this plac'
and At that distance away made his estimate
Of the amount Of land cultured, number o
houses, etc. again" he says "In . person
al interview with Drifting Goose. he inform
ed me-" etc. Again this 10 not 20. B. N
Smith never saw Drifting Goose I believ
he had the pleasure Of meeting one or t~
Of the band, also . number Of "squawS' 4
the sisseton Indian agency. Smith ssy
that the government surveyors we're not mo
Tested BY Goose's band. This is lie. II
also states that the Indians whs run of th
mail carriers horses. between here an
Jamestown were renegsdes living. northwea
In the Missouri coseaus. This il not ..
Further the murderer of Mr.. johnson, i
member Of Drifting Goose's band aud Il
murderer's brother i now with the band.
Every article written by Nr. Smith oos
tains mean, ungsntlsnaaly slurs against Ii
residents Of This valley, aocuaiag them {
stealing corn, Indian trinksts. etc, which
not the case. The Indian graves here, II
he reports to hsvs bssn ransacked, are
just a. good condition, or even better, TIA
they were. The 1ndians placed their dea
iu trsss, and the viad storms in many IL
Stances have blown then down. I hav
gathered the boass ef their dead and inss
fsd them properly, ~ defy Smith OF On
one else - state whore any graves have bss
robbed in this locality. II the Indians ha,
bssa xroaeed it's ths government whie
Aas does It andiHot the people of this "a
ley. The govsrnnsnt removed them fro
here IL the fall Of 1878. TIE settlers ha,
not molestsd thsn. and any resentment th
Mr.. Smith may desire 70 make should
directed to the government. The resides
Of this valley have horne many hardshi