Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-12-24
to, could for moment doubt this knowl.

to. could for moment doubt this knowl.
edge on their part.
The fact that before signing tho agree.
ment. the Indians insisted that the north
ern boundary Of the new Pine Ridge re-
serve, should be the south fork of the
Cheyenne river. and an east and west
line on the northern edge of the bad
lands, for tho purpose Of keeping cattle
from what would be the white mems
country. from strsying onto their reserve,
indicates an understanding Of the situa-
ton.
1t is little late in the day to suppose
these Indians are ''guileless children of
nature" or foo's.
3. When 1t was decided necessary to
procure the additionalsignatures Of three.
fourths of the male adults, aud Mr.. Hin
man, commissioner interpreter, arrived
at the agency for the purpose. general
council was held. At this council, Red
Cloud refused to have the members of
his band, numbering about three hum
dred men, women and children, sign first
but it was finally agreed that Mr.. Hin
man should visit the distant villages
first. and If the majority Of the Indians
in such villagee agreed, the lied Cloud
band would sign.
In conversation with the officers OF the
police aud myself, it was decided best
that practically CELSIUS should be taken
of eligible signers, j. 9. the names of the
adult males favorable to the agreement
and opposed.
In starting sut on this work, in
structed Capt. Sword of the police to
accompany Mr.. Hinman, and also such
instructions to the police residing in the
| villages, to assist in the work, at the same
time advising them however, 40 [ did in
the general council, that there was moth.
ing compulsory in the matter. that the
Indians we're perfectly at liberty to sign
the agreement or not, and also that any
case of threats being made by Indians or
others, on either side we're to be imme.
diately reported to me.
The Kiyaksa and Loafer village on
Medicine Root creek, forty miles from
the agency, was first visited, and after
procuring the lists OF names on this
creek, MIR. Hinman and Captain Sword
returned to the agency, and informed me
that the Indians were presenting boys
Of various ages, representing them as the
children OF widows, that the family ration
tickets were IN their names, that they
we're practically according to the Indian
custom, the heads of the family, and
inasmueh a. the widows were not elieia.
BILE as signers, they were.
If vaa pocaoaorv n aottla khis v,osnk os
once. aud in the presence of Rev. Amo.
, Ross, native missionary, Saptain Sword
and Mr.. Hipmsn, I examined the treaty
of 1858 and as far as the Sionx land law
+, 60, the age of l8 appeared to be the lega
: adult age. 1t was therefore decided b,
the above mentioned parties that tha
age be adopted, and it wa
furthermore agreed by these gentle
men, that in prosecuting the work, thret
lists should be made and kept BY Mr.
Hinman and Captain Sword independ
emily; i. e., one of the adult males as
senting, one of the adult males absent
or non.assenting and one of the child
ren presented but under age.
Mr.. Hinman preserved his lists, ant
Capt. Sword preserved his, and after
ward compared them for the purpose o
eliminating sucherrors as would unavoid
ably creep in.
, have no reason to believe but tina
the procuring OF these additional namea
to be afterward attached to the agree
!, ment, was done fairly and honestly.
have Capt. Swords assurance to tha
+, effect. He not only holds the responsi
BILE position of captain of the police q
> this agency for the past four years, repre-
. sentinR the Indians 90 full blood In
. dian in that capacity, but is an honore
a and trusted member of the Episcops
church.
detailed Capt. Sword to represen
8 the Indians and the agency in this bus
s ness. His truthfulness and honesty hav
9 never been questioned in other natter
:. He has preserved the lists, they are no
! open for inspection, and he and his pt
d lice are available ut any time as wi
nesses.
,fl As I understood the matter, the pre
curing of the above referred to lists v,
more or less census work as the agre<
10 ment was not taken to the villages, tt
d intention being, as was Informed,
Indians subsequently. Tho work We
however. abandoned and not complete
D. SO that the work stands - it did in Il
5f A"A "a Aos~S eASuVA Oy VIC ouAoAe SA0 u
u head men.
), This census through the villages d
IL veloped and proved the fact that the va
q, majority OF the more industrious, pr
Al gressive and more civilized Indians We
, heartily in favor Of and anxious for Il
=, success of tho agreement, and the ..
10 ting apart Of separate reservation
re one of the first steps toward individua
At zation and land in severalty, as oppos
= to the barbarous chieftanship and t
~ tribal sy stem.
20 Regarding what is known - the pro-
y. ised addition of land in Nebraska
a would explain that through carelessps
- or design, and directly againet the ord,
~ of the interior department., this agen
n was in the fall OF 1878 located IN
on southwestern corner Of Dakota, witt
be one and three fourths miles of t
Nebraska line, 20 that the result Y
~ when assumed charge here in 1879,
oy we're furnished with the luxuries Q
at accommodations of civilization by havl
Al. we'll supplied whisky ranch in +
blast, almost within gunshot of
~ agency, which forced the agent to Q
by the labor of q coroner and undertaken
70. bis other duties by making period
n. trips into Nebraska to gather up dead
diaps snd half breeds killed in drunl
ne quarrels.
After agitatino the question for ab,
nv two years, I finally, through the press
Hon. commissioner of Indian affair, g
ely ceed in having . strip of land Eve nj
he wide and ten miles long immediat
- Al 4