The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-09
R1cGED IN DAVID DAvIsss c1soTHEs.
The Piutes Get Apparel from washington,
and Want Tracts Only fluiu IaaaAan.

The Piutes Get Apparel from Washington,
and Want Tracts Only Assn E6sAsIa.
Austin lNev, Letter in New York Sun.
The Piute Indians are the most successful
mendicants in this country. About half Of thefr
| food and all of their clothing comes to them
through charity They are so harmless and in
offensive that the white mans heart seems to
warm toward them. They especially impress
philanthropists and for that reason most Bos-
tonians who them in their native country
Immediately resolve on doing something for
them. Several ladies' and gentlemen residing
| at the Hub have labored long and zealolsly on
behalf of these untutored children Of the sage
brush, and the results have been manifest here
in numerous b0xes of clothiBg, tracts, red Han
nels, and night caps.
While the red men appreciated an these gifts
fully they found most of the clothing to small
for them and therefore not as seryceable as it
might otherwise have been. A Nevada Indian
measuring six feet in his moccasins and forty
inches around the chest looks little cramped in
Boston mans suit. 10 meet the emergency
the Piutes resorted to all sorts of expedients
One of them, who had swallow-tail coat which
would not go on one side of him. cut the steel
pen appendage off, and, ripping the garment up
the back sewed the tails in between the shout
ders. This enabled him to wear the garment as
sortof shoulder cape but it was not as hand
some as 1t was when some youthful Bostonian
first donned it.
Vests are more easily fixed than anything
else, being ripped up the back from buckle to
collar and worm in that way with great comfort
Many of the Indians have been seen for several
days after the arrival of q consignment Of
clothing from Boston stepping very high,
on account of the snug FITTING trousers with
which they had been supplied. Every Piute
feels in duty bound to put on all the clothing
he secures as soon as he can. Ia this way
It happens that the white people know 10,
stantiy when new lot Of raiment has been
received
Some kind friend of these guileless red men
must have been soliciting in their behalf
at washington, for there arrived here, the
other day, from that city three or four
boxes of clothing which, in style, size
and color, set the Indians Wild with de-
light A letter, accompanying the CON
signment, explained that the donations had
been received from the President, members of
the Cabinet, senators and congressman and
when the fact became uoised around among the
eXpectant lone fishermen their glee knew no
bounds. Chief Naches got the first pick He
oyerhauled the entire outfit, and finally picked
out the biggest suit in the lot 1t was stin in
good condition, and looked as though il might
once have been worn by a man weighing more
than two hundred pounds Some one intimated
to Naches that that was President Arthnr,s do
nation, and then lie was donbly pleased Nearly
all the clothing was suitable for good sized men,
and the Indians, without exception, picked for
the biggest pieces. The result of this was that
score or more of them, including
Naches, were soon prDmenading the
SpreebS Win bhelr clothes many sizes too big
for them, but they were all the better
satisfied NRches tells everybody that he has
the Presidents clothing ON, and some Of his
friends please him greatly by saying that when
his back is turned he looks good deal like the
chief magistrate Chief johnson got a pair of
cantaloons big enough for two men. and he
wears them around, telling people that he and
David Davis are the same size. A gaudy coat
Of velyeteen, with silk braid and lace at the
sleeves, is pointed out on KNOCK kneed Pigte
as a garment once owned by Brewster
Every Indian has the original owner of his
clothing web located. When the white men
could not recognize the articles in any way
they would give the Piates at random the
names of public men who had sent them. Half
dozen red men are thus sporting pretty gay
| SUITS said to have been worn originally by Bill
Chandler, and others are proud to nsrrate that
they have clothing once the property of George
F. Edmunds, John a. Logan, William S. Hol-
man, s. S. Cox, Ben Butler, Chief Justice
Waite, Bob Lincoln and Tom 0chiltree
The size of the garments just received has
given the Indians a very exalted ideaof the pro-
portions of the great men at the capital and
they are unanimously in favor of continuing
the solicitation for old clothing in that vicinity,
leaving the Bostonians to look after their spir
1tual wants.