The Progress., 1889-04-13
Go.as-you.piease Justice.

11A IL ie WV A@SS @ uC VI 1udiCu 10, OI the
st. Paul Daily Globe, giving !
graphic description Of the ridicu-
lous absurdity of the so-called In
dian Police Court, as maintained
by the Indian bureau, on this and
other reservations, we clip the fol-
lowing as worthy Of reproduction:
In defiance Of all law govern
ing Indians established b. the
United States government, three
self-constituted judges have
ensconced themselves in hut on
the borders Of the reservation,
there te administer law and justice
as they interpret the one and con-
strue the other. Intelligent half
breeds do not recognize these dus-
ky tribunals, nor do they submit
to their erroneous decisions. The.
court seems to be maintained by
the Indians, gall and whisky and
the conclusions Of law and fact
that the mighty and austere trio
generally hand down are perfectly
consistent with their learning and
wisdom. Two of them are buck
Indians, and evidently are not
guilty of concealed brains. They
cannot read or write, but indulge
in profanity and chew tobacco
with impunity. The other, half
breed, discovered on a dump of
human rubbish about sixty years
ago, is, compared with his breth-
ren, q fairly enlightened person
age, IN that he would probably
not blow out the gas more than
once or mistake cigar sign for
long lost brother. He knows the
alphabet by hear sight and is ac-
cused Of being able to make his
mark, if not with pen, at least
upon the face Of an offender upon
whom he decides to vent his spleen.
Such are the greasy aborigines
who sit in Judgment upon every.
thing dragged before them, from
rubber overcoat to superanuated
squaw. The structure under whose
roof these rulers grunt their learn
ed verdicts is cross between an
onld dilapidated dressmakers trunk
and wood pile which has been
bought on trust. The fire in the
stove goes out whenever the judg-
es come in, and the bronchos sta
bled in the private court chamber
stamp and neigh upon the climax
Of any great oratorial flight that
the counsels may make. The rules
Of the court are strongly against
splitting on the judges desk, which
is Of hide stretched on fence posts
IN front Of the bench. The rec
ord and library Of the court con-
sists of a book entitled 11Law by
n & ~ aaEef f. 2;
the yard and Justice by the foot
and a copy Of the life Of the James
brothers. =
AN ILLUSTRATIVE CASE.
As the three legators were sit
ting in the court room about three
weeks ago, masticating some bread
and jerked beef, a young girl broke
in upon their silent feast and com q
manded the deciples Of justice to-
arrest young man living twelve
miles away and lock him up on 4
charge of illegitimate parentage.
Without further ceremony the 4
Judges, after asking her for the
fee, mounted their git thars'' and
dragged Mr.. Seducer into the lock-
up and put him into stall next
to the horses. The horses didn t
enter any particular complaint
other than to make night hideous
for the young prisoner. The next
morning the trial was set for a
few days later, and all the cattle.
yellow dogs, feas and Indians for
miles around were in attendance
and ready to give such evidence as
the court would permit. In the
meantime the girl again made her
appearance and demanded The ar
rest of another villain whom she
also charged with being the father
of her unborn child. Again the
T. - atrs -.