Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-27
WHO GOT THE EXTRA RATIoNs?
Astonishing Result OF the Census Count
of Sioux Indians.

AT ONE AGENCY sCrrLIEs WIRE ISSUED TO MORN
THAN 1000 INDIANS WHO CAN'T BE FOUND
THE AGENT SAYS THEY DiED-BUr THE DOCTORS
DEArH LIST FooTs Up l9--AS INVESTIGATION.
The census which is now in progress among
the Sioux Indians has had an unexpected and
startling result BY the terms Of the recent
agreement under which the Sioux Indians
coded TO the government a large part OF their
reservation in the Dakotas the governments
agreed to take q special census OF all the In-
dian tribes occupying these lands. In pursu-
ance OF this understanding A. I. Lea was APP
pointed a special agent to do this work.
WHERE ARE THESE ASA INDIANS?
He las completed the census OF the Indians
on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota,
and IN his report 90 the commissioner Of In
dian affairs he states that the total number of
Indians, men. women and children. found in the
reservation WAS ). l66. This report created a
good deal OF surprise in the Indian office an
the number OF Indians reported as living on the
reservation last year by the agent was $50.
and IN the previous year 400 The enumera-
ton OF the Indians was made by the agent. and
upon his report OF the number is based the
supplies OF beef, -four. &C.. which are allotted
to that agency. The discrepancy in the num-
Der OF the Indians shown by the agent's re-
port and by the special census reached the a.
therefore, that supplies for nearly 2.4OO In
dams more than were actually on the reserya-
ton had been issued
Indian Commissioner Morgan at once called
upon Agent Wright for an EXPLANATION. and
the latter asked permission % take another
census OF the Indians, which was granted Ho
reported as the result of the census taken by
himself that the number of Indians on the
reservation Was 5,3ls. which is l52 more than
the number found by Special Agent Lea but
2'2os less than the number he had heretofore
reported.
FEARFUL MORTALITY AMONG THE RED MEN-on
BAD CASE OF LYING.
The explanation OF this discrepancy as given
by Agent Wright is as follows:
That the reduction in numbers now in
largely due 70 the great number of deaths. tho
prevailing influenza Of last winter with measles
and whooping cough later among the children
being especially disastrous"
The report OF the physician at the agency
Tor the year ending june 80. 1890 shows how
ever. only nineteen deaths IN all. and no mem
ton Is made OF a mortality which according to
the hgEres given by Agent Wright swept away
80 per cent of the entire number Of Indians
living on the reservation
AN INVESTIGATION oRpERFp.
Indian Commissioner Morgan has directed
that this matter be at once investigated in
order TO ascertain what disposition was made
of the large quantities OF rations which wero
issued TO Indians not in existence as shown by
the reports Of both Special Agent Lea ana In
dian Agent Wright.
Special Agent Lea is going on with the work
OF taking the census OF the other Sioux tribes
and as the result of the census OF the first tribe
was of such an interesting character ms reports
IN the future will be examined with a great
deal OF curiosity.