The morning call., 1891-01-18
INDIAN POLICE
OUT IN THE west.
How the Governments Native Servant
Got His Commission.
Created by the Interior Department to Do That
Which Neither Military Nor Civilian
Felt Bound to Execute.

city, the term policeman would convey the
impression of stern thief-catcher, armed
with baton and dressed in neat blue uni
form.
But out in the West near the reservations
the name has n different significance, and
uggests Qnite another mental picture to the
Westerner. writes a correspondent from
Ogden to the Philadelphia Times.
The Indian police! How little the term
means to the residents of our comfortable
cities, and how much it means to the settler
in the lands around the Indian country.
1t was discovered number of years ago
that the Indian agent could issue orders, but
that only lie himself was likely to enforce
them. There were soldiers and United
States MarShals in plenty, but none of them
admitted the rule of the Department of the
Interior. So when an agent wanted any
thing done he was obliged to do it himself
OIL call on the uncertain aid Of the friendly
Indians or the employees of the reservation.
This w rked very nicely when the friend
lies or employees desired to see the order en-
forced but if it displeased them it had bet
ter never have been made for they only
laughed at the agent and even occasionally
refused to obey the orders of the Indian
Commissioner, unless the ''Great Father"
backed it up with an army of bayonets and
deputy maIshals. So the force which has
lately for the first time received nOtOriety
was found to be necessity.
An order from the Secretary of the Int
rior first allowed the agents to employ
friendly members of the tribe or tribes under
their charge to preserve order and protect
'the property of the Government and its
wards" At first two or three members were
chosen on each reservation. The police were
sometimes under the charge of a native cap
tain, more often they were captaned by
some white man. They were paid the mu-
nihceut salary of $40 a month to officers and
SIS month to DOn-cOmmiSSiOned officers and
privates. From the time Of the appointment
OF the police the discipline of the reSerYa-
lions became better. Only the best men,
morally and physically, were accepted by
the Government, which was thus able to Sc
cure the best material for its force at the
smallest remuneration paid to any OF its
numerous employees. The entire Indian po-
lice now musters about 1000 men. who are
the sole agents of the Interior Department
for the enforcement of its rules and the
preservation of the peace. Besides their
salary, they receive the usual rations and
supplies OF wards Of the Government.
Their duty, as prescrib bed by the general
orders, is ITO obey the instructions of
agents, protect the property of the Govern
ment and the natives against catte-theves.
prevent the sale of liquor, the inroads of
outlaws and bad whites, and to suppress
every kind IF vice and laTleSsness on the
reservations"
The Indian police wear a uniform, or at
least are supposed to. This uniform, which
is made Of the national blue cloth, partakes
of both the civil and military habit. 1t APP
proacheS the cavalry in the cut OF the
blouse, and the trousers with the high-top
boots. But the military aspect is lost in the
broad sombrerO and the cartridge belt and
Winchester Occasionally the uniform is
discarded, and then the members of the
force dress as they please Sometimes a
cast-of cavalry suit, or coat belonging to
a missionary or agent, md the back of
member of the force, its last resting place
before being cast into the rag-bag. But
among this brigade, the members of which
stand between the natives and their white
guardians, the most absolute discipline is
maintained. Most Of the men belonging to
it are married and live near the agency OF
whatever reservation they may be attached
to. They have no general headquarters,
being distributed among the various agen-
cieS
The Indians best fitted for this peculiar
ana arduous duty are those who recognize
higher auth ority than their tribal chief. and
consider the General Government superior
TO their indian nation. The members Of
the force are dreaded by their felow-mem-
Ders. yet when there is vacancy the agent
has no difficulty filling it. The present
trouble in the Northwest has shown the
wisdom of the Government in procuring
native allies and assistants combined in one
Acting III me capacity of scouts and in-
terpreters for the military, the Indian
police have caused the hostile Indians in
many instances to lay down their arms. 1t
was by the efforts of the police alone
that Sitting Bull was captured and quickly
disposed OF when he offered resist
ance These men from the Sioux reserya-
tiOn, native Sioux themselves, were com
mapded by native captain, Bull Head.
ms name seems particularly appropriate
for one who, with a handful of followers.
entered the camp of the hoStiles to capture
their chief. But the Indian police were not
always so tractable and we'll disciplined as
at the present moment. Nor were they
always so much respected by the other
members of the tribe and by the military.
When the force was first recognized there
was much to condemn and little to praise in
1t. No member Of it could arrogate to him
sell the title "one Of the inest." for more
dlsordered and diSOrganZed set of men
would be hard to find. The military and
civil authority would have nothing 10 do
with them, and the members of their own
tribe deSplsed them. 1t was slow work
transforming the savage into the disciplined
guardian of the peace, but the attempt was
successful.
Then their influence began to be felt
among those who had long known no rule.
Slowly, very slowly, the policeman and the
missionary, working hand in hand, have
been cOunteracting the evil effects of CEN
turtles of DarbariSm.
With the advent of the police came an
other elevating influence, tile Courts of In
dian OffenseS. These courts, established by
agents, have jurisdiction over G otfenses
on the reservation and the Judges are full
blooded Indians Before them come those
who have drunk the fire water of the white
man, those who indulge in the primeval
sport of beating their wives, and those who
are guilty of theftS. Very stern, yet lust.
are the Judges, aud six months Tor drunken
ness is not an unusual sentence. In the
early days of the police the officers took
their lives into their hands when they
donned the blue uniform. In 1886 some
young Cherokees in Indian Territory shot
at Deputy United States Marshals. They
were arrested, and when taken into court
they tried to Justify their action by saying
We thought they were only Indian polce''
This led to the act of Congress of 1887 pro-
tecting the police as fully as any other EN-
ployes of the Government. Shortly after
the passage of the act, Samuel Sipkiller.
CAPITA in of the Police, was shit and killed
on Main street, Muscogee, while walking
unarmh. His aSsailantS were the first
offenders tried under the act. They were
found guilty in the United States District
Court and sentenced to be hanged. The
execution of these Indians by the civil au-
thority for the murder of an officer raised
the force in the estimation of the natives.
1t is not alone in the petty cases of breach
in the law that the police are useful, as
many outlaws and illegal whisky sellers
have found out to their sorrow. Most of
the men own their own horses and they
frequently bring horse-thieves and robbers
to justice. They are no longer despisrd by
the military and soon what little distrust
remains of their work will have passed
away.
-----------