Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-25

preak OF more than small dimensions. The
other horn Of the dilemma 10 that II Mr. Cooper
accepts Q claim the Indian at once regards the
matter - settled and sits down to wait for his
money.
EVERY INDIAN HAS CLAIM.
When all the claims are in the hands Of the
department q list Of the claimants will, 80 far
a. Pine Ridge il concerned. just about parallel
Q census Of all the male adult Indians on the
reservation. There IL an apparent opportunity
to get little more out Of the government and
every member of the tribe wants to have at
least one finger in the pie. On all kinds of
paper and in hundred different shapes are
the claims presented and the variety Of articles
enumerated is simply astounding, ranging
from high grade cattle and horses down to a
total amount asked for by the Indians is for
live stock supposed to have been killed or
stolen by the hostiles, and this feature Of the
affair can be understood, but when Indians
and mixed bloods and squaw men insist that
their household furniture was worth-in
numerous individual instances-from $500 to
81, 500 then some Of the folks who had seen the
interior of the households in question must be
pardoned If they give vent and circulation to
expressions Of incredulity. Five hundred
dollars would buy more furniture and cloth
ing than ever saw in any three native homes
Oh the Ogaalla reservation.
PAY FOR TRUNKS AND CLOTHING WANTED.
Next, in point Of numbers, to the cattle and
ponies come the trunks. 1t Is an insignificant
sort Of o claim that has not in it two or three
first-class trunks, and one document certfes
to the possession by one individual Of thirteen
expensive Saratogas. Nine or ten is a common
trunk total. Sewing machines are numerously
represented and clocks are alleged to have dec
GRATED mantels or brackets in every room. OF
costly clothing there was no lack, most of the
ladies' dresses in the inventories being silken
and OF more than ordinarily good quality. The
underwear said to have been destroyed by the
Brules could only have been of the finest quail
joiced in the possession OF two or three
every instance they charge the govern
ment the price which they allegs was
originally paid. 1t matters not il only the col
lar or the buttons survive-the garment il new
for the purposes Of the claim. In many instances
the clothing was that issued by the govern
ment and some of it was issued ten years ago.
but that makes no appreciable difference in the
price. OF chickens the claims allege the one
time existence of an almost unlimited number,
and there is no lack of ducks and turkeys. HAY
and grain also figure conspicuously on the re-
turns, and then come the myriad little things
that go to make homes comfortable. Even
after claims have been fled the interested par
ties come In with additional items, and thus as
SYST materially in tangling matters up and in
delaying the work OF settlement. The cattle
roundup is over and every missing animal has
to appear on the papers with good round sum
attached to it Some few honest ones who have
found articles or animals named in the original
schedule have requested that proper deduc ton
be made, but individuals of that variety are
scarce have been reliably informed that the
hali-breeds-or number of them-have
agreed to so swear in support of each other
that each half-breed's bill may be big. One of
the parties to THE treasury wrenching agree
ment made a sworn statement to that effect.
mir 70 %ha,, xl,o
amount OF their claims. This is rather fortu-
nate, for the chances are that none Of them
WILL get more than rs per cent Of their de-
mauds.
SOME SPECIMEN CLAIMS.
Some Of the items are rather amusing. One
old squaw was, previous to the advent of the
Brules, the possessor of lady dog and seven
little pups. These the Brules captured and
ate-dog being their greatest delicacy-and in
the bill the squaw called for 80. Not I'M
naturally Agent Cooper laughed at the claim
and ran his pen through it; but when the squaw
had poured out torrent Of indignant protest,
had shown gastronOmic analogy between dogs
and Indians and white people and pigs he REIN
stated tho item and let it 60 in. That was q
humorous claim; but Agent Cooper's sense Of
justice told him that the squaw was right.
One big buck, who had lost relative on
White River-kiled by stockmen-filed re-
quest for 5000, and could not understand
why 1t would not be entertained. He said that
white people always got money when one of
their relatives was killed by the cars and he
thought the same rule ought to work in his
case. It was the first claim he had ever had
against the government; it was good one and
he wanted it settled RICH: away, for he had i'm
mediate use for the money. He could not
prove dependence upon the dead relative, 90
he won't away exceeding sorrowful.
Occasionally some OF the anti-military feeling
crops up and it is invariably Of the bitteres:
variety. Old Fire Lightning. head man of
prominence, testified that he had lost wood
and hay. The soldiers took it, he said When
asked II he knew what soldiers he classified
them by saying that 1.-THE colored soldiers took
the wood and the murderers the hay Agent
Cooper inquired whom no meant by muir
derers, and the old chief drew himself I'D to
his full height and cried out most dramatically:
Those who killed our people at Wounded
Knee" GEO. II. HARnIEa.