The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-03-10
THE YAKIMA AB0RTGINES.
Some Facts Cleaned From Tho Slayer Of
Tho Indian AdulteFeF.
4 Fass Diminishing Raee.-HeFeai-
taFy ana Appointed ChAeatains.
PFecaEl0ns Existence Of
Indian Doctors.

the sth day Of February, is in the city,
and on Monday called at The HERALD
Office and recounted the story Of the shoot
ing, which, in the main, conceded with
that published in this paper. He said
that he had q tussle with Abraham in
the court room as the latter was trying
to escape after being convicted Of adul-
terry, and that the young and powerful
buck drew his knife and fought his way
out. Olney was ordered by the Indian
court to pursue the fugitive and bring him
in. Mounting his horse he came up with
Abraham and couple Of bis companions
a few hundred yards distant and ordered
him to surrender. Abraham picked up
an oak club from the ground and with
threat and foul language rushed upon the
officer, who, in selEdefense, drew his re-
vOlver and Cred the bullet passing through
Abraham's body above the heart. The
wounded man said, that's all right"
moved of q few PAGES and fell down,
dying within fifteen minutes. As crowd
Of Indians began to gather and make
threatening remarks, olney's friends ad-
vised him to leave, and he rode to the
agency and reported what he had done 10
Agent Lynch. Abraham was 4 nephew
Of Chief Joe Stwire, and the chief held 4
council with his followers and demanded
0lRey's life. The agent and Chief Eneas
combatted the claims Of The Stwire fac
ton, WHO finally agreed to compromise II
0lney would give the mother Of Abraham
stock worth 800 and get of Of the reser-
walton. Olney would not agree to this,
o. he maintained that he had fred the
fatal shot IN the discharge Of his duty as
an officer and in seli-protection. But as
threats against his life were made, and as
1t was reported to Olney that four Of the
tOm-man-us doctors had been given horses
to do awav with him, he concluded to
leave for the time being. This he regret
ted to do, as be has q fine ranch Of 100
acres fenced, good orchard and several
acres in alfalfa, and besides his wife had
just given birth to a child, but the agent
advised II and be left.
Olney is 4 hali-breed and q son Of Gov
ernor Olney. He was born in 1853 while
his father was agent Of the Warm Spring
Indians in Oregon and was named after
President Franklin Pierce. He was sent
70 The Dalles, where he received q good
education. Being q fluent talker, and
having fund Of information regarding
the Indians, The HERALD reporter drew
him out to talk on those subjects that are
Of most interest to the Boston man.
He said that during Father Wilbur's
time 1t was claimed that there were about
eight thousand Indians on the reserva.
ton, but that sickness and the peculiar
methods Of native doctOring had rapidly
carried them off. The late census showed
5000 - Indians, but 1t was taken in
the winter when the Indians gather on
the reservation from all Of the surround
ing country. At present there are only
about four hundred heads Of families.
The Toppenisbes are the most numerous,
then the Yakimas and KIlckitats with
remnants Of the Cayuses, Columbus or
Cascade Indians and several other tribes.
Joe Stwire, q Klickitat Indian, claims
TO DO the head chief. He is an intelligent
Indian and fluent talker, but arrogant
and domineeFing. Stwire IL not chief by
lineage, but was appointed b. Father
Wilbur, and for long time received $500
. year from the government. This was
withdrawn about the time that General
r. H. Milroy entered upon his admins
tration, and after that many Of the In
dians refused to acknowledge him as
chief. Eneas IL the natural chief Of the
Yakimas, and be is looked up to as an
honorable and splendid sample Of the red
man. Wa-chow-kie Is the respected and
time honored chief Of the Toppenishes,
who form fully one-haH Of the agency In
dams. He IL the descendant Of line oil
chiefs and warriors, but lie now very old
and blind. Te-ian-anie, or young chief,
Is the successor Of Ko ti-akin, the tom.
man-us doctor, who held sway over the
wild Indians living along the Yakima
until bis death year or more ago. Te-
laramie still goes through with the weird
incautationS in the pom-pom dance.
every Sunday in the big medicine Lodge
below the Two Buttes, or Union Gap a
II Is better known.
These Indian doctors lead q very pre-
cariouS life. They are supposed To re
ceive the power to cure through somC
spiritual revelation which appears t
them in youth in the form Of q wild ami
NAL or q vision. This power Is exertet
for good or for evil by will force, anC
death or health can result as the medi
cine man chooses. When this power 4
believed to be used to bring about tn
death Of any Indian, his or her relative
Immediately crave for the DOCTORS blood
and very often get Il, too, and this mod,
Of squaring medical bills has resulted Ii
several murder trials In Yakima. Som
Of these killings are said to have been in
stigated by Chief Stwire; at least he
charged with ordering the execution Of Al
Indian doctor on the Columbia name,
Wa-pat, brother Of the late Mrs. 10
Bowser, who was killed In '6S or go.
was claimed that Wa-pat had tOm-man
used or bewitched one Of Stwire's rela
'tivea. and althou0h the old madicin