Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-27
CHIEF BUsHYHEAD.
Something About the Most Notable
Man I'm the Cherokee Nation.

CHIEF BUsHYHEAD.
Something About the Most Notable
Man I'm the Cherokee Nation.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
TOPEKA. Kan. Dec IS. 1898.
One OF the most powerful factors in tbs
settlement of the Cherokee strip is an In.
dian. His name is Dennis W. Bushyhesd.
and he was for eight years the pricipal CHEZ
Of the Cherokees.
His has been an eventful and successful
career. as careers are measured by whit0
men. He is sixty-seven years old. and his
life has been one Of incessant activity, In
which he has at once commanded the COM
plete confidence OF the Cherokee nation and
the respect of business men and ofhcisia
with whom he has come in contact.
Chief Bushyhead has many warm FRIENDS
throughout the west, and wherever he goes
is sure Of a hospitable welcome. When h0
talks Of his own career he is very enter
tanning. and is always certain OF attentive
listeners. He was in Wichita one night re-
Gently. and for several hours entertained
half a score of his friends In his room. He
told OF his early boyhood among his tribe In
moval TO the Indian lands now embracing
the Cherokee nation. ove- which he preaidsd
for many years.
In the course Of the evening he grew
reminiscent and told many stories, flles.
trative Of the development OF the great west,
which he has seen spring from a wilderness
TO a mighty empire.
well do / remember. said the old chief.
tain, "a visit made by Gen. Winfield Scott
to my fathers house in Tennessee. I vas
fifteen years old then, and the great soldier
came to our reservation to tell us that our
hunting grounds were wanted by the
whites. and that We must move west. Most
OF the tribe submitted. but p-obab bly, a thou
sand Of them hid I'm the hills and kept the
SaIr% la.-~
long time. They never succeeded fully In
this, and doubtless there are some members
OF the race there yet. who have assfmila4ed
with the white people.
'ifofty-four years ago, within q stones
throw of the Union depot in Kansas City,"
continued Bushyhead. Il fitted myself o1t
for a trip across the Great American Des-
ert Ii was at the breaking out OF the gold
excitement in California. and gold had
many attractions then fo- a young Indian
brave as for the most ambitious white man.
For eighteen years i remained on the Pa
cifc coast and did not return TO my people
until 1867. Then / brought with me loo.
Il suffered many hardships In those years,
out hardships were In my line then, and
did not mind them particularly. When I
crossed the then barren plains Of RanoRo
there was not a house or sign Of permanent
habitation, and the man who would then
have predicted that a great state would BE-
carved out Of that wide waste would have
After all, my life has not differed much
from that of the average white man A
mistaken idea prevails concerning the Che
rokee Indians. They are a civilized race.
L do NOT know single man In the Cherokee
nation who has not adopted the habits and
customs of the white people We have
good schools and churches. and In fact an
of the institutions OF civilized communitiea
We are proud of them and give them hearry
support The nation now has a population
Of 26.0o0 prosperous people
do you know" said he as he poured n
liberal dram from a bottle of old brandy.
that the Cherokees are pioneers in TIE
cause OF prohibition? 1 think you people
here In Kansas got that idea from us. In
1919 the nation passed a prohibition law ana
In $50 a law was enacted by the Cherokeo
nation for the suppression of polyrany. IN
that. YOU see. we were far in advance of the
American government"
Chief Bushyhead IL an object OF q great
deal Of attention when ne visits eastern
cities. II is his custom when he rose to
New York, WASHINGTON and other points tn
hide OUT from the reporters. because M
says they are always after him.
On the occasion above referred TO. when
the old chief was in hts ha ppiest mood S,e
related one incident that was very pleasfr19
to his listeners. He was In New YORK ey,6
had successfully evaded the newrna per men
for three days FINALLY" ne said "a Her-
aid man found me out. L had remained IN