The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-24
RED CHILDREN.
How Seventeen Navajo Boys Es-
capped from a School
They Travelled Two Hundred Miles Over
the Nountains-zTeet and Hands Frozen
BLACK Horse Objects to Com
pulsory Education.
lcoPYRIGBT, 1891

LcoPYRIGBT, 1881
/ / set out, after an interview with the
president, for the southwest on the 9Th
of November, 1892. | came into the In
dian country for the purpose of study
/ ing the character and customs of the
/ Indians, and brought with me letters
from the heads of the departments at
Washington, coupled with a particular
~ kind letter from the commander in
chief of the army, Gen. Schofeld, to all
officers commanding troops in the In
dian country, requesting them to fur
nish me with such military protection
as might in their Judgment seem NEG
essary.
On my arrival at Fort Wingate, New
Mexico, / found myself Unexpectedly
confronted with state of things which,
TO say the least, was decidedly embar-
RAISING, and which threatened serious
consequences unless wisely dealt with.
The ostensible cause of the trouble was
the compulsory education of the Navajo
children. A cali for troops had been
made by the Indian agent at old Fort
Defiance. This call had been repeated
several times. During my brief stay at
the fort Col. Gibson Hunt, to whom
am indebted for many courtesiee, the
commanding officer at the post, was
ordered into the Indian country at the
head Of troop of cavalry, and by the
courtesy Of the colonel I was permitted
TO follow their footsteps.
In the latter part Of October, just be-
fore election, David E. Shipley, the In
dian agent at old Fort Defiance, at
tempted forcibly to take, as he had re-
peatedly done before, twenty Indian
children from their fathers and moth
ers and put them in the Fort Defiance
school. But the redoubtable Black
Horoe came forth and said: "if you at
tempt TO take single child from their
fathers and mothers against their wish
! will teach you lesson you viii never
forget"
So saying ne dragged Mr.. Shipley out
OF neighboring stOre, and would have
probably killed him ON the spot had not
an Indian policeman rushed in and res
cued him after Black Horse had slapped
his face. Thereupon the old chief
started for the hills, and Shipley has
seat troop of cavalry after him.
The Navajo is the second largest
Indian remnant on any reservation. 1t
Is branch of the great Athabascan
family that has been traced to the
Arctic regions. 1t people are self-sRp-
porting. They ask nothing Of the gov
eminent. They raise vast hocks and
herds. They ship abroad annually one
million pounds of wool, and produce
possibly as many more. They are the
Switzers of the mountains, impregnabdy
intrenched against attack behind their
black lava beds. And because they are
strong and independent compulsory
education has no claim upon them.
War would be deplorable unwisdom-
nay, worse--indefensiblea assault.
Black Horse says: II will not allow
you to take my children by force from
me and place them in school"
These are his reasons:
First-Diphtheria had lately broken
out among the Navajo children, and
caused widespread death throughout
the reservation, making those children
that were left doublv dear TO them.
Second-IIe feared that if children !
were taken TO The Fort Defiance school |
they would be surreptitiously removed |
to a more distant school.
Third-That it was well known that |
at that very school Indian boys and |
girls had behaved in such a way as to i
irreparably injure its moral character. |
Fourth-That compulsory education
could not be lawfully enforced upon /
the children Of a self-supporting people |
like the Gavaios.
Fifth-That the violation of the |
treaty of 1865, which provided for one
re servation school to every thirty chill
dren, whose education should take place
under the Indian eye, abrogated all
claim 10 their children whatever.
The trail, which l followed with a |
trustworthy Indian guide, crossed at
length a dry, sandy bottom and