The herald., 1893-01-19
CHIEF MORONGO AND HIS PEOPLE
The Ruler Of the POtrerO Res
ervatiOn in Town.
He Describes Some of the Political
Discussions Among the Tribes.
His Subjects Making Great Progress as
Ranchers ON Their Lands Near
Banning-Tho School
Facilities.

Indians, was in the city yesterday. He
is character in his way and is we'll
known to the people of this country.
The old man holds his commission di-
rect from Washington. Besides being
chief of the Potrero reservs tion he is
also the head man over four other chiefs
of various reservations about Banning.
His duties consist mainly of going where
there is trouble among the Indians and
endeavoripg to settle amicably all OF
their dissensions.
He was in Perris Tuesday night stay
ing at the governments new Indian
school building, and came to Los Angeles
yesterday. The purpose of Chief Johu's
trip was to obtain from Indian Agent
Rust the commission OF Joaquin Torres
as chief pro tenn of the Desert Indians,
vice Chief William William who is now
sick. Joaquin accompanied Chief John.
A HERALD reporter had talk with
the chief yesterday and found him 10 be
very well informed. He talks very good
English and speaks to the point.
Tell me something OF the Banning
Indians, chief?"
"Well, at the last census taken two
years ago there were 1872 persons in the
Potrero reservation. II is situated about
three miles to the northeast of Banning.
A short time ago the government de-
cided that all heads of families were to
receive 20 acres of land for farming and
100 acres for pasturage. Those over 81
years of age get 10 acres. There is water
to all of this land, and the men receive
patent grant. The land is situated near
the foothills, and the people are all do
ing nicely. They plant beans, barley,
corn, vegetables and fruit. A great
many of them are planting barley, and
there will be good sized crop this year.
Fruit trees are also planted. On the
land that cultivate have set out 300
apple trees.
Formerly the people did not like to
work and cared only to make living.
Now it is different, they want to make
something more"
"What schools have your"
"There is government day school in
Bar ming, which has about 20 pupils in
attendance. The Catholics have school
about one mile north of Banning. They
have a contract with the United States
government by which they get certain
sum OF money for every pupil they take
charge of. 1t is boarding school, and
there are about 100 pupils enrolled.
They are not taught any particular
trade, but the girls learn how to eew.
The Indians like this filth very we'll.
There ;s also Moravian missionary and
his wife on the reservation. They have
no day school, but hold church and Sum
day school. The school at Perris will
be opened very soon, and will
hold about $50 pupils. About eight
children from our reservation will at
tend. have little girl 13 years old
who is learning to play the piano and /
will send her to Perns. The boys can
not be taught any t.ade there at pres
emf because the appropriation was not
large enough to erect the buildings
necessary for this purpose"
''Is it true that Mr.. Rust is not pop
ular and should be removed as agent 7"
''No. The reason that some OF the
people do not like him is because he
will not let them have their own way.
On our reservation there is young fell
low named Will Pablo who ran away
from his wife and two babies and while
drunk killed another Indian. A
number of the tribe said
that they wanted him for their chief,
but Mr.. Rust said no, for if he could not
take care of his family he could not
take care OF the reservation. The chief
must be man of family who could be
depended upon. This made them very
mad, and they circulated petitions and
told things to the newspapers, trying
every way to have Mr.. Rust removed.
Down with the Desert Indians there
was an old chief named Cabszon. He
would do nothing for his people and
they got tired of him. They told him a
number of times to come to the meeting
for they were going to hold an election.
But he would not come. Finally they
held an election and chose William Will
liam for the chief. Old Cabazon re-
fused to 90 away, and still wanted
to be chief. The Indians told
Mr.. Rnst and he told Cabazon
that William William was the chief,
Cabszon got mad and he too has tried to
have Mr.. Rust put out. These are the
only complaints against Mr.. Rust and
they are made only by the bad fellows
of the reservations. The good ones are
satisfied with Mr.. Rust"
"Tel of the attempts made to poison
you about year ago?"
81 had bought some fresh meat in
Banning one evening and brought it
home, putting it in the milk house. /
had piece of the meat for supper. The
next day my wife, when she was putting
it on the table said that something was
the matter with it, as it was
awfully bitter. l did not cay
anything to her because /
thought ahe was mistaken. The meat
could not have become spoiled in that
time. She tasted it, and again said it
was too bitter to eat. | passed it to a
Mexican, who works for me, and after
tasting piece he, too, said that it
was bitter. Then / took piece, but it
left such an awful bitter taste in my
mouth that 1 told my wife to give it to
the dogs, thinking it had spoiled. l did
not swallow auy of the meat.
81 went into the ward and in little
while one of my girls came running to
me and eaid that the dog WAS sick.
ran back to the house, and knew at
once that the dog had been poisoned. 1t
died, as did several cats, in a little
while.
81 never could find out who put the