Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-05-19
INDIANS AS JUDGES.
THEY HOLD COURT IN DISTRICTS OF
THE RESERVATIONS.

! Some of the Penalties 1hey May Impose
For OGenses and Their Fees For Per-
forming the Marriage Ceremony-Fines
For Vagrancy.
During the recent discussions of In
dian affairs reference has been made to
tho judicial establishments on the reser-
vations. The obstacles to carrying on
there full system Of courts will be ap-
parent on rejecting, in the first place,
that Il large proportion Of the Indians
are among the i've civilized tribes, who
| have arrangements of their own under
the local governments assured to them,
and next, that among the remainder
there are many thousands who by TAX
Ing allotments have become citizens and
have passed under the jurisdiction Of the
states and territories where they reside.
However, there is an existing system
of Indian courts organized under the
regulations of the interior department,
while the acU Of 1885 gave to the United
States and territorial courts jurisdiction
of crimes committed by Indians upon
their reservations. Recently the regula-
tons for the Indian courts proper have
been enlarged, so rs to make them more
efficient. Among the changes in the new
regulations is the division Of the reser-
vatiOns into districts, with judge IN
each. while there is court in banc for
the reservation, having clerk to keep
its records. 4 reservation may be div
ided into three or more such districts.
following, as far as practicable, county
lines, provided that the Indian popula-
tons. including mixed bloods and whites,
who are members of the tribes, shall be
nearly equal in the districts. If there
are no county lines, natural boundaries
are used, SO that the Indians can easily
ascertain what districts they belong to.
All the Judges are Indians and must
be men Of intelligence, integrity, good
moral character and monogamists, pref
erence being given to those who read
and write English readily, wear citizens
dress and engage in civilized pursuits"
They are appointed by the commissioner
of Indian affairs for tie term of oneyear,
subject Of course TO earlier removal on
proof Of misconduct. Each judge must
reside in Tie district and hold court at
least ono day in each week.
ANY Indian engaging in thesun dance,
scalp dance CT war dance, or any similar
feast. 50 called, shall be punished by
Withholding his rations for 10 days or
less, or by Imprisonment for 10 days or
less. on the first ofTense. n second oifense
bringing not less than 10 nor more than
30 days Of Withholding ratiors, or i'm
prisonneNt.
Plural or polygamous marriages here
after entered into recciye q penalty Of 500
to $50, or hard labor for 20 to GO days, or
both, and the forfeit OF right to ratiOns
while coutinuiugi il suchTelations. Other
immortality Of like nature is punished.
The willlul destruction Of property Of
other Indians requires the making up Of
It's value AMI also 50 days imprisonment,
and the plea that the person convicted
or the owner Of the property in question
was at tho timo q m0UTuer, and that
thereby the t2l-.u-, destroying or injur-
ing Of the property WIS jCs,i.icd by the
customs or li;es O. The TRIES shall not
be accepted as sufficient defense
Intoyicatiol &Ha the selling e intoEi-
carts are put ON he Same footing, bring
ing Il penalty Of between SEQ and 500 CT
Imprisonment between 80 and 80 days.
The FOUNDERS of the police courts Of CT
ties who are accustomed to the $40 or 10
days Of civilization might be aghast
at the introduction Of these penalties.
Among the misdcmeauors, a neglect or
refusal - perform road duty brings
fine Of $50 for every day omitted or
Imprisonment for not moro than five
days. Another noteworthy provision
proposed in the new regulations reads as
follows:
THAT if an Indian refuses or neglccts
to adopt habits of industry or to engage
in civilized pursuits or employments, but
habitually spends his time in idleness
and loafr", heshall be deemed 4 vagrant
and guilty Of a misacmeanor, and shall
upon the first conviction thereof be La
bic to Il fine Of not more than s. or to
Imprisonment Of not more than 10 days,
and for any subsequent conviction there
of to Il fine Of not more than so or to
Imprisonment for not more than 30 days,
in the discretion Of the court
This inclusion &C vagraucv among Of
lenses punishable by the cow s is among
the changes in IL lev regulations.
Any one who ado. the i..actices of
medicine men or . q, 3 Of the conjurer
to prevent Ind l,a abandoning
tLoir b,,.La,c11s ... ,,.s +, to bo ;,nn,.is.
one1 Lofv.oe,, IN and .o5avs for tho first
IT., o,J vt ,roro tI9n civ months
So .,,I,.a'.,,,,,t o.,, ~, dotor,.;,,,, of
I.7;a,,. r,.',., .,,i,,,, l..,.;,i,od lite
tli,,i''.-, 80,
leNuLhS SS-'oL7, Is '!ISO A!C4u"eu uAIeI
tins regulation.
Ihe disiTla' court Judges nave power
10 soiehl,iize LiHIIl"SeS oc'"cel l!',u"nS,
the lee iot cach hoV exceeding -, ana