The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-18
BIG TREE is HOT
CHIEF OF ALL TIE KI0WAS REGIS.
TIERS KICK AGAINST GERONIMO
He Does Not Want the Old Rascal on
His Reservation for Various Rea-
Sons-Big Tree Tells Good Deal
OF Indian History While q Ding to
Baptist Convention.


OF Apache Indians, as he was member o
| a branch of that tribe who seeded anC
would not take part in the treaty by which
the Kiowas. Commanches and apache,
acquired title to their land in the Indiar
Territory. We acquired our rights to tn,
| country by IA treaty signed by the thre,
tribes in 1913 at or near where Medicine
| Lodge is now located. The bringing o.
| him into the territory at this time to shar,
with US In the revenues to be given to tn,
| tribes when our land is,opeued TO settle
| ment is outrage.
| II have not met him since he wa!
| brought to the territory together with hi
! people, and in fact have never seen hin
| since he became a chief, but he does 40
bear a good reputation with the white PEG
| pie and our three tribes do not take kind,
to his being brought among US.
How do your people take to the idea o
having the Kiowa, Apache aud Comancht
land thrown open TO settlement"
I'VE are all opposed to the plan, and
| were outraged by the interpreters at thu
I time we met the commission at Fort Sill
Mr., Givens was the Interpreter at the
| time. He was a nice looking man and
| spoke the language well. We thought hs
! proved to be wolf In Sleeps clothing.
| There were two papers prepared by the
! commission for Us TO sign. One was fol-
! the land TO be sold and the other against
| the plan. We were asked to sign the paper
| giving our choice. We would come up IL
| the table and Mr.. Owens would get thu
paper. We then touched the pencil We
were all against selling but by him giving
us the wrong paper We had signed ia favor
| OF the allotment We did not know this
was the case until we had the report of the
| commission made TO the great father al
Washington interpreted to US. We then
| demanded the return of the paper to u.s."
"Who are tn head chiefs of your tribes
through whom this demand was made for
the return OF the papers on which you
had voted?"
Lone Wolf, Comalty and myself repre-
sented the kiowas. Quannah Parker the
Comanches and White Man the Apaches.
We are the five head chiefs of our tribes.
here are "A large number of little chiefs
in the tribes, what We call war chiefs, but
they take no part in the legislation OF the
tribes. All three tribes are willing to sell
the land of the reservation at the expira-
| ton of our treaty, which will be on Oct.
10, 1896, but We do not want to sell now.
How many kiowas have you IN your
tribe at the present timer
There are over l. 100 and with other two
tribes we now have since Geronimo's baud
of outlaws added TO us almost 5000"
Previous TO going to The territory we
were located on the Arkansas river in
| Kansas and the Comanches and Apaches
were also located in Kansas. Our warriors
frequently visited the Osages who were
located at the Junction of the two Arkan-
sas rivers, but | never accompanied them
at the time, as was too small. | am now
only AZ years. Santana, was the head
chief of the Ia inw4S a that time and
a mighty warrior. He is dead now: killed
himself at the Texas penitentiarv by
jumping from the window OF the upper
story"
In 1872, Sstanna and large band of war;
riors made a raid in Texas. There was a
large baud of other Indians who joined the
expedition, and among the number was a
half blood Mexican who called himself
Big Tree. Big Tree says he did not go
with the band At that time he was only
a war chief. During the raid the band
came across wagon train frelghting
goods, and when near Brownsville, Tex,
they had a fight with the freighters and
were successful. The entire train was cap
tured and all killed but few women aud
children. These were taken prisoners.
General Sherman was making his cele-
brated tour inspecting all the western
posts at the time, and while being accom-
panied by his body guard crossed the
trail of the Indians. IL was sa d at the
time that had General Sherman been one
hour earlier he would have been killed.
When Sherman reached the post ne heard
of the terrible massacre at Brownsville,
and imme diately ordered out all the troops
at the different posts to pursue the Indians.
The Indians were closely pursued, aud
the Red river was guarded in hopes of
capturing the band when attempting to
cross the river, but the indians made
thp1r "A Territory Inv canine
into Kansas. The return OF Satanna to
his reservation WAS made known to the de-
partment the next spring and the plan
was set to make his capture when he
should appear at the Indian agency near
Fort Sill for his annuity goods. The time
arrived and SO did Satanua. The troops
attempted TO make the arrest wnen a gen
ernl battle occurred in which over thirty
were killed and wounded. Finally Big
Tree and Satauna were captured and taken
to Brownyille. where they were tried, con
victed and sentenced to be hung. This
brought on "A general Indian war and hun
dreGs of settlers OH the border were masSa-
cred and had their properly destroyed.
y general appeal went up from every west
ern ststs To General Grant, who was the
president, 10 bring about treaty of peace
and protect the frontier from these deadly
raids.
The Indians agreed to return TO their
reservations provided the president would
secure the release of Big Tree and Satanna.
Governor Davis of Texas agreed to com
mute the sentence to life Imprisonment,
but finally upon a personal guarantee
from President Grant that the two great
chiefs would be surrendered to the Texas
authorities by the federal government in
ease they should again enter Texas soil,
Governor Davis released the prisoners and
they were brought Go Fort Sill, and after \
few months Imprisonment permitted to so
TO their tribe.
This was the status of the case until
Governor Coke of Texas was inauguraIed
when be demanded tina. the | nIted States
government should turn over the two
chiefs 10 the Texas authorities This WAS
done; but on "A reheariug OF the case Big
Tree proved that be WAS not present at the
time OF the massacre and was released.
Satauna killed himself.
At the DIT sent time Big Tree Is living on
Elk creek IN the northern portion OF the
reservation and is devoted member of
the Baptist church. He has grown very
portly and weights row over 800 pounds.
He has almost lost his eyesight, aud his
life, as pronounced by his pastor, Rev. q.
W. Hicks, is that of an ardent Christian.
Big Tree came to Wichita yesterday on
The Rock Island and in the evening took
the Santa Fe for Winfield where he will
attend the state assembly of the Baptist
church OF Kansas. He Is accompanied by
Rev q. W. Hicks. an educated and highly
pOiished Cherokee Indian and his interpre-
Tor, Samuel Ahatone. The party will go
from Winfield to Webster City, Ia. and
from that point to Norfolk, Neb, attend
ing the state assembly of the Baptist
church.