Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-06-08

MoaVI INDIAN PRISONERS.
Interesting Red Men who Li'er"i's
Say Nothing and Saw wood
(san Francisco Chronicle)

(san Francisco Chronicle)
Uncle sam has summsrily arrested
nineteen Moaul Indians down near the
Mexican line and taken them to the mill
tarv prison on Alcatraz Island. there 10
stav for a year. all because they would
not let their children 90 10 school. =,
Rut ne has not done It unkindly, anu
the life of the burnt-umOer natives N
one OF ease, comparatively speehins'
They have not hardship aside from IN,
fact that they have been rudeiy sha,en-u
from tho bosoms Of their families ana
are prisoners, and prisoners 'hey
stav until they have learned 10 apprs-
cIata the advantages OF education. IN
fact the theory OF compulsory education
has never been carried to quite such
nractlcal extent In this country. Ana 80
nc nineteen men are under lock ann
kew. with ample time 10 reject on 'he
benefits OF long division ana magma
charta and other things lncidentaiiy'
they may learn TO wonder AZ the phis-
faced way OF following out the legal IN
beritance OF that tlmous charter OF lioer-
ties and may obtain, also, some points
about the word freedom. That word "
not I'm their vocabulary, but they know
an equivalent for IL that makes running
water and fishes and the smoke OF 'hc
tepee dance before their eyes. IL means
something more that Uncle sam mas no'
considered. and that Is rest for the con-
e,i,ut,onally weary. For how can you
rest v,,h government wood-sawing ana
nile diving 10 be done2 The Moquis wear
expressions of profound cynicism as they
mediate upon that fact. ~,
1-heir work f. varied occa sionally ny HI
RE trims 10 San Francisco, where trey
are taken to visit the public schools chuer
strict guard, so that they can see me
barmlessness OF the multiplication thble
IN its daily application. fheir aversion "
the schools. where the government pro,
posed TO send their children, was psseu
on the fact that they had seen hnuips
Of their offspring die in Them from 'ne e'-
fects of some contagious disease, am 20
they laid the deaths at the doof Vi 'oo
much learning. ,,,.o,a
Those Moouis DO not speak our language
a, oil and very little OF their own when
,t.i,ors arc by. All they do is 20 WORK
a, their enforced tasks. with the stoiid
air of indifference for which the moore
"a" &c famous. Their rations are good'
rev have exercise every day, and they
hava fairly good beds 10 rest on at night
Thsy are under lock and key when tney
Iia down. and under guard when they
eat but they are not starved OF uheoi
Portable. Their clothes are warm anu
Violating, and they are spoken 10 WIN
consideration. But Uncle Sam says tney
80, ,hirk az he does or be treated ike
naughty children, and that IL why '"e'
are living in AlcatraZ.
AN AIR OF ETERNAL CALM. =,
vi.,tor landing from the Mcdowell
on a fine day can see the nineteen OUT
in the sun slowly accomplishing thsir
tasks and wearing an air or eternAi CAIN.
!, "a hard TO tell whether they are orlSnt
or not. for their unresponsive manner Is
accentuated by their Ignorance OF Eng
llsh. No one can get them 10 so tiiuen
as gesture, but they work dlVideu iil'o
LITTLE groups. with a hsuess' iheenaH ~.
steadiness. One group is up on the side
~ me hill that faces the water and the
IandIng-place. They have pile or logs
near them. and that particular detach-
ment saws on those logs one by one untii
thew are cut into lengths ft for use-what
use no one deigns to explain.
They use a big "cross-cut' saw with
long handles that takes two men at
time 10 work, and they use an ordinary
sawbuck TO rest the log on. one indian
having the wit TO sit on the MIDDLE OF
the log 10 keep IL balanced WINE IN
this position they were photographed the
that they were made 10 understand what
was wanted OF them. and that they were
to keep still They wanted TO go right
on saving In the face OF the camera
and II was only after repeated urging
and pantomime that they consented 10
stand for their picture. When tney
once grasped the idea, however they
wanted to keep right on. and the notion
of being photographed indefinitely seemed
10 take hold OF their imasinations. ana
the earnest manner with when they poseu
and composed their features tor
suap shot was amusing. One Old Fellow
in front arranged his flowing bangs in
the chrysanthemum fashion and Insisted
uuon posing, with more or less pleasing
results Around him stood eight or ten
big bucks, ranging from % TO % or more.
grav-headed. apa thetic old men, with
bowed backs, and young men with jetty
locks and keen, restless eyes; but all
docIle. amlable, and willing TO work,
whatever their methods may be at home
where, no doubt. the advanced female has
no leisure for mental development.
NEVER LOOK UP.
Another group OF indiana was on high
hank overlooking the bay driving huge
snlkes into piles. The click OF their un-
even strokes was all the noise that broke
the stiffness. They never locked up from
their task. and hammered away with the
,,nslxiIfui irreguIarity OF inexperienced
m,, dorsed men. Immediately by them
stood a gunner. who has taught them all
thew know OF white mans ways. He says
they learn rapidly. and are anxious 10 do
AZ they are sold. having no originality,
hut faithfully obeying orders He says
tnsv deyplse the idea Of lever and full
crum, prsferrins iasfsad the straight III.