The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-26
DEATH OF CHIEF BUM.
Was the Last Full Blooded
Representative of the
ShinneCOckS.
Quite a Romance Connected With
the Passing OF the Long
Island Tribe.

SOUTHAMPTON, L. l., July 25.-James
Bum, chief of the Shinnecock Indians,
died yesterday morning on the reserva-
ton among the Shlnnecock hills with his
face toward the setting sun. He was prob
ably the only full-blooded representative
of his tribe. With his death the noble
race OF Shinnecock Indians ends.
There are number of supposed red men
living on the reservation. but they are for
the most part half-breeds and cannot lay
claim to being real wild men. The old
chief was about IS years of age. Until a
few years ago he was tall and straight, but
disease laid low his stalwart frame. Bum
lost his vigor, and OF late had been content
to counsel the young men OF the tribe,
who thought they were as good as the pale
faced people who were swinging golf clubs
over the land which the youngsters thought
r;ghtfullY belonged to them.
OF late, when his straight back had be-
come crooked and his limbs would hardly
bear his weakened frame, he used to like
to sit and see the white man play golf
among the hills. He would sit for hours
at time and watch the small white ball
being batted about the green sward. Once
in while the old warrior would straighten
mans sport and shake his head. he
longed for the pony races of his fathers,
The old man was typical Indian. his
hair was long and densely black. 1t was
straight and hung about his head in matted
folds. His face was broad and his fore
head high. He had long nose, which
protruded from his face aggresslvely. HIS
mouth was like slit in piece OF beef. 1t
was straight and stretched almost from
ear to ear.
Once the old man was prevailed upon to
go to Washington to see the big Father
there and try to purchase back the Shine
cock hills, which he had hunted over while
boy. A chief named Big David went
with him. This latter CHIEF had stirred up
the trouble among the young bucks. When
he got the old chief away from his hills he
him stranded in Washington. The old
mans fare was paid back to Shinnecock by
some of the big white chiefs in Washington.
Bum returned to his home satisfied that
there was no use to try to barter with the
whites. He said he had seen his native
hills pass into their control and had seen
the palefaced people I'LL rivers with fish
which he and the members OF his tribe had
fiShed out long ago. He marveled at this,
but never tried to find out how it was done.
There are lamentations among the tribe.
The big chief was beloved by his men and
women. Although some of the Indians
have been Christianized, most of them are
in pagan state. The traditions of the old
tribe still cling to them now, and .hey
think something more dreadful is still to
happen. Chief Bum will, in all proba-
bility, be buried in true Indian fashion.
He had never disregarded the habits of his
forefathers. Several members of the tribe
bear his name. One of them is a trustee of
the tribe now. He is educated and a
bright young man. With the death of the
ancient warrior the question as to who will
succeed him and be chief will bother the
Indians. While the tribe is amenable to
the white mans law, they always take
home their own differences by appealing
to the chief. Some wise brave will have
to take the old mans place.