The free press., 1897-07-08
TRUSTY INDIAN POLICE.
IN THIS CAPACITY THE RED MAN IS
AN EFFICIENT SERVANT.

and found wanting His fighting dis
position and his indifference to what
would be termed discomfort and pri-
walton by white men, gave the United
States government grounds to believe
that the Indian would make good
soldier, and several companies were
organized and stationed at frontier
posts. The experiment has proved
failure, and the war department is
sued an order for the disbandment of
the company stationed at Fort Sill,
Oklahoma, on May 81.
Many of the Indians who were USE
less as soldiers became valuable mem-
bers of the Indian police, and it is
probable that most of the Fort Sill
company will enter that branch of the
government service. AS members of
the indian police they will have more
| freedom, will not be restricted so
closely as to hours of service, will not
be confined to narrow quarters, and on
| the whole will feel themselves more
free in every respect Those who
have already served in that capacity
have shown on many occasions that
the Indians are we'll fitted for the
duty This branch was organized by
Major John Mclaughlin, and among
those who became members of the
force, and did good service in its early
| days were some of the braves who had
given the country the most trouble
when they were on the warpath. A
notable example of this kind is Chief
Gall, who was one of the judges at
Standing Rock Agency, in South Da-
kota. d. F. Barry, who knew him
well, said of this chief: "His bearing
was almost regal, his face expressive,
and his slightest motion graceful. He
was born leader of men, more brave
than crafty, and he knew not what
fear was. He was the brainy and in
trepid chieftain of the most warlike
band I ever saw in any Indian nation.
He attracted attention wherever he
went, and those who have seen him, l
will venture to say, have never for
gotten him. 1t was Gall and Crazy
/ Horse who commanded the Indians
that took part in the Custer massacre.
To show you how Gall inspired admir-
alton, l will read to you from letter
| have from Mrs. Custer, widow OF
the general, written since the massa-
ere. She writes: Painful as it is to
me to look upon the pictured face of
an Indian, l never in my life dreamed
| there could be in all the tribes as fine
q specimen of warrior as Gall
/ Gall was succeeded as judge in the
Standing Rock Agency by John Grass.
These men were of the higher or Off
cial class of the Indian police, but the
privates are equally notable in their
sphere. They are conscientious and
diligent in the discharge of their
duties, and perfectly trustworthy and
reliable. The Indian who becomes a
member of the police feels proud OF
his little authority, and does not hesi-
tate to arrest his best friend. The
officers have so little fear as to the
loyalty of their Indian police that some
of the most desperate Indians have
been placed on the force. OF these,
Rain-i -the-Face is good sample.
He is policeman at $40 a month, with
the same duties to perform as any
other private in that branch of the ser
vice, although he has deeds to his
credit which would entitle him to great
consideration at the hands OF his
fellow warriors. He is the man who,
according to accepted accounts on that
subject, killed "Tom' Custer, the
brother of the general, and mutilated
his body in the most horrible manner ;
and he killed and scalped also Drs.
Halzinger and Balerano. He has been
member of the police force for a
year, and has given perfect satisfac-
ton.
At the various agencies where there
! is an Indian police there are also In
dian Justices who occupy similar places
to that which was held by Gall. There
the Indians who are guilty of any mis-
demeanor are brought by the police,
and there justice is administered.
/ Theft, horse stealing, drunkenness,
! and all other offences are tried there,
; and those who are found guilty are
sentenced to confinement in the lock-
! up for various lengths of time, to work
on public property or saw wood
/ Court is held on ration day, about
twice every month, and at such times
the men who have been arrested by
the Indian police are brought up for
trial, and are allowed to defend them
selves before the judges pronounce
sentence upon them.
Cases of drunkenness among the In
dams }are handled with great severity.
The Indian justice makes it his duty
to discover the person from whom the
Indiah received the liquor, and aids
the authorities in his prosecution. He
also inficts punishment of imprison-
ment on the Indian who was found in
, toxicated. Some travellers in the In
dian country have had occasion since
the establishment of the Indian police
to note it's workings to their own dis
comfort. According to the law no
man has right to travel in Indian