The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-02
JOSEPH, THE FAMOUS CHIEF
Hauxhty Nex Perces Who DesPfse
the White Man-Hfs Masteriy Re-
treat I'm the War of 1877.

Hauxhty Nex Perces Who Despise
the white Man-Hfs Masterly Re-
treat In the War Of 1877.
SPOKANE. April so-Joseph. chief Of
the Neg perces Indians OF Northern Ida
no. who toek part In the Grant memorial
parade and who has been grarted permis-
sion to accompany the Wild West show
OF Buffalo Bill viii take place In history
with Black Hawk. Pontiac and Tecum-
sch. In the Judgment of many army of
ficers Joseph Is the greatest OF all Indian
warriors His compafriot. Lawyer was
the greatest in the imprisoned oratory
% the council. but in diplomacy. strategy.
quick marches. elusive power and dashing
courage JOSEPH has no superior In the rec
ord OF Indian warfare.
BY nature he is proud. defiant and war
like. His summer home was in the WAL
Iowa valley OF Eastern Oregon. but when
not engaged there at hunting and fishing
he roamed at will from the California
line 10 the Canadian boundary. and from
the Blue mountains to the summit OF the
Rockies.
The invasion OF his bread realm by
miners and settlers forced upon the gov
eminent its policy of forming new
treaty with the Indians for the purpose
of combining them to two or three reser-
vations. At the conference held at lap
wal I'm 1873 between the various Indian
chiefs and representatives of the govern
ment Joseph refused to go upon either
the Neg Perces reservation. I'm Idaho. or
the Umatiila reservation. In Oregon. This
being reported 10 the secretary of the in
terror an order was issued that Josephs
band should be permitted to remain in the
Wallowa valley during the summer and
autumn and later the president set aside
the Wallowa and Imnaha valleys for
Joseph and his non-treaty Indians.
Thus matters drifted until 1875 when.
under pressure from the settlers. the
president rescinded his order and an
other commission was appointed to nego-
tiate with Joseph and his band. Joseph
haughtily replied that he had not come
to talk of the land; the Maker of the
earth had not portioned 1t off. and man
should not; the earth was his mother,
sacred to his affections and too precious
TO be sold He did not wish TO learn
farming. but to live upon such fruits as
the earth produced for him without eff
fort From these principles Joseph has
never departed. To this day he and his
little band on the Colviile reservation re-
fuse to take up the arts of peace. They
hunt and fish and dwell in tepees.
The government replied that unless in
a reasonable time Joseph consented to
be removed he should be fcrcibly taken
with his people and given lands on the
reservation. He answered this by TAX
ing TO the warpath. Joseph. White Bird
and Looking Glass gathered their forces
!. on Cottonwood creek, sixty-five miles
from Lewiston. Idaho. ostensibiy to COM
ply with the governments command, but
really in preparation for the fierce war
that followed
The first victims were four white men
killed on White Bird creek. On June II.
1877. while playing cards they were sur
prised by a band of hostiles. Gen. How
ard, in command of the department of the
Columbia. took to the field The war
lasted for three months. and for ten weeks
Joseph fought running battle In which
he displayed high qualities of general
ship. He had in the beginning only 400
warriors and these were encountered with
their families and stock. Surrounded
again and again by the forces OF Howard.
he eluded capture, resumed his mastery
retreat and repeatedly doubled his tracks
and struck a singing blow against the
troops. Against him Howard had nearly
forty companies of regular army soldiers
and a large force of volunteers and In
dian scouts.
After hard fighting near Camas prairie
Joseph escaped over the Lolo trail. elud-
ed the forces stationed at the mouth OF
the canyon in Montana, and pursued his
IT.
was finally captured by Gen Miles near
the north end OF the Bear Paw noun
tains. The distance marched by Howari's
army In this fierce running campaign was
nearly $50 miles. The United States
army lost los officers and men killed and
100 wounded. Thirteen volunteers were
killed and fifty settlers were massacred
After the war OF 1877 II was not deemed
best 10 put Joseph upon the Nez Perces
s-rz -. fffrs.
We're burning for revenge. and IL was
feared thet II Joseph and the ringleaders
OF the war were placed near the scene
OF their massacres fiercer fighting would
result. Accordingly Joseph and a few
hundred Nez Perces were taken TO the
Coiyilie reservation In Northern Washing
ton.
They are addicted TO drinking and gamb-
ling and their numbers have diminished
Joseph was upon the streets OF Spo-
kane the other day. He was attired in
the garh OF the white man and wore none
of the savage togRcry so dear 10 his heart
He was accompanied by a band or six or
seven warriors and was en- route 10 Lap
wal on the Sez Perces reservation In Ida
no.
Joseph speaks little English. He likes not
the white mans tongue. and will not learn
IL. When asked how long he would re-
main in Spokane. he held up three fingers
The chief was non-committal respecting
the object OF his visit TO Lapwai. IL was
learned. however upon good authority
that he is dissatisfied with conditions on
the Coiville reservation and wants 10 visit
Washington TO plead his grievance with
the authorities and Is going 70 Lapwsi
TO hold a conference with the members
Of his tribe there. to raise funds and SEE
cure authority TO represent them at the
capital.
II Is said his alleged grievances relate
10 the invitation OF the colviiie reserva-
ton white men and 10 tire attempted OPEN
ing Of the south half OF that reservation
TO mineral location. Differences have
arisen between him and Chief Moses OF
the Columbia The two chiefs never were
the best OF friends. Al the time OF the
Neg Perces outbreak in PIT when Joseph
deaed the government and made his Ia
nous running fight with Gen Howard
and the United States army. numbering
the settlers Of Northern Idaho and apply
ing the torch to their homes Moses re-
ard resisted All Of Joseph's importnnsfa
given Moses fer this refusal TO 20 upon
the war path. You say TOO many things
which are not true" Moses once said 10
joseph. And Moses has no faith in JOS
eph's word
They have places near Sexpelin Wash
ingion. about two miles apart Joseph and
his band OF lS1 Neg Perces depend upon
government rations and will do little
work. The government has given hem
houses. bat they prefer the life OF the