Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-06-19
INDIANS ENTER PROTEST..
Sioux Chiefs Claim Their People
Are Not Treated Right.
Formal Statement Presented TO Con-
EresA md the Secretary of
Wnr-WnIting for the
Messiah.
Especial washington Letter |

The American Indians seldom have
an opportunity to be heard, but they
always have ample opportunities TO
suffer; and nearly all of the wars of
the past 200 years have been caused by
injustice and oppression, the white
men being the original aggressors.
Recently there was council of Sioux
Indians at Pine Ridge agency, and they
sent four chiefs to Washington to me-
morialize the congress for justice. They
appeared before the senate committee
OIL Indian affairs, and presented their
memorial, which has just been printed.
The document is signed by Red Cloud,
American Horse, Clarence Three Stars
and Patrick High Star. Their state
ment of grievances is, in part, as fol-
lows:
For many years a number of our people
have been employed and taken from the
reservation TO accompany Buffalo Btlfs
Wild West show for exhibition purposes
throughout the United States and Europe.
A plan was inaugurated to allow the In
dians to trade out one months salary at
Rushville, Neb., before boarding the cars.
James Il. Asay, white man, who was ex-
PEELED from the Pine Ridge reservation for
misconduct in 1891. has a deep-rooted
scheme and the Indians are coerced, and II
Asay's store in Rushville, Neb., and pay
for the goods they purchase the most out
rageous charges or lose their position with
the show.
Upon the return OF the Indians to the
agency this man Assay Is permitted to be
present and collect bills against the In
d!ans while final payment Is being made,
and In some instances Assay handles the
cash and presides over the payment. Mr..
Asay's conduct was such that he was, un-
der the provision of the laws governing
Indian reservations, removed from the
Pine Ridge agency in 1891, but was still
permitted to use the reservation at his
convenience and defraud the Indians by
charging them exorbltant prices for goods
sold under the Buffalo Bill trading COM
bination. which seems too strong for the
officials at Pine Ridge to break, in face of
Asay's persuasive powers of pleasing those
whose favoritism he seeks Why not re-
quire Messrs Cody and Salisbury to stand
up to their agreement and pay the Indians
cash. thus allowing them to trade where
they choose and enjoy competition In prices
the same as the whites do? What reason
is there for Assay to be allowed to violate
the law and plunder the Indians in the most
outrageous manner?
THE CodySalisbury contracts call for
payment OF services In lawful money OF
the United States II the orders issued by
the Wild West company on Assay and his
robbins machine are lawful money OF the
United States, then all this goes for moth
ing. suit in equity should be brought
against the Buffalo Fill wild West com.
pany for every cent that has been paid the
Indians in orders on Asay's store, and the
amount due each paid 70 the Individual In.
dian who rendered service in cash as pei
contract. An investigation will bring ou
more facts in connection with this robbng
scheme. Assay should be kept off the reser
walton altogether: his removal from tht
Indian country was a step in the righr
direction.
There is a clause in the printed forms o
the contract for beef which reads as fol
lows: That the beef cattle under this con
tract shall be good, healthy, merchantabl,
steers and cows tho bulls or stags) not owe
saven years of age.
tractor since July l. 1896 there have beef
old oxen, straight bulls, fresh cut bulls. anC
stays, old, poor cows that were not abl'
TO make the journey from the agency bee
corral to the several issue stations
aughterhouses-on the reservation. Th
cattle received for issue on February 1
and 20, 1897 were so poor that they droppe,
dead near the Holy Rosary mission school
but were dressed and issued to the In
dians as merchantable beef and up &
contract requirements. Other cattle diet
while en- route 10 PorcupIne and Medicine
Root and at this issue old bulls, som
fresh cut, some in sexual prime, were con
spicuous and served as an issue of mer
chantablo steers and cows (uo bulls o
stags) over seven years OF age"
In giving testimony before the com
mittee on Indian affairs, American