The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-08-25
Youthful Bounty Claimants,

1Outh1ul bounty Claimants.
Among the first applicants for wolf
bounties in South Dakota, under the new
bounty act which became law in that
| state in the winter of 1S9S-99, were two
mere tots of children. Rose and Custer
Foulkrod, who made their appearance at
the house of the country treasurer one
morning only three weeks after the law
went into effect.
Rose, the elder, is but II years of age,
and Custer only or 10, and they looked
even younger The children are not
brother and sister. Rose appears to be
wholly, or in part. of Indian descent, and
is a waif adopted in the Foulkrod fami-
ly several years ago. Custer, on the
tie fellow, who gave direct answers to all
questions put to him. His father, he
said, had "gone for soldier and his
mother was at her early home in Indi-
ana; but ''Grandpa and Grandma Ho-
gam were at their sodhouse on the
North Fork, eleven miles distant. The
children had come from there that morn
ing.
When first seen, at about o'clock,
they were sitting in front of the treas
urer's home on rude sled, harnessed TO
very subdued. piebald cayuse or Indian
pony. How long they had been there
was not clear; they appeared to be wait
ing to be seen. not heard. It was cold
morning, while yet SIX inches OF frozen
snow lay on the ground, and their cloth
ing was far from warm or abundant.
They had wrapped themselves in three
worn old blankets and had a large, rick
ETY. goods box at their backs. Rose was
sitting straight as stick, her black eyes
fixed on the house windows: she scarce
ly spoke Mt all, and declined to go into
the house, after the treasurer had invited
them to enter, but watched his face close
w. 1t was the boy who hd the talking
He sale. that they had come to get the
store and buy grub stuff.
BOUNTY on what?' the treasurer
"Wolfses,' said the boy: give wolfses
and q lion and a kiyote.'
But have you the proofs-the hides. or
scalps with the tails?' the treasurer
asked.
yep replied the boy, in business
Tone Jumping ninbly over the goods
box, he hauled out from it five wolf pelts,
a coyote hide. and small, mountaln-llon
skin-all fresh.
The wolfskins were those Of the large.
gray timber-wolf, formidable and de-
structive brute which inf1ictS deplOrablc
losses Oh the stockmen of the counties
vast of the Missouri, bordering the Black
Hills The new bounty law provides
that three dollars shall be paid by county
treasurers for each gray wolf scalp or
hide. like sum for mOuntain-lion. and
one dollar for coyote.
But satisfactory evidence must he pre-
scented that the animals were killed with
in the county or state, and it is the treas
urcr's duty, on payment. to punch hole
not less than half an inch in diameter in
pcating.'' The skin, thus marked. is re-
turned to the person presenting it. who
can sell it if he wishes. 1t is expected
also that the owners of cattle and sheep
ranches will pay a bounty to those who
destroy wolves and panthers, in addition
to that paid by the state.
To prevent fraud, the county officers
are obliged to use vigilance, and in this
instance tho trea>urer's suspicion was
that the children had been sent to him
10y some one who had brought the skins
into the state from Nebraska or Wyom
ing
''Whcre did you get these hidcs?" he
asked.
"Off'n wolfses,' replied the lad
eyes, but who killed them?'
The boys eyes searched the treasurcr's:
"Grandpa Hogan made pills fer 'em."
willingly "hut her and me ketched EN-"
he added. stoutly, indicating his compan-
ion with a nod.
"Hrw old a man is your grandfather"
the treasurer asked. incredulously.
Hes most 80, grandpa is, and it took
him most all the forenoon every time to
get ic skin en-