Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1900-09-05
CHOSE OLDEST WIVES
Indians Are Induced to Stop Practice OF
Polygamy.


PolYgamy.
Last week was q hard one for the
old men of the Kiowa, Comanche and
Apache tribes of Indians, says the
Wichita (kan.) correspondent of the
Chicago Record. They had to give up
all of their wives but one. Some OF
the medicine chiefs had as many as ten
women whom they called wives. All
but the fav0rite one are now living
away frotn the old bucks tepee.
When the law was passed throwing
open to settlement the Kiowa; Coman-
che and Apache reservation, it was de-
cided that these Indians should De
more civilized. 1t was with this END
in view that the Indian agent an
nounced to all the met that they must
give up their numerous wives, or they
would receive no part Of the land to
be allotted, nor would they receive their
share of the money shortly to be paid
them. 1t was hard blow to the
tribes, as they have always practlced
polygamy without any interference.
In reply to letter from Agent Mis-
chare, the Indians gathered at Darling
ton on the first Of the week. The old
men had all Of their wives with them.
The agent made speech to them in
which he set forth the fact already
stated. The medicine men made re-
plies. Rolling Pony, who had ten
beautiful young squaws and one old
one, was the principal talker against
the giving up Of his wives. He said
that they represented him as wealthy
man and if he had to give all OF them
up but one the Indians would think
that he was very poor man and ne
would lose his influence among his peo-
pie. BE said that for his wives he had
paid nearly 1000 ponies and had been
twenty years in gathering them around
his tepee. He made no mention of low
ing any of them, but said they were
good workers and tended his crops IN
good shape. The agent asked him II
he loved them and which one he liked
best. He made no reply, saying he did
not understand the question. Then the
agent told him he must make his
choice then and there. The squaws
were all lined up before the old man
and he looked at them long and earn
estly. Finally he selected the Oldest
one, she being shown in the photograph
with him. Rolling Pony has been an
Indian police for the last ten years,
but he told the agent he was going to
Quit now, as the government had not
given him a fair deal. The discarded
suuaws will be taken charge of by the
Indian agent and made to work for
their living.
Mario, q Kiowa warrior, had five
wives, but he gave up all but one.
! Gawkey, a Comanche policeman, had
eight wives and he kept the oldest one.
About sixty old men had to give up
their many wives and they Invariably
took the one they had bought first,
casting the youngest and prettiest
aside. The squaws who were thus de-
serted did not seem to mind it, but
We're glad to be released from the hard
work in their husbands harem. The
old men were very much against giving
up the many sQuaws, first because they
represented many ponies and, second,
they were q mark Of influence in In
dian society. The more squaws a med
icine man possessed the more popular
he was. 1t is among this class Of peo,
pie that the white people who want to
take free homes in the new country to
be given away soon will have to live
They are peaceable Indians now, but
they cling to their old customs with q
deaihllke tenacity.