The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-01-21

Much difficulty. however. l. experienced
in determining the rights OF property anu
other questions affecting the natives by
reason OF TIE great diliIcuity Of compre-
bending their language.
In determining these questions original
and unique rules OF evidence are frequently
adopted in order to arrive AZ the proper
conclusion. a Jew days ago q young ma
live, apparently about 10 years Of age,
Presented himself b,fdr" the commanding
officer and Was very much excited over the
loss Of a pig. which H. claimed had been
stolen from nim. and was then IN the pos
session ~ the offending native.
After ydiuly trying to determine the own
trship Of tn" pig, the commanding officer
concluded that a proper verdict could not
az III" uffenSe. and inspection Uf the pig.
Iv request. Lieutenant Wade of Butter.
Mo. consented to investigate the matter.
Accompanied by Sergeant F~dsSatt, who's.
previous military serviC" on the island
gives him a better knowledge Of the native
language than any other man "a; the post.
he proceeded 10 the south part of town TO
the home of the csnteniinE parties. He
heard the evidence of the ownership. which
was very conflicting ana unsatisfactory and
then visited and Inspected the property In
controversy. lie found the pig. whose
weight was about eighty pounds. with its
feet securely tied. lyIHg in the back ward
Vi the native. whom Il; was claimed had
stolen 1t. Here the Ileutendnt's sense Of
Missouri justice and right came 20 his as
SiStduC". and h concluded the pig had been
stolen. or II would not have been tied up in
the manner in which ne found 1t. He ac-
cordlnSly awarded the pig TO the claimant
and required the man VIII" wrDnSfully held
II TO surrender il To its rightfui owner. The
correctness 81 the verdict has since been
site~'"c by "a number Of residents of that
part Of town Another Instance VIII PER
haps be sufficient to illustrate to your read
erS = method OF administering justice be-
tween natives
4 Solomon Needed.
Yesterday morning q native presented
himself to tho commanding officer. His
condition was about as pitiabls In appear
tuCc as one rarely secs in a lifetime. His
heal WAS bIniaScd. Cluts Of blood pro-
truIed from hiS matted hair. his clothing
was torn to shreds and his body was COW
cred with bruises and cuts. He said a nj
tive had fallen on him and beaten him the
night before without just cause or pFnV,ci-
tIon. The Offending native was promptly
sent for and brought in 10y "a quart. An
INVESTIGATION OF The flCts disclosed that the
men were hinthcrs-in-l"w. living in the
same house. and that the trouble had arisen
over the boy of the injured man. But there
was n" possibility OF arriving At any con-
ciuSi"n as TO which was really the offender,
and The parties Were DISCHARGED.
After a months careful study of the ma
iivra | find littl" to There is
mJcn IN th"ir character Of the traits OF the
North American Indian. whom they very
much resemble. but are much smaller in
stature. Their habit in travelling. when
walking. is to 20 in single file at a distance
OF about 1--WE PAGES apart. They have n
inherent habit Of smoking. and IDparautlv
prefer In walk clos" to OF inside The bushes
or high grass 70 that Of a plain road Tayy
ar" FESTIVE, and YET lazy. \ dozen of them
will hc found sleeping in one house. and
Vet III "A little wnli" viii he seen in a rice
field nr on the road. and then again hack
At THE sam" house sleeping in a short time.
The common Ecppl. live by being en-
piuNCi 10y IN" rice ana sugar planters or
rcddlinS cigars. cigarettes and native fruits.
When employed On the rice plantations or
at the sugar mills the average wages are
81 "a month. Mexican. when Is equal to 81
Il month American. As u class. th.y are
not disposed 10 labor any more than they
can help. This morning Il large sugar and