The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-07-03
Cree Half Breeds Give Their
Testimony to Commissioners
ORDERED TO LEAVE
N a Given Time the Flathead Reserva
ton. Smead and Larivee Both
Expelled Them.

The examination of the Cree In
dians, who have been quarantined
north of Kalispell for the past month,
after being ordered off the reserva-
ton was held in the commissioners
room this morning. Chairman Crit
fin of the board of county commission
ers, assisted by DR.. Macdonald of the
county board of health, conducted the
examination.
The testimony of the witnesses all
tended to prove that Arthur Larivee,
acting as an agent of the Indian agent
in charge of the reservation was the
one who ordered them to go.
VIM. Lawrence half breed Cree
was the first witness called. He can
both read and write and made an in
telligent witness. He said that Ar
thur Larivee met him about the first
day of June and told him that he
would have to leave the reservation
in four days time. Larivee said that
he had been appointed by the major
to order him out He understood that
Smead was the major meant as he
goes by that title on the reservation.
Lawrence and his wife and his bro
ther left the reservation on the 5th
of June, arriving in kalispell on the
7th. He said that he had been sick,
but didn't know what was the matter
with him. His brother Joe had been
sick for over two weeks and had only
been out of bed four days when orer-
ed to leave.
Lawrence had been on the reserva-
tion for four years, working for differ
ent people.
Joe Lawrence, brother of the first
witness, was then called and testified.
He said that Larivee had told him to
leave at the same time and place as
he id his brother, saying that the
agent had given him authority to is
sue such orders.
He said that he had been sick for
over two weeks and was sure he had
the smallpox as his face and hands
were all broken out and blotches were
all over his body. He had been out of
bed four days when ordered to leave.
At the time Larivee gave him the
order he asked him if he had the small
pox and that he answered that he sup
posed he had as his face was covered
with scabs. Larivee told him that he
was appointed by the agent to order
him off. Lawrence claimed that he
had been working on the reservation
for five years and had never been or
dered off before.
He substantiated his brothers tes-
timony as to the time the order was
received, the time they left and the
time they reached Kalispell.
John Marsett was the next witness.
He is halfbreed Chippeway Indian
and does not belong to the reserva-
tion. He had lived on the reservation
for four years and had never been or
dered off before.
mers about seven miles from Larivee's
place. On the morning of the day
when the order was given the other
witnesses, he was passing Larivee's
place, when the latter called him in
and told him he wanted to see him.
On entering the house Larivee gave a
letter to DR.. Colbert, who was present
and told him to read it to Marsett
The letter was from Major Smead and
in it he told Larivee to order all
Cree. half breeds to leave the reser
vation, giving them four days in which
to go. No reason was given for the
order and he does not know why
such order was issued. Marsett did
not have the smallpox and no cases
had been in his house.
John Marsett, Jr., was then called
and testified practically the same al
his father. He heard the letter reat
to his father by DR.. Colbert. but die
not know the reason for the ordel
given. He had never been sick ant
substantiated his fathers testimon!
as to the time and place.
Gus Boucher testified that he ha,
lived on the reservation for clever
years, making his home on Sprinl
creek, near Roman postoface. The In
dian agent ordered him of personall
about June 1, giving him four days il
which to go. The agent told him tina