The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-08-10
GRlNNELL DENIES 1T.
Editor and Indian Writer Never Hired
Blackfeet to Give War Dance.

BIackfeet to Give War Dance.
DR.. George Bird Grinnell, editor of
Forest and Stream, and well known
as writer of Indian lore, who fire.
quently visits Montana, emphatically
denies the charges that were prefer
red against him by Indian Inspector
O'Connell of having hired some
Blackfeet TO give war dance upon
the reservation that was disgust
ing, demoralizing and degrading orgy"
DR.. Grinnell has filed with the secre-
tary of the interior a reply. in which
he completely refutes McCOnnelrs
charges, characterizing them as who'll
ly untrue.
Mr. Grinnell is so we'll known in
Helena and in northern Montana as a
refined gentleman that the statements
contained in McConnell's charges nat
urally shocked his friends. It was
claimed among other things that Grin
nell hired some Indians to give war
dance for the edification of himself and
the other members of the commission
that treated with the Indians for the
cession of the coded strip of the Black
feet reservation. The fact that he
had given a squaw bearing the eupho-
NOUS name of Big Nose a check for
$50 was construed by Mcconnell as
meaning that he had thus paid for tho
dance that the inspector called dds
gushing orgy" Mr.. Grinnell says that
at the conclusion of the negotiations
the party, at the request Of the Indians
themselves, witnessed so-called war
Dance" participated in by few In.
dians, which was harmless affair.
The check for $50 was given to Mrs.
Big Nose for an Indian tepee Mr.
Grinnell purchased for an eastern
museum. The dance given by the In
dian was devoid of any of the disgust
ing features limited at by Mcconnell.
Mr.. Grinnell's reply in full follows:
II feel somewhat mortified that you
should feel that this report calls for
consideration and reply from me;
but, on the other hand l realize that
your personal knowledge of me is of
the slightest. therefore comment on
Indian Inspector McConnell's report
at some length, following the order
preserved in that document. Most of
it's statements are wholly untrue, 9th
ers are Misrepresentation there are
one or two statements of fact.
I'm 1895. at the close of negotiations
with the Blackfeet Indians, the COM
mission, composed of William G. Pol
lock. Walter M. Clements and myself,
at the request Of the Indians them
selves, saw a so-called war dance
participated in by half dozen In
dams and witnessed. believe by
twenty or twenty-five Indian people.
There was no assemblage of Indians.
William c. Pollock, of the law divis-
ion of your office, will no doubt be
willing to describe what took place, if
the Indian division care to know.
"One of the few grains of truth in
Mr. McConnells letter is that some
weeks ago l sent a check for $50 to
Mrs. Big Nose. The circumstances
were these: About three years ago
Professor F. w. Putnam, of Cam
bridge, Mass, the curator of ethno-
logy of the American Museum of Nat.
ural history, requested me to secure
from the Blackfeet Indians skin to-
pee or lodge, completely furnished
with old-time implements and utensils
for exhibition in the museum. This
lodge was ordered from Mrs. Big
Nose three years ago and had only
just been completed. On notification
of it's completion l sent the maker
the final payment for the lodge, which
will soon go to New York for exhibit
ton in the museums collections. The
check sent had nothing to do with
the medicine lodge performance.
Il have attended number of these
medicine lodge gatherings in pas
years, and, largely through my ad
vice, various practices. harmless il
themselves, yet giving occasion To-
criticism by white people, have beef
eliminated from the ceremonies. Thu
dancing. against which Inspector Nc
Connen inveighs, is not continued da!
and night, but begins at 2 or
. O'Clock in the afternoon and ends a
5 or 6. These dances are not an ex
hibition of the nude, the only portion
of the body uncovered being the fac
and hands. Men and women alik
take part in them. and to. all intent
, and purposes they are similar to socia
) dances conducted by the whites
, These gatherings are not orgies no
q are they disgusting, demoralizing o
degrading
: Among full-blooded Indians l hav
not seen 8ny evidence Of drinking a