Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-24
tt MES
w. w. Baker Talks interestingly
of Fifty Years Ago.
KNEW THE INDIAN CHIEF WAPELLO
Sax and Fox Indians Were Proud
Race-Fat Above the Average in
eIligence-keokuk Was a Great
orator-Head Dress of Chieftains.

w. w. Baker, who has recently re-
turned to Ottumwa for a short visit
after an absence of over so years
spent in TIE far west, talks entertain
ingly OF pioneer times in the vicinity
of Agency and Ottumwa. In 1888 his
father came to Agency as one Of the
government officils. Mr.. Baker was
at that time boy of about ten years
of age.
This territory was at the time occu-
pied by the Sax and Fox Indians. The
Indian agency or council room as it
was called, was log hut which is still
standing about one mile east of the
present town of Agency. 1t was here
that the elder Mr. Baker was located
and here that the boy grew to be a
personal friend of Blackhawk Keokuk,
Wapello, and all the less famous chief
tains Of the Sax and Fox Indians.
Mother Blackhawk. as the wife of the
famous chieftain was called, was a fire.
quent visitor at the Baker home. She
was great friend of the children and
they played with her and sat upon her
lap many time.
Indians Very Proud.
Mr.. Baker met Blackhawk only few
times but with the two sons
and Keokuk he was well acquainted.
With Wapello the chieftain
for whom this county is
named and whose grave is at the old
agency council room. he was an in
| innate friend. Mr.. Baker speaks very
highly of the Sax and Fox Indians.
They were far above the average,
physically, mentally and morally of all
the western tribes of Indians. They
| We're proud spirited race. You could
4 not hire one of them to work for you
or do chores. 1t was impossible to per-
| suade one of the tribe to wear cast off
clothing or TO even put on garment
any one elese had ever WORN The
only condescension in this matter was
| when the chieftains occasionally wore
military uniforms given them by the
i government officers, to the council
chamber when they came to treat with
the officials. When the council was
over the uniforms were instantly re-
moved.
The head dress which the chieftains
wore when the sat in council with the
officers was striking. The Indians
| were skilled taXidermists. A raven,
/ head body and tail was prepared, its
body split and used as the head GOV.
ering; the tail feathers hanging down
the back and the head extending to
the front. Round headed, polished
lacks were inserted for eyes. All
night in the old log council room when
the swarthy chieftains squatted about
in circle, logged out in all their bar.
barrie splendor with this raven black
head dress, the brass eyes shining in
the Pickering candlelight the scene
was truly an uncanny one.
Sax and Fox Distinct Tribes.
The Sax and Fox Indians were two
distinct nations, yet they lived to
gether under one general government
or rather chieftain. The great chief
was chosen sometimes from one some.
times from the other nation In the
two nations there were 1900 individ.
uals divided into eighty-two tribes
each with it's own chieftain who held
definite rank. At the time the great
, warrior Blackhawk was chieftain ,Keo
= llull became chief and Wapello second
). Mr.. Baker remembers these three
: chieftains as magnificent specimens
i of physical manhood Keol1ul1 in gen
eral intelligence outranked tie others
/ For an Indian he was a brilliant man
He was one of the most famous In
: dian orators that ever lived. The In
II dian orator spoke slowly, stoically
= Not SO with Keokuk He was firer,
S and impassioned. He spoke will
IS wonderful rapidity. When arouse,
and heated his Indian grunts and gut
l. teral intonations sounded like the rat
II tie of drum sticks. He was a hart
e proposition for the interpreter VIII,
l. found it impossible to keep pace witt
e him.
eel Tribes Receive Annuity of $4,000.
e The territory about Agency an
e what is known as the Iowa prairi
a about Eldon was formerly the home @
# the Iowa Indians. But after the Blacl
IS hawk war an annuity of $4,000
4. year and all this territory was give
W to the Sax and Fox Indians. TIL
-, ~ manner of paying this money to tn
eighty-two tribes was unique. Their
:. were two traders dealing with the Ii
~ trader, who founded the village of Et
~ dyville, and Bill Phelps, whe repre-
~ sented the American Fur company
5. These traders gave credit to the Ii
4 dians and when pay day approache
IS placed their accounts against the Ii
u dams in the hands of the Indian agen
IN who at that time was General Stree
at the man who later founded and esta1
lie lished the Courier. The money tran
81 action took place in the council room
r. Upon large rough table, arrange
Sc down the center Of the room, wei
al placed eighty-two boxes, designate
ut one each for each of the chieftains
u In each of the boxes was 1000 silvt
dollars. Nothing but silver was a
of ceptable to the Indian. He would n,
Sc receive either gold or paper. Whe
he a cnieftain's name was called l
in. arose, came forward, reached out ar
re placed his hand for an instant on IL
re box indicated, and then returned
tn. his place and squatted down in IL
circle. His touching the box was IL
official act by which he accepted tt
money for his tribe. After all hi
been accepted the agent paid to Il
se traders what was coming to the
ca
&c. from the various tribes. 1t was S,
dom that anything was left in tt
boxes, but when such circumstan
oil did occur the money was turned ov
In a