The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-04-27
INDIAN EAGER
FOR DIVORCE
Dakota's Accommodating Law
Makes His POIygamy Easy.
IT Is THE Only Coed LAW
PaIsfate Ever Made, According 10 Opinion
Of Rei Man OaCOma, the Divorce
Seekers Paradise.

CHAMBERLAIN. s. D.. April 27.-For-
hidden by the Indian Bureau TO use red
paint or 10 wear gaudy blankets, the
Indians have accepted one OF the tenets
of civilization with much JOY. IL is the
divorce They believe now this Is the
only good law the white man ever made,
and 40 heartily are they entering into
the spirit OF obtaining divorces that II
the present increase continues more di-
vorees will be granted TO Indians than
10 whites.
without respect for any of the orders
of the Indian agent or the laws or the
United states, the Indian has become
convinced that the divorce court was m
augurated i'm order that he might have
as many wives as he wishes. oacoma
is the divorce paradise for the Indians.
In the last year more than sixteen APP
plications have been filed, while year
ago an Indian divorce was unheard of.
Wearing huge somberos. greasy ana
dirty, with a pair OF overalls mapping
about his ankles and q blue checkeo
cotton Jumper soiled from weeks or
wear a strapping Sioux buck walked
into lawyers Office ana oemanoeo q
divorce.
Eagle Boy here" said ',Frenchyy,m the
interpreter. indicating the Indian, wants
"Ugh-' grunted the Sioux in approval.
He say Pipe Eagle Boy, a wiidcat.
prefer in En- English. ''He say he go to his
wigwan and fine no Pipe Eagle Boy. The
moon sets and the sun rises, but Plpe
Eagle Boy no come home. A.. S,o,x
Stepping forward excitedly. the sioux
held up one hand and. turning down one
finger at time until he had indlcateo
six. grunted cultural monosyllable TO
his interpreter.
Eagle Boy say Pipe Eagle Boy have
six husbands before she marry him'
said the interpreter.
The lawyer then filed an Application
for divorce for Eagle Boy. alleging that
Pipe Eagle Boy had too many husbands
when she married Eagle Boy.
Burnt Prairie hear, P,eaS much nro,,SiY wSrriTp or
court recently that he had 80 wives ana
wanted to divorce the 36th because she
was lazy and did not provide suitable
quality Of food for him. He secured
the divorce on the ground of cruelty.
neglect and incompatibility OF temper
The government officials and mission
aries have demanded that the Indians
marry according to the laws OF the state
| The Indians protested that tribal mar
| riages were all right, but the govern
ment insisted. and the Indians learned o
/ laws Now they will he married in M
/ other way. II is the proud boast of ever,
Indian that he was married by a min
lister" as every civil Official authorized
to perform marriages Is called by them.
The Indians point with pride to othe
| bucks who have had four or five wives
| and been freed from them by law. For
merly when an Indian tired of squav
! he sold her TO some other Indian for 9
| pony. blanket or a bag of flour. Now
! he divorces her
| The wife is now selected by the buck
! according to tribal customs. but he I'm
mediately starts with her for the nearest
| justice OF the peace or missionary.
Lawyer j. +. House. who has had
much 10 do with Indians, says regarding
the granting of divorces to them:
Il see no reason why we should pro-
hibit person from receiving the pro-
lection OF laws that you grant to others
OF different color. l now have a case OF
this kind An old Indian married. OF
raths-. took under the old custom n
young wife. She is still young and has
sought n companion near her own age,
I'm another part Of the country, and has
been living with him for "a year. Tho
Indian, now very old, asks a divorce on
the grounl of desertion. Should we close
the divorce courts to him?
THE Indian divorce Is no different and
is granted on the same ground as a
divorce to white man or woman. 1t Is
| one of the incidents of citizenship for
| the Indian is rapidly assuming the dress
habits, manners and perhaps vices Of the
| white man."