The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-04-18

stolen hogs and similar losses until the Department of the Interior began to feel overworked and took notice.
 It was just at this time that bad luck came to McDowell in the person of a missionary-a little man who distribu- ted religious literature and sympathy with telling effect, though scorned by the warlike settlers. Soon he became to the Indians a guide, adviser, friend, and by communicating with the officials at Washington, he was able to help them in vyarious ways. Then he planned o great coup. Without consulting the scornful settlers, he. drew up a petition setting forth the Indians case alleging incidentally that the white men were desperate characters, without morali- ty or justice, and then with Big MMike, the leader of the Apaches at McDowell, he took the paper from camp to camp, securing the mark or signature of all the Indians.
 These papers were sent to Washing ton and, since they cast a light upon the subject. they soon reached the hands of the harassed officials, who were being importuned to open the McDowell mili- tary reservation for settlement. With them came also protests from the pow erful Indians Rights association, to which Big Mike and the missionary had likewise appealed and, since there seemed to be no end to the uproar, the Department of the Interior decided to | take a definite step In the matter. As a first move, the petition of Big Mike and the missionary, with all it's al 1 legations and accusations, was forward ed to the truculent citizens of Fort Nc Dowell. who were sa earnest in their protests against hog-stealing. And 1 then the trouble began. Without ill- 1 forming the missionary of their inten- l ltions. the McDoWell settlers invited him 1 to attend mass meeting and then, having locked the door, they read the allegation that they were desperate characters, etc. and asked him what he meant by such a statement The missionary replied that he didn't knew. He was in 8 bad place and knew it--but once more he escaped unharmed. It is possible that question of policy pre- vented the desperate characters of Me Dowell from taking an unmanly re- venge- e-otherwise it was a Christian act and worthy of a greater publicity than l it had yet received
 But after that meeting there was a war of words-of petitions and letters and llegations-Indians and missiona- Try against the settlers. And for the 1 first time on record the Indians won l Wearied by the tangle of conlmunica- ltions, the Department of the Interior re- ] quested the President to send a special | inspector to Fort McDowell to adjudi- lcate the matter and make recornmenda- tions. In September, 1903, the inspector Icame He heard both sides of the story looked over the grounds, and upon his recommendation the settlers were giver until December to move; their i'm l provements upon the land were pur- chased by the government, and the mis- l sionary was appointed Indian farmer I with authority as an agent over the In. l dians.
 For six weeks there was a great gath. ering of cattle, of corn and hogs an6
 worldly goods and then, by December | 1, the last settler had shaken the dusl ] from his feet and turned his back tt , McDowell. Uncle Sam had paid hin
 well for his mprovements-but lie wa
 sore. The inspector had showed hin l the greatest consideration-there wa i no protest over his sward-but tha busted settler was sore. Not at Biz 1 Mike, not at the Indians. It was tn
 little missionary, now Indian agent
 who received all his eurses-but per I haps he could afford to let the heather rage.
 l And now, with bundles and bags
 shiny swords and all the savagery 0 red handkerchiefs and buckskin leggins 1 the 1ong-haired Mojave. Apaches ar,
 riding in from San Carlos and Littlt 1 Colorado, each with knife in his bel l and a grim smile on his lips. Eael
 hopes to receive land and water, { 1 house and a fence for his ponies-ant as for the rest, the Great Father a Washington will see to that.
 Big Mike is big, indeed, now that ht
 has thrown out the white men and ha,
 pitched his Wigwam by the doorway 0 l the best house. The buttons on hi; l shirt are almost strained from their fas
 tenings and part of it was by a biz l laugh--for Mike is great joker. Hi
 latest joke is a momement to have th'
 missionary fired-and Mike ha' dreamed that it will come true.-Dan, l Coolidge in the Los Angeles Herald.
 
 TUSk OF A NARWFIAL.