The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-08
Cbe Cbeatres
Indlan Chaef Id Rliou

"Me good Injun. No have light. Drink not much whiskey. Drink too much whishey, police get you. Me no get in prison. Me good Injun." And as Chief Ga Ne Cue pacifcaily uttered these sentences in guttural monotones. childhood Ideas of the bIoodthirsty In- dians vanished into thin air. Sitting in a stuffy dressing room at the Bitou Theatre with the glare of an incandescent full in his eyes, with the song of a black-face comedian on the stage above, sounding in his ears, and patent medicine bottle at his elbow Thus was Chief Ga Ne Gues of the Mo- hawks, a grand type of a grand but dying race, interviewed.
 With the exception of a heavy tom ahawk in his hand and a scalping knife in 8 beaded scabbard at his belt, there was little to remind one of James Fem imore Cooper's characters in Chief Ga Ne Cue and his environment. Ills feathered head dress was hung on a very civilized looking hook, the incan- descent was entirely out of place, and the patent medicine bottle was enough to queer any interview with an Indian chief.
 The interviewer wanted a prImevaI forest. a council fire, and a bunch of tepees. He wanted to make a sort of salaam and say 'Ugh!" three times. He also had a desire to present the chief with a string of beads and a looking glass. Every Indian chief in a novel wants string of beads and . looking glass.
 But Chief Ga Ne Cue had a plethora of beads and a heavy mirror hung over his head, before which he was prepar- ing to make up for Act ". of 'The Flaming Arrow" in which he plays Black Eagle"
 The interviewer was presented in due form to Mir. Joseph Johnson. An- other body blow had been sent home to man the ideal. Chief Ga Ne Cue was Mir. Joseph Johnson! But all ideas that Mir. Joseph Johnson was not full blooded descendant of the original Americans disappeared when Chief Ga Ne Cue began to speak,
 He conversed with the childIike sim plicity of his race. His ignorance of the great world in which he lives was appalling but refreshing after the pat ent medicine bottle. His magnificent physique, his copper color, his high cheek bones, his broken sentences, all proclaimed him a fine type oA the dis appearing race.
 Standing over six feet tall in his moe casins, weighing 250 pounds, with the muscles of lion standing out on his bare arms at 67 years of age, Chief Ga Ne Cue is a fine specimen of man. hood. His raven locks hung down be- low his shoulders and his smile bright ened the room.
 With characteristic, dignity and using his full height, he said: You are welcome" The interviewer was once more in New York State and was fol- lowing a trail with Leatherstocking or admiring the personality of Uncas.
 A difficult task as 1t to make Chief Ga Ne Cue talk of ought but Mir. Jack son, the manager of the company. whom he worships with an idolatry that none but an Indian can know.
 The people of Chief Ga Ne Cue are located on a reservation near their primitive haunts near Syracuse. N. Y. There he was born and reared His father was chief of the trube. but poor.
 "Me work when boy. Make Ave cents a day. Save money. Send sisters to school. Me have no time to go to school. Make money for sisters.
 By and by, I grow up big. White man, who love, come along. Say Jo, we go to war. go. I love white man Fight in war. Get shot heap. Bullet warm as hell in Indian"-and Chief Ga Ne Cue pointed to a scar on his neck
 "what war did you fight inT' he was asked.
 civil war" he replied.
 "on what side did you hghtF'
 American"
 "At what battle were you woupdsd?''
 "Civil war" he replied. and Chief Ga Ne Cue for the first time allowed the interviewer to realize that he was speaking to a child of nature, who knew naught about the great struggle in which he participated that his white friend wanted him to go and fight.
 T so back home" he continued ''Woman come along. Say go with show. say yes. No like woman quit show. Go back home. Father die. Me Chief of Mohawks." and with dig nity he inflated his chest
 'MA Jackson come alona. Say gQ