East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1905-08-09
PROTECT THE DEAD.
NEZ PIERCE INDIANS PLEAD
FOR BURYING GROUNDS
Railroad Building Along Snake River
VIII Disturb Many Ancient Grave
yards Committee of the Tribe
Visits an Attorney ut Lewiston In
the Effort TO Prevent Dissertation
of Their Cherished Property.

ton yesterday, journeying down Snake
river very much disgusted with the
white mans idea of law and justice,
says the Lewiston Tribune. These
two aborigines had consulted an at
torney and sought advice as to what
could be done to prevent the pirating
of the graves of their ancestors who
are buried at several points down
Snake river, inasmuch as railroad
is soon to be constructed along the
banks of the river, necessitating the
employment of many men, and the
advent of these men had aroused a
fear i'm the hearts Of the Indians that
the ancient burial places may be
molested, us it is well known that the
old burial customs of the Indians liv-
ing along the Snake river included
placing with the dead many trinkets
of great value to the curiosity hunter,
These two Indians We're designated
to ascertain what could be done to
prevent the desecration of the Indian
graves along the Snake river. They
We're much disappointed upon learn
ing that the law would not permit
them to shoot upon the spot any per-
son or persons detected in this line
of work.
1t is reported that about year ago
two professional hunters, coming from
separate sections, visited the Nez
Perce reservation and vicinity at about
the same time, and it being absolute
ly necessary to keep their business a
secret, ii was some time before either
learned of the others business.
At last one of them, becoming full
ly convinced of the occupation of the
other. took two Indians into his COM
fidence. told them of his suspicious,
and hired them to assist him in
watching his competitor.
1t was not long before the two In
dans caught the suspect about day
light one morning covering up a
grave which he had pirated near the
mouth of the Potlatch creek. The
two Indians took the man captive and
marched him a mile and "A half at the
point of a gun, up "A small creek that
empties near the water tank at Pot
latch junction, to "A grave which had
been previously prepared by the cap
tive's competitor.
Here the captive was made to be-
lieve that the Nez Perce had decreed
| that he must be put to death for the
greatest crime that could be perpe-
trated against the Indian people. The
! captive begged and pleaded for his
| life until finally the captors proposed
| that If he would divulge his cache and
\ give up all his plunder and take the
next mornings train for Spokane and
promise never to invade the Ne'
Perce territory again. they would
spare his life.
The captive was only too glad tC
accede to their demands and acted
accordingly. OF course, the Indian'
turned the captives spoils over to th'
captives competitor and received
handsome compensation for the labol
performed. and no doubt the employ
er reaped a harvest from a shrewC
deal. for the Indians say he got Z
large number of green elk teeth.
1t is explained that green elk teetl
are elk teeth that have been buried
number of years in proximity t
copper trinkets, the copper finally i'm
parting a beautiful pea green to th'
teeth, making them very valuable, es
pecially to members of the Elk lodge
as the elk tooth is an emblem of mem
bership.
Many valuable relics have incident
ally been taken from Indian graves
In commencing the Clearwater Shor
Line in 1899, at Potlatch junction,
grave, forgotten by the Oldest Indians
was broken into and among othe
things was found large silver medal
well preserved and well wrapped In
number of layers of buffalo hide.
The medal was one of three give
to the Nez Perce Indians by Levi
and Clark. and is now in the posses
sion of Northern Pacific operator
One of the other two medals was los
by the capsizlng of a canoe in tn
Clearwater river over so years age
The other was buried with Chief Jess
at the mouth of Ford's creek, severe
years ago and although the grave wa
within so feet of the residence of hi
widow and family, a daring youn
man living at Orofino. abstracted tn
medal unobserved in the night TIM
and left the grave so near In its orie
inal condition that the family neVe
suspected the act of vandalism. Th
} medal now rests In a prominent inst
tuition, one of the most cherishe
| among the thousand curios.