The Washington times., 1905-02-24

ton. He is here gaily bedeeked and ca
Uarisoned. He is wrapped IN multi
colored blankets that make Josephs fa-.
nous coat somber by contrast. He Is
adorned with streaks of paint across his
high cheek bruaes and his headdress Is
wonderful to see. Bright-hued feathers,
arranged as en1v an Indian. can. make
ordinary Easter millinery blush for
shame.
These sred-skinned wards of the nation
have come from the West to lay before
the white mans chief and the Indian
officials multitude of grievances. There
are almost forty Indians now in Wash
ineton. all on business. True, they will
combine business with pleasure. for they
will all remain in the city until after
March 4 ON which date they expect to
parade Pennsylvania avenue in all their
srlendor and fnery in honor Of the
President
All Friends of Roosevelt
Like Chief Chariot. the most interest
ing character in the lot, they are all
friends of Roosevelt. They expect to
anpaai to Mr. Roosevelt himself, IN fact,
If they fail to get satisfaction elsewhere
Chief Chariot, accompanied by his
faithful friend and interpreter, Paseale
Antoine. is stopping at Indian head
quarters in Washington, 224 Third
street northwest. In the same house
are sixteen Sioux Indians from South
Dakota. whose feathers and paint are
the brightest IN town. Still another
tribe is represented by Bill Owhi, who
is said to be head chief of the tribes on
the Yakima reservation In the State of
Washington. He is accompanied Dy
Samuel Schawooa, of the same tribe.
Both have come TO protest against
e, --a1e.f q r.
vation country to settlement They are
earnest in their protesfatfonss and tell a
pathetic story of the injustice they say
such legislation would do them ana
theirs They dc Iiot narbor a very kind.
ly feeling toward Representative Jones
of Washington, whose home is IN
responsible for what they regard as iTa-
Just depreciation of their property
Has Double Claim.
Chief Chariot, however, presents a
Iouole claim He is chief Of the Flat
head Indians of Montana, whose reser-
ratfon lies in Missoula county and is
the home of about 1000 FIatheads.
Chariot cannot speak q word of Eng
lish. but his interpreter. Pascale. was
educated in schools on the reservation,
and can do rough outdoor Work with
the English language.
Chariot is strong, muscular Old fel-
low. seyenty-Hye years OF age, thougn
his years only tell in his wrinkied coun-
teuance. He Is the sixth child Of Vic
tor. the famous chief of the Flafheadss
who died thirty-four years ago. Tnege
were eight children altogether. but at
the time OF yfctor's death Chariot was
the oldest living son. and by the long
established customs of his tribe. Char
lot became chief.
For many years the Fiatheads lived
in freedom and content IN the Bitter
Root Valley from where one day the
soldiers of Uncle sam moved them to
the MIssouIa reservation. It Is through
an ancient treaty with Victor. his
fafner that Chari5ss he ms the United
States Government owes him money.
He saws that for twenty years Victor
and his successor in the big wigwam OF
the F'Iatheads were to have received S5t0
annually from the Government, while
his people were to be supplied with
regular issue OF clothing and rations.
According to Pascafe's interpretation
Of the old chief S account. this annual
payment was only continued ten years
ana then stopped. Chariot has figured
1T out that about 5000 is coming TO him.
and this is his third trip to Washington
In an attempt 10 collect 1t. His last
visit here was two years ago, he says.
when the President was out of town
and he had to content himself with an
interview with the Interior Department
officials,