The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-06-20
GRUG KILLING OFF
W|NNEBAGO INDIANS
Victims of Mexican Bean Dying
at Startling Rate.
RICH BUT DEGRADED TRIBE
Will Be Extinct in Few Years. In
trodueed But a Year Ago, Habit
Has Seized Men and Women
AIike--7OO in an Orgie.


AIike--7OO in an Orsie.
Sioux City, Iowa.-Within twenty
five years the once powerful tribe OF
Winnebago Indians will have become
extinct. The mescal bean, imported
from Mexico by medicine man" less
than twelve months ago, is killing
them off at an alarming rate. The
great White Father at Washington is
powerless 10 interfere with the wild
orgies that are so rapidly depopulat'
ing the tribe.
The history of the American Indian
contains no parallel of the terrible
condition to which this mysterious and
seductive little bean has brought the
Winnebagoes within a few brief
months. The Winnebagoes occupy
$1,000 acres of as fine land as the sun
ever shone Oh, just across the river
from Sioux City. They are at once
the richest and most debauched tribe
Of Indians in existence. They have a
reserve fund of $1,O00,O00, or $1,000 for
each member of the tribe, and are also
permitted to convert their land into
cash under the "heirship" law at a
rapid rate. Add to this their regular
allowance from the Government and
it is apparer" they have ali abundance
Of ready cash.
For the past five years the Cover. :
ment has been trying to reform the
oh lo1
depraved that their death rate was
twice as rapid as the birth rate. The
drink and cigarette habits were re-
sponsible for their undoi1g. Every
Indian, with but four exceptions, was
drunkard and a cigarette fend
They had grown to absolutely ignore
the marriage relation and, under the
influence of liquor, committed murder
with impunity. Their code of honor
prevented any member of the tribe
giving testimony against brother red
man, and it proved practically impos
sible to secure a conviction. The In
dian Commissioners reports showed
the tribe was the worst in the United
States.
Such was the condition when the
mescal bean orgies were inaugurated
last summer. Since then it has become
infinitely worse. Under the peculiar
influence Of this deadly bean the
Winnebagoes are dying like sheep. II
has taken the guise of religious mania
under which the merest children are
compelled to become slaves to the
drug. Young and old vie in the weirc
fho
A recent orgie was witnessed by
group of newspaper men through the
courtesy Of the agent at the reserva
ton. More than 700 Of the 1000 In
dams on the reservation participated
in the strange ceremony. which was
held on, a beautiful tract near Flag
staff, in the heart of the reservation
Mush-que-nah-pah, an intelligent ma
tron who graduated from one Of the
leading Indian schools Of the country
was detailed to conduct the visitors
to the scene of the orgie, because OF
her ability to converse fuently In Eng
llsh.
Bean takes us on great Journey
she explained en- route. "We want tt
visit our brothers in some far off tribe
or talk to those who have gone to Hap
py Hunting Ground. All we neet
do is drink tea made from bean anc
we're there. Journey is beautiful
Birds sing in trees and sweet fragrance
is waited from many flowers as We
travel. We find deer and prairie chick
en- everywhere the eye turns and oul
camp fires send up rich odors Of cook
ing flesh. We are very happy and have
such good time we want to go on jour
ney again soon."
'They steal their children away from
the Government school," explained
Agent McFatridge, ''in order to teacf
them to love the bean. Tots are mum
bered among its devotees and theil
health is rapidly undermined"
AS a result of the mescal orgies, thu
complexion Of the Indians has turned
to a CHASTITY yellow. Every man
woman and child appears to be in thu
last stages of consumption. There Ii
no law against the use Of the bean
and the Indians are not disorderl!
while under its influence, so the Gov
ernment authorities are unable to In
tervene to save the tribe from it
impending doom.