East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-06-27

ington, which upholds Superintendent
o. c. Edwards in every particular
and brands the petition OF No Shirt
and about 60 associates as the work |
of white men who are Interested in
sC curing the removal of MAJOR Ed |
wards.
The following letter from the de-
partment, giving details of the report
of Special Agent McChesney, who was
sent here to investigate the charges
made against Major Edwards, has just
been received by No Shirt and Uma>
pine:
Department of the Interior, Office OF
Indian Affairs.
Washington, May 20, 1906.
No Shirt, Umapine, and Others,
Pendleton, Oregon.
My friends: Your letter of March
18th, making complaints against the
administration of Superintendent Ed
wards. was referred to an inspection
official to make a thorough investi
cation and report. This he has
done.
One of your complaints appears to
be that Superintendent Edwards is
forcing the Indians to marry accord
ing to law. You say you do not think
he has a right to do so until the In
dams have Joined the church.
You are wrong in this matter and,
the superintendent is right. The laws
of the land apply to the Indians as
we'll as to the whites. This law of
marriage is a good one and is for the
- All
the whites, and Superintendent Ed
wards is merely carrying out the di-
rection of this office when he uses
his best efforts to have the Indians
comply with this civilized custom.
The supervisor takes up the several
complaints which have been made
against the superintendent and says:
l. That Superintendent Edwards is
| not quick tempered to the detriment
or injury of the Indians; that at times
he may become impatient with some
| of the Indians or whites who do
wrong and annoy him by repeated i'm
portunities to do things that they
should not do and cannot be permit
ted to do, but that such, impatience
is not to be wondered at when the
same thing has been explained to the
same persons time and time again;
| that at times, in dealing with the In
dians and whites, even the patience of
Job would be subjected to a severe
| test; that he found Mr.. Edwards
manner in the transaction of business
to be active, quick and earnest; that
sometimes he speaks in a tone more
| ia sah he ,,a
| led people to think him quick tenn
pered and impatient, but that such
cannot truthfully be said of him.
2. That Superintendent Edwards
has neither threatened nor used vio-
lence to number of Indians, nor has
he ever drawn a pistol on any of
| them, and that the only eye witness
to the incident with Clintux says dis-
! tinctly that he did not draw a pistol
| on her.
8. That Superintendent Edwards
justifiably shot and killed two dogs
one of which had been set upon him
| by an Indian woman and bit him. In
this case the woman herself probably
should have been punished.
4. That the superintendent did cut
the hair of four Indians, three of
whom were school boys, and one re-
turned student from a non-reservation
school who did not object and laugh
ingly remarked that it would save him
a quarter; that, however, after the
long haired Indians ridiculed him he
changed his mind. The supervisor
further says it will be seen that the
superintendent was perfectly justified
| in all the hair cutting complained Of
and that you have no grounds for
complaint or any cause to be excited
over the incident.
8. That Superintendent Edwards
has conducted the matters of the
leases and the management of moneys
in accordance with the rules and reg.
ulations of the department on the
subject, and that instead of the In
dians complaining they should bt
pleased, as he has no doubt you vii
be when you come to see the benefit!
of the change. The supervisor say!
he found in the course of his investi
CATION, that much irregularity hat
prevailed in the leasing of the Una
tilla lands before Superintendent Ed
wards was placed in charge and, al
directed, he has been trying to attent
to these affairs in a perfectly regula
manner according to proper rules anC
regulations; that in the conduct o
leasing matters he has nothing bu
words of commentator for Superin
tendent Edwards: that the superin
tendent has no use for schemers an,
grafters, whether Indians or whites
and does not favor them.
6. That Superintendent Edward
has not granted permission or allowe,
white men to drive cattle across tn
Umatilla reservation in violation o
the rules Of the department. The su
pervisor thinks this complaint is du
to the Indians not being fully in
formed In the matter; that the super
. intendent has allowed and properl
granted permission to white lessees
take their cattle and horses Off an
to bring on the reserve such a mum
" Der Of animals as were required
wor kthe leased land, but that furthe
= than this he has not gone.
Z. The supervisor finds that NJ
Edwards conduct has not been sue
as to incur the enmity and hatred {
a large number Of the Indians on tn
reservation, who fear that the
ID young men while under the influenc
Of liquor may kill him or do him grei
bodily harm; that there has been fri,
AZ tion, but the language used in yot
1at tpt to tnn utr n