Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-07-07

n n n q q q n n q q
TH HE annouu, ement thar George
a. Outcet Assistant United
4 States District Attorney of Ok,
lahOma, writes the Guthrie cor.
respondent of the New York Sun, has
been ordered to leave Mexico, where he
was investigating the conditions of the
Kickapoo Indians, brings into the
Iimelight the most persistent wander
ers among all Indian tribes.
During the Civil War the KickapOos
fed to Mexico, Later much money
was expended by the United States
to return them to their reservations
in Kansas and Oklahoma. All but l7G
members Of the tribe did return.
The 176 escaped into the mountains
of Mexico and have remained there
ever since, increasing in the meantime
to more than five hundrel N number
or the 4l2 members brought back to
the Oklahoma reservation there are
to-day but 1874 remaining.
The KickapOos fought under Te-
Cumseh against General William Henry
Harrison at Tippecanoe, and were
prominent as fighting tribe until their
final defeat by General Zachary Tay u
Tor at Fort Harrison, following thu |
outbreak of the war with England II |
1912. Originally the Kickapoos livd |
IN the upper Mississippi River county |
and belonged to the Algonquin fan.
lily.
Gradually they moved down into IT,
inois and roamed over the country Je-
tween the Mississippi and Wabash Jv.
PRS. In the early history of the com,
fry they were bitter toward the Ing
lish and supported the coloniSts ,
against England in the war for hde !
hendence. Later Trey turned against |,
the cOloni3ts and state of war |
against the Kickapoos continued until
1892.
1t was in 1911 that they fought I'M
der Tecumsen. In 1Sl5-15 treaties
were made with the Government by
which they gave up thei Ian is in Ill
inOis and removed to a reservat on in
Kansas on the Usage River. Remnants
of the tribe We're in Illinois as late as
the HOS.
Following the removal to Kansas q
degree of civilization was established
for few years. Then the predatory
and savage instincts of the Kickapoos
resumed the ascendency and their war
riors went out killing and horse steal
ing, making raids ON the people of
States, and at length turn
ing upon the United States Indian
agents, one of whom they murdered
in 1854
They were then removed to reser- ,
walton in northern Kansas, near Atchi- |
son. Some of them gradually settled |
down on separate holdings and became
farmers and citizens. The remainder
fled to Mexico about the time the Civil
War began and lived by raids over
the frontier for booty. In 1873 there
were only 300 in Kansas, while the
in Mexico had grown to 1000.
After the majority of the Mexican
were returned to the United !
States all that was left were removed |
from the frontier by Mexico at the re
He'd on good lands in the mountains Of
the State of Guerrero. They lOnged |
for their old home around Santa Rosa,
1900 miles to the north, and gradually |
lrifted back there.
The Mexicans speak highly of the /
Kickapoos as industrious, skillful hunt. |
ers, given to cleanliness. While some |
Of them have become farmers and eX-
Derts in stock raising, the great major
ity adhere to the old custom of hunt |
ing and fishing. Their dress, as rule,
Is the primitive costume, all their
clothing being made of buckskin and
with beads, the squaws be-
ing adept with the needle.
At the present time very few Kick
apoos are remaining in Oklahoma.
They have focked to their kinsmen IN
Mexico whenever an opportunity has
presented itself. Their removal was
first opposed by the Government, but
finally they were allowed to move ,