The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-05-07
Spokane Man Relates Some Interest
ing History Of Early Times.
KNEW ToNAskET, THE GREAT CHIEF
cwYDIR SAYS INDIAN RESCUED
BAND OF WHITE MEN NEAR
WAlLA WAllA.

One of Spokane's pioneer residents
who can tell many interesting stories
of the earlier life of the Inland En-
pire is Major r. D. Gwydir. His ex-
perience as Indian agent has added to
his fund of information as to the tradi-
tions of the redmen Of the northwest;
and by request of the Chronicle he has
furnished the following sketch of one
of the interesting characters of the
vanishing race:
Tonasket the Chief.
The country between the Columbia
river and Osooyoos lake was for many
years under the control of Tonasket,
chief of the Okanogans. He was a
good ruler, a friend to the whites, and
had complete authority over all the
tribe Up to 1886 he had a cabin and
a ranch at the south end of Osooyoos
lake. He transferred that to an Indian
woman named Smith and moved over
to the Kettle river.
In early days Tonasket was a packer
for the Hudson Bay company. On one
of his trips from British Columbia to
Walla Walla he found a lot of white
men had been captured by his father.
This was while he was a young man
and had not yet become chief. His
father had ordered his prisoners to be
put to death, and the execution was
about to take place when Tonasket ap-
peared on the scene.
He endeavored to have the old chief
release the white men and let them go
unharmed; but revenge was sweet to
the old man and he would not deny
himself so much qualification. When
Tonasket found that reason would not
turn his father from his murderous in
tent he grasped the gun out Of his
fathers hand and knocked the old chief
senseless. Then with his friends he
drove the rest of the Indians away,
freed the whites and took them under
his protection until they were out Of
danger.
Justice With a CURT.
Tonasket was known for his honesty
and obedience to the law. Antoine, the
present chief of the Oaknogans, many
years ago was subchief under Tomas
ket He was found guilty of some
crime by H. F. Smith, known through
out the northwest as "Okanogan"
Smith, at that time United States COM
missioner, and Tonasket gave him a
| choice of punishment-either to be
publicly whipped before the WHORE tribe
or to go to McNeirs island to Jail.
He chose the whipping and lay down
on big bear skin in the yard in front
of "Okanogan" Smiths house. Tomas
ket used the quirt Ondian whip) on
him until the blood came.
| the justice of the case, he never for
gave Tonasket from that time until the
feeling between them, and only the
fear of Tonasket kept Antoine in sub
lection.
Tonasket was a successful farmer
He had a fine ranch on the Kettle
river, with a good range for stock. He
had some fine imported stock, his
horses were the best and his cattle
were crossed with an imported breed
His Chinese Problem.
Tonasket had prompt way of deal
ing with the Chinese, who were coming
in and engaging in placer mining
at different places along the
| Columbia river. Whenever he
| found Chinaman on any of his ground
or along the river bars, he would go
| up and catch him by the top of his
head and give him a kick and say
"Klatawa hyyack" Gravel quick,
| which injunction the Chinaman would
| always obey and make tracks out Of
the country.
! He enjoyed a joke in his grim way.
At one time white man from the east
| travelling through Tonasket's country
saw the Indians on the bank of the
| Kettle river taking their sweat baths
| He insisted on having a wickiup (bath
house) put up for him, and after seeing
lot of stones heated and put into the
hole of the wickiup. and taking his
blankets, he took a bucket OF water
and went in to take his steaming. But
instead of following Tonasket' sadvice,
to only put a little water at a time on
the red hot stones, the tourist poured
on the entire bucketful.