Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-01
MEET GREAT CHIEFS
INDIANS AT WHITE HOUSE AND
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.

Decked out in all the peace paint. beads
and feathers that such an occasion OF cere-
mony demanded, the whole aggregation Of
Indians from the Buffalo Bill show called
on Secretary Garfield this morning. There
were eighty of the bucks. and h..f dozen
squaws and papooses edged in with the
party. \ few of the MexiCaus and cow
punchers came along to see the town. but
they did not particpate--for it the In
dams ceremonial call upon the Interior De-
partment chief. They came in big automo-
biles and We're ushered into the SeCrctary's
private room. which was crowded with sew
eral overflow meetings. with the clerical
force of the department in TIE halls and
ante-room
There We're only two real leaders OF the
aggregation. Rocky Bear and Iron Tail, old
Sioux who had been to Washington many
times before. The commissioner of Indian
affairs. Mr.. Leupp was out = town, but
Assistant Commissioner Larahec came over
| from the building across the street and
| there We're present also Col. Cooper and
Maj. Mclaughlin, the latter chief Indian
| inspector. who was recently sent out Ia
| head back the band of BlaClsfeet who went
/ over from Utah to shoot up the state Of
Wyoming.
The Introductions.
The leaders of the party We're introduced
to Secretary Garfield by Maj. John NJ.
Burke. who stands in loco PARENTS TO all
the Indians in the show. Secretary Garfield
said he was glad To see the whole party,
and felt particularly honored by the call.
Rocky Bear, who is quite dignitied, and
who has met most of the crowned heads OF
Europe, acted as spokesman. and said the
honor all the side of the Indians.
who We're fortunate enough to visit the chief
of .a1,.,
them. He said he was glad To he able to
show the young men with him the power
of the government at Washington. Person.
ally he had seen the spendors exhibited in
Washington n number of times. and was
particularly glad to meet the Secretary be-
cause he knew Mr.. Gariield's father when
the latter was President.
1t was a brief but pleasant little inter-
change of courtesies. But before the party
left Rocky Bear and Iron Tail got in
little business. They said there were some
law suits over land in the tribal allotment
and they wanted to know about employ
ing counsel and that sort of thing. Secre-
tary Garfield said that Major Larabee was
the man who could advise them on the
subject, and Rocky Bear said that was all
he wanted to know. He wanted TO get at
headquarters and would have Major Burke
write letter to Major Larabee setting out
the whole matter.
Call at White House.
The party then left the Interior Depart
| ment and went up to the White House.
They all wanted to see the tepee of the
great father, and all OF them solemnly
| marched through the lower rooms of the
house. In the green room Rocky Bear
stopped and told the young men that lie
had had the honor of dining there with
President Grant about thirty-nlne years
ago. He was one of the signers OF the
great peace treaty, and was sent to Wash
ington as one of the representatives of the
tribe.
Maj. Mclaughlin met two old acquain-
tances in the party. 1t was quite strik-
ing incident. The major was formerly the
agent at Standing Rock. and in 1881 there
were 2.S73 Indian prisoners sent down the
Missouri to the agency in single day.
| Among them were Chain Man and Leather
| Strip, who had been on the warpath and
were rounded up with the rest of the hos
| tiles. AS soon as they Maj. Nc
| Laughin they recognized him, and called
| him by name, saying they were glad to
meet him again under more cheerful con-
! ditons. That was not exactly what they
| said, but 1t was the drift of it, The condi-
| lions were certainly changed, for here they
were riding around Washington in auto
| mobiles instead of being held as prisoners
of at Indian agency.