Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-08-12
. MOSES
4 GREAT VAR CHIEF WHO.
KNEW WHEN NOT
TO FIGHT.
PRoI GEN. 0. 0. EDWARDS I" FAlOUS
INDIAN CHIEFS y IN ST. NICHOLAS.

try there are 50 many different tribes
OF Indians that cannot begin to tell
you their names. but they were Of.
ten divided in this way. Those who
lived on reservations were called
Reservation Indians and those who
did not Outside indians" Now
Moses was chief of great many
tribes OF Outside Indians and he was
. very great chief. OF course, Mos.
% was not his name. but Governor
Stevens gave It to him long ago and
every one called him so, indeed, he
seemed to have forgotten his Indian
name and called himself Moses He
was a very handsome man, tan and
straight, and always well dressed.
He usually wore buckslsin coat and
trousers. and handsome beaded mo-
cassins, and Q broad, light felt hat
with q thin veil encircling it. He
always had q leather belt around his
waist. in which he carried long
knife and pistol holster, the ivory
pistol knob in plain sight.
Nov, Moses had led his Indians in
many battles, both against Indians
and white men, and everybody knew
that he was brave warrior and
could fight. Indeed. In 1858 one Of
the very fercest battles we ever had
with the Indians took place when
Moses was the Indian war-chief and
General George Wright commanded
the United States soldiers al the
Battle OF Yakima River" But al.
( ter Mr.. Wilbur became the Indian
agent things changed, for the Indians
loved him and called him Father vii.
bur. and Moses decided not to fight
the white men any more.
Many times Moses was asked to
30 on Q reservation. hut he always
replied that he would live on res
ervation, but not with Indians he did
not know. Many tribes had asked him
to be their chief. and he wanted
Washington to give him the land
In a bend of the Columbia River
for q reservation. 1t was waste land,
he said, where no white people want
ed to live, but the Indians would be
happy there, he knew. When Chief
Joseph led the Mex Perces against
8 US IN the many battles have told
you about, he sent often to Moses
to ask him to come and fight too,
but Moses always said mo- sim
this chief did not have an easy time,
Tor many people said he. was bad
Indian and at last he wrote me a
letter which have keep many years
and which am sure you would Hike
to see.
Moses Chief want you to know
What my Tum-tum Is In regard to
my tribes and the white people. Al
most every day there come to me
reports that the soldiers from Waila
Walla are coming to- take me away
from this part OF the country. Ny
people are constantly excited and l
want to know from you the truth SO /
can tell my people and have every.
thing quiet once more among us,
Since the last war we have had re-
ports up here that Moses am going
to fight II the soldiers come; this
makes my heart sick. have said l
will not fight, and say to you again
q will not fight and when you hear
the whites say Moses will fight, you
tell them no. 1 have always lived
here upon the Columbia River. am
getting old and.-I do not want to see
my blood shed on any part of the
country. Chief Joseph wanted me
and my people to help him. His
offers were numerous. told him
no-neyer. watched my people
faithfully during his war and kept
them at home. / told them all when
! the war broke ont that they should
4 not steal; II any OF them did i would
: REPORT them to Father Wilbur. Dur.
Ing all the past year l have not al
lowed any strange Indians to came
here fearing they would raise ali ex
element with my Indians. am NOT
squaw-I know how to fight, blu,
z 4 toll you the truth. do not want
to fight and have always told my
people so. It Is about time to begin
our spring work as we all raise lots
of vegetables and wheat and corn
and trade with phinamen and get
money.
1 vlsh ron would write me and tell
- 40 : ~ +