The sun., 1908-04-05
BAD TAKEN PLEETYOV SCALpS
50 PLENTY COOS TELLS SENATE
INDIAN COMMITTEE.
No white Meas scalpS Recorded on Its
"IOO" stsk me Big Crew Chief Had
come From MOntans TO Protest Against
SplittinG Up the Grow Reservation.

WASHINGTON. April Plenty Coos ia
wise Indian and q big chief. The Indian
Affairs COMMITTEES OF the Senate found that
out to-day With more wise men OF his
tribe Plenty Coos came all the way from
Montana to tell the white chiefs that the
Crows did not want thsir reservation split
UP and their lands sold for dross profit.
Not entirely ayerse 10 monetary considers
tions, however, were they. In case the land
must be opened the Indian would think
about il, but he would not say now.
Plenty Coos would not cross that bridge
until he came 10 il. II was something for
the young men to think about. he said The
young men were ohary Of opinions and SEN
ator Clapp, chairman Of the committee, re-
marked in an aside that he had seen enough
Of Indians to know that they would say 90
much and no more. In their estimation Il
was then the turn Of the other side. They
bad done and would listen.
Other considerations besides the pro-
posed sale Of their invoked lands induced
the Indians 70 come to Washington. Indian
Agent s. l.. Reynolds, located on the Grow
reservation, IL under charges before the
Senate committee. The complaining wit
ness is Ms. Helen Pierce Gray Of Mime
sofa. and Martin K. Snihen. secretary
Of the Indian Rights Association OF Phlla-
delphia, appeared to be Interested in the
prosecution.
Plenty Coos proved 10 be the friend Of
the agent The charges we're not gone
into extensively; much OF them had been
threshed over at previous hearings. II
was on questions submitted by the prose-
cutting witnesses, intended to put the big
chief in the attitude Of critic Of the Indian
agents policy or placing doubt on his
authority 10 speak for all his people in
giving Reynolds clean bill, that he straight
ened Up and told the chairman that he
came 10 Warrington TO talk about the Grow
lands and not TO answer side questions.
Mr. Snihen had been permitted to read
a question to him. It was whether Plenty
Coos had not said TO him last January:
As look around sec my people are
just like a child. They do not know how to
farm They we're not made for farmers
This was Leading up to other questions
that Mr. Sninen had in writing and the
chief scented a complication Of the subject
matter.
-All that is done All that is passed,
said Plenty Coos lam tired Of it shall
only speak OF what came here TO speak |
about
And when Mrs. Gray got leave to ask a |
question the chief stolidly declared be |
would answer no one but member Of the |
committee.
SenatOr Clapp repeated the question aud |
got prompt response i shall answer no |
more questions except about the matter In
front Of me
This referred to detail maps Of the Crow
lands which have been sliced for white
settlement under the terms OF a bill pro.
posed by Senator Dixon Of Montana and
referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs,
About matters personal TO himself OF
Mr.. Reynolds and detached from the sub
ject Immediately under discussion the
Indian chief was agreeable His testimony
was taken by the aid Of two interpreters.
both belonging to his delegation. and both
students at the Carlisle Indian School.
Reynolds was the friend Of the Indian, he
said, and the best agent the Crows ever had.
While he cut OF the Indians rations he
had been teaching them TO work and they
were all getting along better.
Senator Dixon inquired about his Indian
and the number Of scalps he
took and Plenty Coos chose 70 he indulgent
The Senator also had him tell the commit
tee how he got his name and something
about his campaign with Gen, Crook In the
Sioux war.
The bag chief was quite modest and would
respond tersely 10 lnterrogations. Yes he
was with Gen Crook in 10 on the Rosebud
In the campaign that led to the Custer
massacre. Every Indian In the fighting
days had a GOO stick that was frequently
ornamented on top by scalp. All Of his
deeds Of yalor were recorded on the stick.
Each record waE COO and so he became
known as Plenty Coos
Ask him if he took many scalps, sug
gested Mr. Dixon
He says he took plenty OF them the
interpreter replied and Plenty Coos wore
an innocent smile.
Many white mems scalps 10 the buncht'
asked Mr. Dixon
NO, said the warrior in his own tongue
with protesting gestures The white man
Was the Indians friend
All the scqlps were Of the Sioux. the
ArapahOes the Blackfeet and the Cheyennes
His people were in the centre Of those |
Tribes and he fought them all TO hold his
own, made salies into their camps as
The interpreter put it, whereat Plenty Coos
glowed with pleasant recolleCtions.
DO you think you could take that mans
,calp2E inquired Mr.. Dixon. pointing at the |
official stenographer. who 10 bald.
Plenty Coos laughed outright II had |
Just struck him that badness was a very
bunny thing.
He says he could not accomplish it,
,aid the interpreter solemnly aud then
laughed.
The big chief wore his own hair howing
behind with two plalts, like a schoolgirls.
arge silver pendants dropped from his
sars and he had all kinds OF inexpensive
-ings on most fingers Of both hands {
Al! OF Plenty Coos's braves are havng a
inc time in Washington President ROOse-
,elt was delighted TO see them. Plenty Coos
Knows all about the one time bronco
ider OF the White House and the Presi-
,Acond in command Big Medicine. who Ia
he Government chief of police on the
row reservation out from Billings. Big
Medicine has held that job down for twenty
5ears. When Plenty Coos passes away
rig Medicine will be chief Of the tribe.
He has MASSIVE face as clean cut as
jculptured model.
Sees With His Ears and Scolds the Bear
v ere along when the party went with In
iian Agent Reynolds TO visit the Great
White Father The Great White Father
Plenty Coos has many horses Of his own
He breeds them for the market. He said
le thought these sleek Government fed
lnimAls quite outclassed his stable.
II appeared during the investigation that !
he Crows own 5000, 900 acres. There are =