The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-11-30
HOW KEOKUK
BECAME CHIEF
Indian Was Not From the Right
Family. But Was shrewd
Politician and Won the Title
Because Of His oratory.
FEUD WITH BLAcKHAWK
Began When Backhawk Struck keo-
kuk in the Face With his Blanket
After the Indian Election
Was Over.
FEUD WITH BLACKHAWK

In series of short sketches about
some of the noted Indian chiefs Of
pioneer times, Keokuk is given the fol
lowing biography by Albert Payson
Terhune in the New York World:
The Sac tribe met in solemn council
to choose a chief At least they
thought they were gathered for that
purpose. One man-Keokuk ("The
Watchful One'')-knew better. He
knew that the chief was already prac-
tically chosen and that he himself was
/ booked for the high office. For years
keokuk had schemed and toiled and
intrigued in secret for the chieftain-
ship. He had many obstacles to over
come. For instance, he did not belong
to one of the tribes ruling families,
from which chiefs were always taken.
Nor, in other ways, did he meet the
customary tribal requirements. In
fact he was a rank outsider" the
last man that the Indian aristocrats of
the old school would be likely to
choose to rule them. Yet by years OF
sheer diplomacy he had outwitted
them all. And when the election was
over he was declared chief.
Up from the circle of leaders leaped
an Indian warrior-Black Hawk. Dis
tinguished at the choice of his people,
he showed his contempt for the new
chief and for the election itself by
tearing off his folded blanket and
striking Keokuk across the face with
1T. Keokuk bore the blow meekly.
But at a far later day he avenged it.
Thus began the lifelong feud between
Keokuk and Black Hawka feud that
was to endure until it had slain both
its originators and had cost hundreds
of other lives.
Keokuk was born in the Sac and
Fox territory in Illinois about 1880.
OF lowly parentage in nation"
where ancestry counted for much, he
nevertheless set out early In life to
rise to the summit OF power. His life
motto was that the man who knows
when to pretend to lose may often win.
He was a fighter. Tales Il his ex-
ploits on the battlefield-both on the
oidNs VI Lie I5lltlSH III tut5 Ndl Vi 1917
and against rival Indian tribes-were
told far and near. But mere warlike
courage could not avail to win him the
promotion he wished. So he turned
to diplomacy. He was a wondrous
orator and quickly made name for
himself in tribal councils. Soon his
trihesmen found him a political power
~ u, IL Il, 81
turned all his energies to breaking
down the old established laws that
stood between him and the chieftain-
ship. Little by little he made breaches
in the walls of local custom until he
was declared chief. All the time he
had apparently stood passive in tn.
background, working so secretely that
none suspected his purpose
Keokuk was too wise not to see the
uselessness of opposing the white
mems westward progress. He foresaw
that the Government would soon be
all-powerful in the west. So he not
only pretended to make friends witt
the white authorities, but managed
always to use the seeming friendship
to his own advantage. Where gallant
impetuous Black Hawk broke himsel
to pieces in the vain effort to thrus
back the tide of civilization, Keokul
crafty swan with that tide to pros
perity and safety. When the Govern
ment bought for a mere pittance tn
ancient hunting grounds and villag
of the Sacs and Koxes. Keokuk urge
his people to obey the white man
orders and move Westward to net
lands. This made him popular wit
the Government, and so subtly bri