Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-07-24
HON0RS PAID RED men
Monument to Menominee
Erected in Indiana.
WRONGS COMMUNICATED
Chief and Band Unjustly Driven Off
Reservation.
STARVED ROCK PARK BOUGHT
Scene of Battle and Old Catholic
French Mission-Shaft to
Maj. Powell.
WRONGS COMMUNICATED
ROCK PARK BOUGHT
BY WILLIAM r. CURTIS.
SpcciaI CORRESPONDENCE Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence Of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
ON BOARD S. S. NORTHLAND,
July ID, 1909.
The celebration of the anniversaries of
Hendrix Hudson and Sieur Champlaln
is serving an important purpose in re-
viving an interest in historical events. and
i'm stimulating the study of our own short
past as a nation.
In collecting material for series OF
articles upon monuments which nave
been erected to American Indians have
found that much more attention has been
paid to the subject than I had supposed,
and there are historical societies sup
ported by public appropriation I'm many
I states, as well as private organizations
which are keeping alive stories of heroism
and sacrifice among the aborigines as
well as the explorers of the continent and
the pioneers of our civilization.
Within the last year no less than five
new monuments have been erected TO
. American Indians. Most of them have
been a tardy recognition of nobility of
character and obligations for services
rendered the white race. while others
have been erected to emphasize wrongs
IndI cannot DE otlitIWlSc lcuiCSSCo. = hS
latter Is particularly true of monument
which is to- be dedicated September next
at Twin Lake station, on the Vandalfa
railroads, in Marshall county, near lndi-
ana. near the center OF the former reser-
walton of the Menominee band of the Pot
tawattomie Indians, who were driven
from their homes by military force under
the authority of the government of the
United States and circumstances of mer-
CHESS injustice.
The monument, which is now being put
in position. consists of a pedestal of
Barre granite ten feet high, supporting a
statue of an Indian chieftain in cere-
monial dress seven feet high. 1t bears
the following inscription:
In memory of Chief Menominee and
Ills Band of $50 Pottawattomie Indians
removed from this reservation. September
18th, 1888, by a company of soldiers under
the command of General John Upton.
authorized by Governor David Wallace"
The monument will be dedicated on the
seventy-first anniversary of the eviction
with appropriate ceremonies, and will be
unveiled by granddaughter of the late
Pottawatomie chief, Po-ka-gon, of Hart
ford, Mich.
Newspaper Man Starts Movement.
The movement which resulted in the
erection of this monument was inau-
gurated and directed by Daniel McDon-
aid, editor of the Plymouth Qnd.) Demo-
crat, who has been a student of the In
dian history and Legendary of Indiana for
many years, and in 1905. while men,
her of the legislature, introduced bill
for an appropriation for this purpose.
After many discouragements the bill be-
came law March Il, 1907. a commits
sion was appointed to carry out the plan,
and contract for the construction of
the monument was awarded.
The territory now included within the
boundaries of Indiana. Illinois and Mich
-con he oT Entfu -
omie Indians, who belonged to the great
Algonquin family and were related to the
Chippewas, the Ottawas and other tribes
occupying adjacent territory. Nearly all
these lands were coded to the United
States, with the exception of a small res
ervation in what is now Marshall county,
Ind, and in 1881 the legislature of In
diana passed a joint resolution requesting
Congress to get the rest of the Indians
out of the state.
Commissioners were appointed by the
Secretary of War. who met the Indian
chiefs Of the Pottawatomie on the Tip
pecanoe river. where they concluded
treaty October 20, 1882, by which the In
dians coded all their lands with the ex-
ception of small individual reservations.
Article jill provided that they should be
moved to tract of country on the
Usage river, in what is now Oklahoma,
the government paying all expenses of
removal
The first migration took place at once.
and within two years all Of the tribe
had gone peaceabIy except Menominee
and his band. whose village was on the
north bank of Twin Lakes, Marshall
county. They refused to go.
Chief Menominee had refused to sign
the treaty and persistently refused to re-
lnquish his rights or permit his village
to be removed. He had good title which
could not be denied. but the govern
ment commissioners warned him that if
ne did not go voluntarily he would be
removed by force.
Appeal to President.
lie made most dignified but pathetic
speech to the commissioners, appealing
TO the President of the United States for
protection. and claiming that the latter
lid not know the truth, and had been
imposed upon.
He does not know that / have refused
10 sell my lands and still refuse" said
the truth he will leave me to my own
He would not by force drive me from
'nH home. the graves of my tribe and
my children who have gone to the Great
spirit, nor allow YOU to tell me that
Your braves will take me tied like a
dog. II he knew the truth.
Il have not sold my lands. I will not
sell them L have not signed any treaty,
and will not sign any"
Nevertheless old Menominee and his
tribe were forcibly removed Squads OF
EofiitiS IouflutO I'D all the 1anl1leS ana
their homes were torn down and de-
stroyed. On the morning of September
:, 1893, orders were given to move, and
The nlournful party started on its weste IN
march.
The Indians were accompanied by
Father Petit, a French priest who had
been their missionary for several years.
ant hsd conducted services in a log
chapel erected by Rev. Theodore Baden,
Toe urSt Catholic priest ordained in the
United States. Nearly all the members
Of the tribe lad accepted Christianity and
were communicates
On the morning of the departure Father
Petit celebrated mass. The Indians join ed
in singing the hymn commencing 20
Blessed Virgin. We place our confidence
In Thee"
Father Petit has left us "A description
of the scene and says il was heart
aending.
"Over our dying mission we prayed
for the success of those they would es-
tablish in the new hunting ground
Menominee Good Christian.
Menominee was religious man and had
always taught his clansmen to avoid the
use of intoxicating liquors. not to cheat
"r lie or steal. but TO live in peace with
all men. particularly with the whites
The eviction Was complete and IL was
official. The chiefs were originally treat
ed as prisoners, but at Father Petit's re.
quest they were allowed TO take their
places with the rest of the tribe. 1t was
mournful procession.
First went the flag of the United
States. borne by q dragoon, then the bag