The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1910-04-06

my people. ne government mas lieu,
the white man is fast owning our
lands. If the government must have
my reservation, | VIII sell all under
the ditch and keep all on this side.
NO white man must come here. The
good Indians will move up here, and
we will keep out all saloons. By and
by the drunk Indians will all die, and
there will be no more t ouble."
Poor Yumteebee. like others of his
race, including Pontiac and Tccum-
sch. he Vainly dreamed of happy iso-
latiOn 70 his people free from the
ruinous touch of the white man. He
knew not even then that land-hun-
CRY thousands were eagerly looking
to the opening of his reservation.
The object of the Jones bill to eX-
tend the Wapato ditch. was studious-
ly kept from the Indians, and not I'M
til June, 1909 did Yumteebee and his
followers know of this exploitation;
at which time it was told them by the
writer. Judging from the past, the
chief felt that the only hope for his
tribe ould be in keeping their land
undesirable for the whites, and he
became the strongest opponent to the
scheme of reclaming the reservation.
He was suspicious of those who pro-
fessed that the development was for
the benefit of the Indian alone. Who
could blame him?
Feared Exploitation.
Speaking on this point he said,
"These men working hard to put wa
ter on my reservation; it is TO them
/ 80,
making money out of Indian lands;
they care not for us. They never
come to our homes 10 see how we are
getting along, nor do they try to help
us. They have built towns on my
reservation and filled them with sa-
looms. They are killing my people
with whiskey. Our agent never comes
among us, but reports TO Washington
that we have houses like the white
man, and are doing wei. This IS not
so. Some Indians get little rent
money. and build house same as
chicken house. You have been in
my house, YOU have slept on my
blanket. | want you to tell Jack
Splawn how poor l am, how little
have in my house. He is a head man
and maybe will help us
Unpopular With Officials.
His activity in pettioning for need
ed reforms in reservation arrairs
made him unpopular with the pow
ers that be- and he was BRANDED Q
mean man." His telling opposition
to the extension of the Wapato ditch
seeming aroused bitter luminosity
among his opponents. Not only wa!
he denounced as dangerous, but h,
was charged with being the son of {
murdere.. This was referred to in
recent notice of his death by the Her
aid. The killing is a matter of history
and occurred while Yumteebee was al
infant and which eliminated in tn,
inCipient Indian war of 1855. Yum
teebee gave us, perhaps, the only yer
sion of this tragedy from the Indian
side, as narrated to him by his moth
er, who led in 1905. We cannot her,
give this interesting story in full bu
in brief it is as follows: Moshale
son of Chief Kamaliallun, with hi
wife and four men, were on their wa!
to the Columbia river for salmon
One evening they met in the Since,
mountains Mr.. Portland, special In
L
RolenD The Indians knew him as Mr.
Portland. since he hailed from Port
land Oregon. Moshale could reaC
read and write, and Mr.. Portland
handed him a paper, saying, "teat
this; it will tell you what | have beer
doing" Mr.. Portland had been t.
Ellensburg where there had beer
some trouble with the Indians. Th,
paper had the names Of several whom
he had hanged. These We're the rel
atives of Moshale and his heart wa
sad. Mr. Portland camped with Thu
Indians that night, and Moshale &C
quainted his people with the deeds o
Mr.. Portland. and said, 1--WE ha'
better kill him" This they did be
fore lying down for the night; aE'
the next day they proceeded on thei
way to the Columbia. AftcrWard
Moshale was surprised on the Satu
river, and shot by the sildiers; sew
eral bullets taking effect. Mortal,
wounded, he was strapped across
| horse and started for Fort Simcoe
but died at Lake Toppenish. The sol
| diers said "Moshale was a bad MAJ
and we will burn his body some, ant
let the coyotes eat it 50 his peopl
will not find him" SO they burned