Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1914-01-16


Chief Bill Teton.of the Bannock In
dians, which were held near the Ft.
Hall agency on Jan. s, recalls to the
memory of the editor of the Exam
iner similar services which were
held there away back in 1874-75,
when, as lad ten years of age, we
resided at the agency, our father
being agent for the Bannock In
dians at that time. Chief Teton
was then one of the prominent men
of the tribe, and we vividly re-
member a council of war" which
was held during our fathers term
as agent there, in which Teton took
an important part.
We also recall visit to the Ft.
Hall agency of Chief Tendoy and a
party Of Lemhi Indians. Old Ten
doy, who died several years ago,
was always a great friend of the
whites, and for his efforts in pro-
tecting his paleface brethren" in
the early days, the citizens of Lem
hi county have erected suitable
monument to his memory.
The Courier's article is as follows:
AT sundown yestefday all that
was mortal Of Chief Bill Teton of
the Bannock indians was lowered in
to grave at burial butte, the rest
ing place of all prominent chiefs
and Indians who have died since the
Ft. Hall reservation was established.
Red men and their white neighbors
paid tribute to the memory of a
great warrior and to the man who
was counselor for peace in the days
of the Bannock war and who rs
years ago was perhaps more. instru-
mental in quelling the Indian upris-
ing than the white men who urged
terms of peace.
Dressed in the costume of his
tribe, the war bonnet and battle
shirt, Teton was placed in a modern
casket, adorned with elaborate sill
yer mounts. His body, as it lay in
state on the hill top for "a hours,
was guarded by IT'S bucks, who
were in constant attendance from
the time of the arrival of the funer-
al procession Wednesday evening
until the death chant which closed
the service late Thursday night.
Teton was accorded all the hon
ors of great warrior, and pole was
placed at his head on which, accord
ing to Indian ways, his record on
the battle field was shown in colors.
There were eight sections to the pole
and Teton's section was marked in
red at the top, indicating that he
had tried his strength against eight
of the greatest Indian warriors and
that he he had been victorious.
Standing barefooted in the snow
with arms barred to the shoulders
the female relatives of the deac
chief pricked their flesh with sharI
instruments until the blood ran from
the wounds and onto the ground
This act, custom with the Indian
was to appease the evil spirit, s,
that the dead chief might be per
mitted to go in peace. The wall O
tine tribe thruout the afternoon
could be heard mile from the bury
ing ground and the Indians, as
people, displayed more genuine grie
over their dead chief than the aver
age white family does over one 0
its immediate members.
Indians and white men shook tn
hand of Teton, in bidding him good
bye, and, assembling on one side Q
the grave. euolgies were delivered
DR.. Patrie and Karl Brown, friend
Of Teton. spoke for the whites an
Chief Pat Tyhee, Curley McKan,
son of the late Chief Otter, Tendoy
brother OF Chief Tendoy and Char
ey Dagie spoke for the Indians. n
talks of the white were interprete
to the Indians and the talks of Il
Indians were interpreted to Il
whites, Charlie Lewis, graduate ,
the Fort Half school, acting as inte
prefer. An interesting part of th
tribute TO the departed chief, vi