The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1914-02-12
MINISTER DECLARES
n. D. INDIANS ARE
NEAR STARVATION
Episcopal Missionary
Tells of Plight Of the
Reds There.
A PIIlFUL LETTER
Indians Say They Must Get
Food From the Mice in
the Woods.
A PlIlFUL LETTER

Cannonball. s. D.--That the In
dians of the Standing Rock reserva-
ton in the Cannonball district ara
on the verge of starvation. and that
they are not being treated Justly nv
me government, is the contention of
the Rev. A. MeG. Beede, Episcopal
missionary TO the Indians Of North
DAKOTA, who has sent i; communica-
.ion 10 the government along with
petition signed by numerous In
alans. or the petitioners, Rev, Mr..
Beede says: Red Hail, one Of the
Witnesses, is 50 years old and nearly
piihu. He has section of land. but
cannot use it. l wrote Washingto
| mat he was in distress without his
lault. Ihe agent went to see him
personally, perhaps expecting to be-
able to report my communication IN
correct. He found the man and his
Wife with no food whatever save
little flour they We're sparingly stir
ring into water to make a sort Of
paste or broth. There are numerous
similar cases here. We (meaning
lhe lndians) are on the verge Of
starvation L hope that instead of
tfylng 70 cover up facts, the authori-
lles VIII now face them squarely and
honeSlly try to change underlying
conditions
1t is Mr.. Beede's contention that
the Indians should be granted ctti-
iZehshlp and given the right to dis.
pose OF lhelr property as they see fit,
holding that the responsibility will
benefit them Instead of making them
paupers, and that they will no long,
er be neglected and forced to %
| al N
often the case. because the govern
lment MilAnot ail6sNfhem to sell their
lands, and does not provide for their
wants. Mr.. Deede gives out the fol-
loving letter which was sent from
the indians to Congressman Norton
OF North Dakota iast week:
Letter OF Complaint
y. We the chiefs OF the Cannon Ball
dlstrictseT the Standing Rock Indian
4 observation, wish to say to you:
"fhe paper which A. G.. Wells and
Red Tomahawk and John Grass made
IN Blsmack is incorrect. Red Tom
ahawk is not Il chief AS his pay fol.
signing that paper saying that the
Indians will not starve without help.
he is allowed to live in government
house. John Grass is not a chief of
any people here, or where he lives.
For doing anything he is wanted to
DO, he is made judge and has pay
and food.
Many people here were starving
before help was given. They are
almost starving now. And they will
starve, unless they have help right
along. Their cattle are gone The
beef trust cattle are here. The rent
is not paid for land There is no
pay for what beef trust cattle eat up.
Our horses are killed and we get no
pay for 1T. The people have not one
half bnshel OF potatoes to house.
You can come and see. They have
!, no food. The white people living
S near us know these things are true
G There are some jack rabbits. We
: want that $40 land payment at once.
7 "a. G. Wells says he goes around
s and sees the people and they are all
j right. He does not go around. He
/. does not tell what is true. He should
not make trouble for the poor peo-
e pie. Some have to eat food from
the mice in the woods. We know
how these things are and we tell the
truth
Nobody makes us make this
$ paper. We make it for the people
= who are hard-up.
with all our hearts we shake
: your hand.
RED Hail, James Elk. No-Two-
y Horns, Red Bow, Beede-U Use -His-Ar-
row. Rev NJ. p. Seewalker, William
= Cross, Roger Gray Stone, Martin Iron
+ Bill, Witnesses.
J. RED Fish. Jerome Cottonwood,
It Mark Red Bull, Big Herd, ChasiEe
Fly, Iron Head, Ghost Grow, To-