Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-06-19
WISE LAWS UPHELD.
indians Had Laws Like White
Mans in Oklahoma.
chiekasaw Legislature inflicted Death
for Horss stealing and Pro.
serIbsd, Fines for Minor OF.
fensss-cods Regularly Passed.

Twenty years ago there was gov
eminent within the bounds OF Okla
homa that limited the amount OF prop
erty one might have, forced one to
secure permission of the Officers bs'
fore erecting a bridge across a river.
prescribed the death sentence for
stealing horse, and provided for the
whipping Of criminals for the smallest
oKenses.
The government was that Of the
Chickasaw nation Of the Chickasaw In
dian tribe.
The government was established In
1875, shortly after the Chickaaaws
were granted the right Of a'separa-
ton from the Choctaws, and ended
In 1905. when the tribal government
Of the i've civilized tribes was dis
solved.
Many of the old time Chickasaws
say their government gave better pro-
lection that Uncle Sam furnishes to-
day.
They had no authority over a person
living In their country who was not a
citizen of their nation, and their only
recourse In case he broke law was
to expes him from that nation and
turn him over to the United States
authorities.
They did not want non-citizens In
their territory; they forced them to
obtain a permit before entering. then
they Disseminated against them IN
settling the amount of property they
could possess in the form of live stock.
They even forced citizens to obtain
permits before they could hire aliens
to enter the Chickasaw nation.
The chief form Of property in the
early days of the government was live
stock-cattle, horses and hogs. I'm
fenced range was anybody's range,
and the way one man told his cattle
from the other mans stock was by
the brand-they all ran in the same
herd.
1t was the same way with horses.
One could catch the other mans AMI
nal without fear that he was being
watched.
The penalty for the first otfense Of
horse stealing was greater than that
for second degree murder. and that for
the third otfense of stealing horses.
death by hanging"
For the first offense the thief~re-
stored the stolen property, was fined
not more than 5000, and was given
80 lashes, well laid with hickory
switch on the bare back by the sher-
H." For the second degree murder
the penalty was mot less than one nor
more than five years in the dungeon Of
the national Jail"
First degree murder was death by
hanging until dead,"a as was the third
otfense Of robbery, poisoning a per.
son with intent to commit murder, or
treason against the Chickasaw nation.
II one set fire to the prairies be-
tween March and August 1, he paid
all damages resulting therefrom and a
fine OF SO besides. II he had no
money, he spent not more than 30
days in the national Jail.
II citizen took up and MIXED a
COW that did not belong to him, he
was liable to fine of SO. If he mar
ried a wife and did not have the event
recorded inside Of 80 days" he was
charged from 81 TO SO to help pay
for the upkeep Of the national gov
eminent.
If one citizen built an abode, though
it be only a dugout, it was crime for
another to intrude to within 444 yards
of the dwelling in any way whatso-
ever.
A noncitizen was Disseminated
against even in the matter OF mar
rage. He could not marry citi-
zen maiden until he had been living
in the nation for two years; then he
was charged a license fee Of $50.
All these laws were passed by a
legislature OF two houses, constituted
on the plan of our national legislature,
all members of which were Chickasaw
Indians, and all OF whom were elect
ed by popular vote, in which all male
citizens above nineteen years Of age
had a voice. Each law was approved
by the governor.
The old Chickasaw capital was