Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1915-08-05
CAPTAIN 8. @. FISHER PASSES
INTO BEYOND.
Continued from page IL

1900. In 1901 he went to San Fran
cisco, engaging, in mining, which oc
cupation he followed at periods il
practically all the far west states. Dur
in the construction of the Union Pa
cific in the Ogden section he helC
contracts for supplies for time, am
in 1868 located at Fort Hall, southern
Idaho, as. post trader. Four wears
later he retired from that field to en-
gage in ranching. In 1875 he was
united in marriage to Sarah A. Peck
After brief residence in California, in
1882. he returned to Fort Hall and in
1888 again assumed charge of the trad.
4 ing post. Again selling the business
he became Indian agent there, serving
four years, and later was with the
sheriff's office of Bingham. county.
] During the years up to this time Mr..
Fisher has lived in the fullness of pio-
neer life, meeting its dangers and res
possibilities with a spirit that made
him prominent factor in every com
Nez Perez Indian war in 1877 he was
chief scuot for General Howard in the
Montana and Yellowstone park cam
paign against the noted Chief Joseph,
remaining in the service until the sur
render was made to General Miles. 1t
was his knowledge of Indian character
and his high purpose as a man and citi-
zen that resulted in 1895 in his removal
to this part of the state. 1t was in that
year the plans were completed under the
terms of the treaty for discussing ST.
100000 to the Nez Perez Indians in
payment for their lands To be agent
of this tribe was responsibility fully
understood by the federal authorities;
in fact, so important was the charge
considered that President Cleveland
asked Secretary of the Interior Hoke
Smith to recommend to him a man for
the place, regardless of the politics of
the person chosen. Secretary Smith
made investigation of the records. of
western men with the result that the
position was rendered to Captain Fish
er. That no mistake was made was
evidenced by the marked success of his
administration, which resulted in giving
to the Indians discipline long needed,
while at the same time throwing safe
guard about them never before extend
ed despite the paternal interest of the
government. Both Indians and whites
soon learned to respect and honor him,
and reservation affairs during their
most trying period were carried out
with credit. An incident of CAPTAIN
Fisher s method of dealing with
situation when less severes methods
failed, is recalled, where a colony of
roughs when the first payment of
100000 was made to the Indians es-
tablished themselves below Lapwai and
opened a number of gambling games
The agent sent word to the men to
vacate, and later some form of legal
notice was served on them, but with
out the desired results. This latter in
Captain Fisher received with
out comment, went quietly to the
agency stables, saddled his horse, plac-
ed a brace of revolvers at his side and
rode the length of the gamblers camp
giving them stern warning to vacate
within few hours and for them to give
him immediate evidence of their inten-
ton, or he would proceed on the instant
to adopt his method of carrying them
off the reservation. The camp was i'm
broken, and the gamblers
were heard from no.more. 1t was dur
ing these times that opportunity was
presented to the Indian agent to benefit
beyond measure in a financial way
through abuse of the powers of his of
flee. Instead, Captain Fisher left his
four years of valiant service with less
than what he brought to the position,
while he had notably improved the |
condition of the government charges |
He retired from this service to take up
The old vocation so pleasing to him
associating himself with
Portland, Oregon, people, he entered the
IDAHO county field, acquiring placer
loldings on the South Fork of the
clearwater, which engaged his active
attention for number of years, and
n which he retained interests to the
present time. He had made his home
1t Grangeville with his family while
lot at his properties For three years
lie had been confined to the house prac-
ically all the time.
Captain Fisher, while man of
marked force, was of quiet, unassum-
ny manner, and drew his friendships
lose to him. His ideal was the square
leal to all mankind and he lived this