Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-03-26
LESSONS OF THE PIUTE WAR"

Tor them 10 lay hold Of; and when h.
'eis them that they may safely count
OF, this or that result II they .1nc.1a
"hat is asked OF them, they feel tina,
behind H.
TO contrast most effectively Tho a,,i
/ .ude OF the Indians toward n single sol
cicr with their bcarinG toward a much
more formidable array of c,tiycns (,
may be well 10 recall an incident n,
nea.Iy twenty years ago white sheen
hcrdcr on tho borders OF the Northcrn
cheyenne Indian Reservation had boon
H!ilcd ana an Indian on the reservation
vas suspected OF having killed him
warrant was put into the hands OF the
! nearest marshal. who organized "A posse
10 invade the reservation and cantu,e
me accused. The agent who haupened
20 he soldier familiar with Indians
i. refused him admlttance, on tho ground
mat MS appearance there with such a
IoiiowlhS might bring on race con.
net Dut offered TO go himself to where
me alleged murderer was hiding In I,
ioF'ihcd camp and bring him In single
3 h"h"cd. The marshal refused to CON
siHer the proposal. but referred III.
whole matter to Washington where IN,
Senators from Montana called upon the
| oeCte'arF or the Interior and insisted
mat he order his agent TO let the rinr-
sinai In and thus maintain the diunit,.
oi the civi! authority. a member OF
the Beard OF lndiun Commissioners who
khc" all the facts pleaded with the
hSc'"'"tF against such course: hut
the secretary. who was new TO his Of
lice and totally unacauuinted with In
dians and with frontier conditions dc
cidcd to follow the advice of the Senn
tors.
Pnbiirlty Proved Successful.
'iaNlne no other resource now, the
commissioner PLAYED his trump card
ny warning tho secretary that. 81 this
htcision We're final the whole story
shoAid be given to the press The sec
rethry shrugged his shoulders and
smiled sarcast!cally. The commissioner
was as good as his word, and gave a
perfectly colorless. but an absolutely
truthful, stateucnt OF the case TO the
newspapers. and in n day or two the
secretary was SO showed under with
letters and kilograms condemnino his
decision and UNFOLDING tho view OF the
con!nissionor that he was compelled TO
reverse himself and let the agent have
me uhdisturbcd handling of the case
me agent mounted one horse and pu;
MS htlle son astride another. and to-
Icther the Two rode, unarmed and ur-
protected. TO the fortified camp return
ing the next dav with their Drisoner
whose only copdition OF surrender was
lha', on riding back with them h.
should bc allowed to carry his rife in
hls hand AT the agency no gave I'D the
gun and peacefully permitted himself
20 nc turned over 10 the civil authort-
lics the discounted secretary had no
means OF aNenging himself, hut to call
lor Inc COMMAS Sioner's rasignation
which was rendered SO promptly as al.
most to make his brain whirl
mere was more to the story but this
VIII sufilce the present purpose. Ham
I'm Garland used the dramatic part OF
me incident as the basis TOR his novel,
j ne captain or the Gray Horse Troop"
me moral Of the whole affair Is tina;
you can do more. In strengthening out a
troublesome Indian situation, by the
exercise or little common sense than
by following the rigid letter Of the law
10 mo end of the chapter In those
days marshafs posse In a frontier
settlement was composed OF all the
ragtag and bobtail human material
that could be found around town--the
barro0m himmcrs, the brawlinr ele-
ment, and the fellows who were always
out OF a better job because they had
long ago exhausted the patience OF
employers. Among n proud race ike
the Indians. such people are as much
desp1sed as they are by the respectable
members OF our own communities The
military agent who made the arrest
Of the Cheyenne so easily was a gen
tleman worthy OF the esteem of his
dependent people. and they would do
for him. nnarmed. what thew would not
40 FOR the traditional gang of neer-do-
wells with all the rifles and reyoIyers
with which the marshal could load
them down.