The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1920-01-13
KINDNESS FOUND
AMONG SEM|NOLES
BY ST. PETERS.
BURG HUNTERS
Gillian Parker Searle in st. Peters
burg independently

/
better race" exclaimed T. Fl. kards
in a talk recently. Mr.. Kards, the
instructor in the manual training de-
partment of the public schools, on a
hunting excursion with part OF
other men from the city. recently WIS.,
tied these Indians, hence this state
ment
The local party spent about 10 days
in the Everglades and vicinity, and
while the law forbids hunting by
white men in the Indian reservations
it was not known by the st. Peters
burg group that they were trespass-
ing and they struck camp not far
from that of Seminole chief.
The huntsmen from this city had !
previously been warned that should |
they get into the territory of these |
Indians they might meet with very |
unkind treatment The case, though.
was entirely to the contrary, and the |
st. Petersburg men came away feel |
ing that the Seminole Indians had
proven very good friends. Indeed, so
pleased were the local men with the
hospitality with which they were re-
ceived, that they entertained several
of the chiefs and other big men at
venison banquet Christmas day.
Much information was CLEANED as
regards the customs and traditions of
these Indians. 1t was also learned
that this tribe had by degrees been
driven back by the government from
their previous locality on the Peace
river, to lands that are entirely bar
rem and most unproductive. That
they can raise almost nothing by way
of supplies, was plainly to be noted.
1T was pitiful," affirmed Mr.. Kards
ito see how the poor creatures lived
Particularly the squaws and little
babies They were without suitable
shelter, only palmetto matched roofs
and their clothing was absolutely in
sufficient from the cold. They could
not possibly have suitable food, nor
enough in quantity"
'If the government is seeking to
kill off these poor creatures it is TAX
. ing very thorough process Of doing
: it," asserted the instructor, indignant.
ly Not only is there lack of pro.
j duction, but the articles they buy are
| priced to them way beyond what we
would be expected to pay They are
cheated, it appears, on the sale of
their furs and have a most unfair
deal from every point of view. Even
the price they have to pay for shells
: and ammunition for their guns is
= way beyond what should be asked
o "The Seminoles are dying out rap
0 idly under the conditions, there are
now only $50 left. The oldest chief
y is 70 years old. Some of the Indians
II are partially educated and appeared
to like to talk with us. They related
: many of their customs; among these
+ was the Green Corn dance which is
yearly feature and very unique
What led up to the remark in the
s opening paragraph in regard to the
:. laws of the Seminoles was the ex
PLANTATION of Mr.. Kards that the In
m dians have as means for punish
n ment piece of board with severa
n sharp spikes driven in the end. Will
a these sticking out and considerabl,
sharp, the board is used for discir
7 line Ii the culprit has committed
bad crime, he is scratched with thes
spikes, up and down his arms, or
that be not sufficient, he is scratche
on the. hips and sides Surprising
red man gets drunk, he gets a certai
number of scratches; if he abuse
his squaw, he gets particular nun
| Der for this misdemeanor and so O
through the various kinds of Grim
nalities. The manual training il
structor, for this reason, thought
might prove a more efficient NEAR
for keeping civilized men under CO
trail, than the present up-to-dat
method of discipline though it ma
- be that he meant it only as a SEN
- joke.
3 They talk about the Indians
Z ing cruel" said Mr. Kards. "I'n te
Z YOU what happened not so very lor
ago. and you may Judge for yourse
3 as to the truth of that theory"
( AN aviator fell with his plane in
1 the boys far out from the Indian re
I ervation, 1t was where the Indial
never try to go because of the W
( and slumping condition of that pa
/ of the country. 1t is considered G
:: tremely dangerous as the ground
!! likely to swallow anyone who shou
Z bear his weight on its surface.