Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-06-20
NEW DOPE CRAZE
Peyote Eating Habit Has Taken Hold
of Dakota Indians.
tracks.
(To be Continued).

|
of Dakota Indians.
A new dope craZc-peyOte eating
has taken such hold Of the Indians on
the nine reservations of South Dakota
as to create a problem which those
who arc interested in the welfare of
the red men view with grave appre-
hension. The peyote bean Is the
| fruit of q cactus plant which grows
along the Mexican border. 1t is
known as the Indian cocaine and has
| practically the same effect as that
drug Eaten by the Indians under
any circumstances it has demoraliz-
| ing effects mentally and morally as
we'll as physically To complcate
the situation in South Dakota, the
peyote habit has been coupled with re-
| ligious ceremonials Which combine
! ancient Indian superstition with
Christian rites, and the craze Is now
in full sway among hundreds of the
nations wards of the Northwest.
Saturday night has become the fav
orite occasion for these peyote orgies
Gathering in tents or huts, the devo-
tees eat from thirty to forty of the
small beans, following which they
begin to see visions. Despite the ira
dition of the Red Indians reticence,
he is a great talker, especially when
under the influence of a stimulant. In
the grip of peyote, the braves claim
to have wonderful revelations, and
are filed with the spirit of weird
prophecy which is unfolded to the
gathered tribesmen in long and clo-
quent harangues.
In this state of drug created frenzy
they read from the Bible. offer pray
e!a and sing hymns, using these de-
vices to cover the degenerate activi-
ties which accompany the progressive
effects OF the drug.
The elimination of many of these
peyote meetings is declared by those
who have witnessed them to he most
revolving. Many instances have al
the authorities of husbands and wives
| having been separated as result Of
the peyotc debauches and the de-
biltating mental ana physical re-
suits of the drug are already begin
ming TO show in hundreds of the
younger generations of the Indians.
Spreading north from the Mexican
border during the past five years, the
craze entered South Dakota from
! Nebraska where there arc said to he
about four hundred addicts among the
| WinncLagos, Omahas and Poncas.
From the Winncbago Reservation, it
spread to the Yankton Reservation in
South Dakota, where there are said
TO be about forty confirmed addcts:
and then to the Ponca Creek station
of the Rosebud Reservation. where
about sixty individuals are habitual
users of the drug. The other members
Of the tribe have not yet fallen vic
Tins to the craze, the cult having its
leadership from men of an age rang
ing from thirty to forty-five years.
who may be classcd as semi educated.
So serious has the problem become
that at n meeting at Sioux Falls last
week, representatives of all the
reservations. under the craftsmanship
of Bishop Hugh Latimor Burleson,
Missionary Bishop of the Episcopal
church of South Dakota, resolutions
we're adopted calling on the govern
ment TO take promp action to stop
the use of peyote beans among the
Indians in accordance with the nat
ional anti-narcctic law.
1t is pointed out that there are
twenty five thousand Indians scatter
ed through the nine reservations of
South Dakota alone. This Indian pop
. e. i = ~