New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-01-03
INDIANS RALLY To
THEIR WOMAN Chief
KaW Tribe EleVates Mrs. Eads 10
This Nigh OliCe

Panea City. Okla. Jan 3,-Fhe
kaw Indians not only have given thf
women the right 10 vote, but have
elevated one Of their number 10 the
highest office In the tribe. that Of
elective chief, The woman is Mrs,
Lucy fasiah Eads, now Chief Lucy
10 all her trihesmens
Chief Lucy is the first head the
kaw Indians have had since 1905
when Chief Washunga WAS frozen 10
death, She is the wife OF John II,
Eads, a white man, The two with
their children live Oh the new chiefs
allotment, an inheritance of eight
hundred acres, They are among the
few who have not disposed OF any OF
their property, They raise livestock
Of all kinds, are thrifty and send
their children 10 the white schools,
1.-The best material for the job" is
the way the Indians describe Chief
Lney, And John Eads, who il cousin
OF James Buchanan Eads, who built
the Eads bridge across the Mississippi
river at st. Louis. proudly takes his
place as husband of the chief, "she
is an excellent wife. fine mother, the
best nurse living and understands the
needs OF her people," he says,
Lucy Tnyiah with her brother. En-
nett. We're adopted years ago by old
Washunga, who led the kaw Indians
from their lands In Kansas in 1873
TO new allotment IN Oklahoma tor
ritory, He sent them to Haskell in
after they had completed the
tribal schools. Here Lucy distinguish
ID herself as student and became |
In nursing. After her gradu- |
ition from Haskell she went TO New
York city and became graduate |
Nurse. She remained there several
ears and then returned TO her own |
people. Her brother also lives in the |
law country, near the little village of
named after the old tribal
hief.
The Kaws. like many other Indians,
lave sold and dissipated their hold
ngs and are now reduced 10 poverty. /
Although their lands join those of the
ich Usage, and oil derricks can be
cen rising in the distance, the kaws
AVE reaped no mineral benefit as yet.
! number of tests have gone down,
tut oil in paying quantities has not
zen found.
Chief Lucy has announced that the
Principal task of her administration
rill be pressing a claim of her tribe
gainst the government for $4,000
90, which the Kaws alleged is due
hem as payment for lands they own /,
d in Kansas before their migration |
D the Oklahoma territory. The kaws
eclare the government offered them :
1.25 an acre for the land, which was I
ear Topeka. but that they received /
My ten cents an acre. The s15,00o,- q
90 they claim represents the differ !
nee. Their friendly neighbors, the f
sages, have offered to advance r
nough money to the kaws to en- n
BILE them to send delegation to- h
to press their claims.
All Kaw Indians possess strain Of ~
rench blood, running back to the !
lrly trappers and voyagers who set
ed among the Indians in the days
Marquette. The most prominent =,
ember of the tribe today is Senator :
harles Curtis of Kansas, who, with :,
y cnliuF6l lOudS IOiu dllOLiuellS III l.
e kaw reservation. =
At the recent election of Chief =
icy an old tribal custom of having a
Lrbecue was revived. Chief Lucy
ade and served the ''squaw bread, u
great delicacy ~ all
dams. 1t is made like a biscuit
ugh with the shortening omitted,
lied fat and cut into strips. These
e dropped into large kettles of lard
Id cooked thoroughly.
After the feast, Chief Lucy called
r council together. She made her
alden speech, thanked her people
r the great honor they had given
II, the first woman to occupy so
gh position in her tribe, and as
red the Kaws that she would work
r their interests.
The new chief spoke In English
d some of the younger generations u
the speech for the older
dians So-Jum- Wah who Is about
Tenty-three years old and the only 81
amber of the tribe now living who
me from the Kansas reservation,
Piled for them. His remarks were
10 interpreted for those who did not
derStand the Raw lanpIape ri