New Britain herald., 1928-09-29
VALUABLE RELICS MIRROR OLD WEST
IF. C. Monier's Indian Collection on Public Exhibition

One of the most valuable and in- teresting collections of Indian relics in the country is beisg exhibited in the windows of the F. C. Monier ( Bros. Sporting Goods store. The collections represent the gifts made to the late F. c: Monier by number less cowboy and Indian frit nds throughout the West. Every article. no matter how stuali1 was presented to Mir. Monier. not thing being bought.
 The exhibit is attracting great. at- tention from passerbys.. especially high and grammar school children. Many of the articles are of great value and have a history behind them. Each article is marked with a card explaining what 1t is.
 The collection contains a pair Of spirit moccasins which were pre- scented to MrA Mohier by Chief Eagle Shirt, Sioux chief, who was connected with the Miller Bros. ranch. Another relic is a collection of bow and arrows which shows how far back Mir. Monier was re- garded as a friend by the West. The arrows were given to Mir. Monier by a Mexican named Joseph Esquivel in 1886. There is also a Sioux Peace pipe which Mir. Monier received from Chief Black Bear who was connected with Col. Cody's Buffalo Ell Wild West shows.
 The exhibit includes a Sioux peace pipe which was given to him by Chief Red Shirt in 1912. MF. Mo- rier first made friends with the chief in 1885. The chief always had an interpreter with him although he could understand English very we'll. While in Europe he was introduced to Queen Victoria and refused to admit that he understood English, using an interpreter. @
 Another fine relic is an Indian coffin. The Indians used to hang their collins between two trees and when Mir. Monier received the cof- fin there were bits of flesh hanging to the wood. The cof- fin was the gift of Dr. Howard Her mosa of South Dakota in 1905. An. other valuable relic is an Indian war club that was picked up on the Custer battlefield after the nlASsa- ere by Col. John F. Baker of South Dakota. He presented the club to Mir. Monier in 1901.
 Pieces of water formation that were taken from the Wind Cave" of South Dakota are interesting. The gift was from Mrs. Staples of Custer County. South Dakota. The cave was owned by the stai 'es family while . man named Me- Donald owned the entrance. Numer- ous quarrels took place between the two parties and finally the govern ment stepped in and took possession of the cave. At present there is & law forbidding persons to remove anything from it. Another article of interest is an Indian tomahawk. The head Is fastened on with sinewA It was found on the plantation of w. l.. Walton which was :7 miles east of Lexington. Mfss.
 ihCic 10 dISO pdTL O1 an OX 1uOG which Mr.Monier found on the old "Deadwood" trail in 1901. The relics contain a pair of mitts which were given to the local man by Mrs. Nut zfk of the Black Hills in 1901. The woman raised sheep and sheared them herself. She also spun the wool and made the mitts She heard that q tenderfoot was coming to wis it her and made the mitts especially for MT. Monier who was the tender foot.
 Some Of the articles on exhibition are: Indian tom-tom, quiver and crrOws. medicine mans hat, buffalo horns. spirit noccasins, breast plates. Sioux Indian equipment in- cludtng belts, sashes moccasins and leggtns, war clubs, money pouch, war bonnets. tobacco pouch, money bag, horn spoon, wristlets, knife sheaths, gauntlets. petrified tigers head, petrified wood and all sorts of coins.