Detroit evening times., 1942-10-25
V0ted$2Q!000
'T0|ndianSDead
SinCe|763


vertently elected mule to their city councilhe Penn
svana State Legislature recently voted $4,000 to estab
sh reservation for tribe of Indians that has been
tnct for 17S years.
But while the Milton election was an
perperaed by the towns jolly and funlovng mayor the
voting of the big appropriation for the nonestent Indian
tribe not the work of practical joker Only the quick
veto of the governor prevented the unanimously
bill from becoming law.
Up State Capitol Harrisburg the Senators and
Representatives who still bushing explain that the
appropriation introduced favor to Indian who
obbied the in full regaia in the House and
Senate chambers The campaigning Red Man, Chief
Freway" by name. sought the money in behalf Of the
Susquehannock tribe
IAN by authorities the susquehannock
Indian Tribe" Governor II. James wrote In
planning his Veto reveals that there is such tribe
in existence has any such Indian tribe been in exist
ence for a long period Of time"
measure introduced in the House by Representa-
tives William E. Habbyshaw and Ray f. Taylor, Repub-
cans would set up appropriation Of $4,000 TO
lease 100 of land in Jackson Township, Dauphin
County TO the Susquehannocks.
Explaining how he happened to sponsor the measure.
abbyshaw heephy admitted that neither he Taylor
both of whom from Dauphin County knew much about
the BILL and that they had introduced 1t as the request
of Or. Philip d. Bookstaber, rabbi.
Representative Habbyshaw that Doctor Bookstaber
brought regaliaouft Chief Freway who claimed
to be descendant of the original Susquehannocks
Capitol and asked that he and Taylor to
up reservation for the chief and his followers The
chief all decked out like something out of Wild
West show.
According to IIabbyshaw the rabbi up the bill
Taylor merely introduced it. The went
through both Houses of the Assembly without debate
credit for spl<ing the hoax to DR.. Donald A.
executive secretary of the Pennsylvania Historical
Commission tipped off the Governor that the last
Susquehannock bit the dust in 1763ust 17s before
giving them a reservation brought up.
Cadzow pointed to the results of study of the
Susquehannocks, made by the Commission in 1885 This
report in part, read:
The susquehannocks wherever they came from,
a remnant of mighty Pressed all sides
by white settlers and Of Indians they onceed in
contempt slowly degeneraed until at the close of the
year 1853 they numbered only twenty souls
AT that time rioters, nflamed by accounts Of tho
Indian war raging along the Pennsylvania frontier
band where they had taken shelter in the
jail yard City Of Lancaster On that day the last
group Susquehannocks passed Of existence
Just where Chief Ffreway who. IL appears, has been
campaigning appropriation for years
the picture is couded in bit Of mystery. His
followers claim descendant Of the susquehannocks
having another tribe the Oneida, New
York, Indian reservation.
Voting the big appropriation for the non-exstent In
dians probably will go a political classic along
with the Milton mule election That little stunt, which
wound UP with a shaggy old mule holding office, pulled
by Mayor Kenneth Simmons to prove his eonenon that
the voters have idea whom they support"
Simmons took the mule and gave him the
of Boston Curtis filed the papers in behalf of
Candidate Curtis whose subsequently appeared in
Republican list Milton ballots and when all the votes
were tabuaed discovered that Boston Curtis had
been elected the council as precinct COM
mitteeman.
Milton's mayor made no effort disguise the hoax.
The fact that Democrat and Candidate Curtis
was Republican the only touch he needed to round
off the huge joke.
Rabbi Boolxstaber and colleagues, not trying
to pull wool the of the Legislature For
some they had been campaigning to have Indian
settlement established historical purposes Their
selection of the Susquehannock was unfortunate.
After Dr. Boostaber learned of the Governors intention
to veto the BILL tried have the document changed
that the name of the would be stricken out, and
provision inserted calling for reservation Tor Cef Fire
way his followers The measure however already had
gone through the Senate, and IL seemed that nouhng
could be done about It.