The Indian Chieftain. (Vinita, Indian Terr.), Vol. 18, No. 19, Ed. 1, Thursday, January 4, 1900 Page: 2 of 4
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si
Indian Chief tain.
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE.
SI.50 Per Year or Sl.OO If Paid
in Advance.
I'QblUtied Thursdays by
Tnx Cmxrrxiif PUEuannco Cohtjutt.
I). X. MJLRKS Editor.
Jt. E. HILFOED Manager
Vinita Ind. Teb. Jan. 4 1900
PARTIAL TO BAILBOADS.
It is generally conceded that the
Cherokees are especially well off
as to representation in Washing-
ton inasmuch as they have se-
cured the services of their able
friend Judge Wm. M. Springor.
Springer's chief advantage lies in
the fact that he understands
thoroughly the conditions that
prevail in the Cherokee cation.
He spent nearly five years here as
judge of the Northern district and
has had much to do with the
Cherokees as their country com-
poses about two thirds of the en-
tire district. Springer gave much
of his time and attention to a care-
ful study of the citizenship ques-
tion as several hundred cases
were appealed from the decision
of the Dawes commission to hie
court and the Cherokees were gen-
erally sustained in all the rulings
and decisions of the court.
Springer is active and withal well
acquainted with methods of get-
ting things done in Washington
and will no doubt see to it that his
clients get all that there is coming
to them generally speaking.
But there is one particular item
in the great diversity of Cherokee
interest in which Judge Springer
cannot reasonably be expected to
stand by the Cherokees notwith-
standing he is their attorney.
Where the rights or contentions of
the railroads appear he will no
doubt be with the railroads as
against his clients. This state-
ment is not unfair to the judge in-
asmuch as his opinions are mat
ters of record. When Vinita pre-
sents a petition accompanied by a
plat of the town asking for
the privilege ot incorporating un-
der the ArkanBaB laws the judge
took his pen and amended the
petition so as to give the railroad
&n 80 foot street one mile in length.
Whenever the interests of the In-
dians have been opposed to those
of the railroads the Indians have
got the worst of it. As to the
rights of the roads through the
Indian country they of course
should be as well protected as
""anynSltrefinterests but the roads
are claiming too much and if they
are to be favored there is great
danger to the Cherokees. Both
roads are claiming every alternate
section ten miles on each side of
their line and if such a claim be
countenanced by congress it would
mean nothing less than a calamity
to the Cherokees. To sum up in
a nutshell what we think of
Springer as an attorney it may be
eaid that he is eminently filled to
represent the Cherokees and is
calculated to do them more good
than any other attorney available
but as to hie bias in favor of
the railroads there can be no
doubt.
In about two months it is said
the Dawes commission will go to
work making a final roll of citizenB
of the Cherokee nation; as soon as
that matter is disposed ot aland
office will no doubt be opened and
the work of allotment proceed
either under the Curtis law or the
agreement now pending in con-
gress. If the. agreement should be
ratified by congress it will then be
submitted to a popular vote of the
Cherokee voters and if carried
will take the place of the Curtis
law. The same amount land 120
acres will be allotted both under
the treaty though the former
would xnly give the right to occu-
py the surface. It is confidently
asserted that the treaty will be
ratified by congress though per-
haps with some important amend-
ments. The prospects now are
that the close of this year will see
the work in the Cherokee nation
far advanced and perhaps the end
in sight.
Smallpox at Wagoner.
Five cases of Smallpox have de-
veloped among the colored people
in the southwestern portion of the
city. That part of the town has
been quarantined and every pre-
caution is being taken to prevent
the disease from further spreading.
Pest houses will be established
and nothing will be left undone by
the board of health and the city
authorities to protect the public
from exposure to the terrible mal
ady.
Everybody is ordered to be vac-
cinated and we understand that
the order is going to be enforced.
Sayings.
A Historic Knife.
W. A. Falconer justice of the
peace has the knife with which
Bob Dillon vra-i severely stabbed
several years before his tragic end
at Coffeyville. The stabbing was
done in the territory and the
knife presented to Mr Falconer
by .an Indian into whose hands it
came. The blade is five inches
long and is covered with dried
blood. Ft. Smith Times.
MEXICAN LETTER.
Mrs. Cora Belew Hears From
Her Cousin.
The change from 1800 to 19C0
which takes place today in the
dates of the world suggests many
& fruitful vein of thought. 1800
has marked the best century the
world ever saw. We can all agree
upon this proposition for we have
all belonged to it. It has given us
steam boats railroad trains the
electric telegraph and telephone
electric lightB dynamite to blow
up the mountains and newspapers
to blow up the people the new
woman and the bicycle new theolo-
gy and the Maxim and the Mau-
ser rifle to kill each other with.
It has given us the slick politician
to run the government for us.
The appointment of T.A.Chand-
ler of this city as deputy clerk of
the United States court at Vinita
is a just recognition of the home
rule plank in the Republican plat
form Mr. Chandler is a home
man a Cherokee by blood and
Very competent to fill the position.
We are reliably informed that a
delegation was sent from Grove to
Vinita a few days ago praying the
citizens there to make strong ef-
forts to keep the new railroad out
of Afton but Vinita refused to
participated such unprincipled
tricks. Afton Climax.
It looks cruel to break the spell
but Afton ought to be informed
right now that she don't stand as
much show of getting that railroad
as a one legged man in a kicking
match. It has been regarded as a
sort of a joke that the road would
cross the Frisco at Afton but if
the Climax man takes it seriously
he will have to be ''shown. " The
road will come to Vinita and
thence to Coffeyville and it will be
a great road too one of these days.
Women as a rule are not given
to peddling whiskey but occasion-
ally one "bobs up" serenely and
of course gets yanked. Mary Car-
ton and her husband whose given
name is Tooky were tried the
fore part of the week on a whiskey
charge and both were held for the
action of the grand jury the
woman in 8300 and the man in
8500 bond. Neither could furnish
the necessary security and of
course they took a trip to Musko-
ges. laniequan Kepublican.
If reports be true there are sev-
eral families across the river in
the Jeff Dick neighborhood who
have smallpox but there seems to
be no immediate danger of a spread
of the disease. A member of the
board of health of Vinita will visit
that section today and ascertain
definitely the situation. The fam-
ily in the east side of town who
had been exposed are being close-
ly guarded and have all been vac-
cinated. The people of Oswego are prob-
ably paying the highest taxes of
any city in the elate. Several
years ago the town voted bonds to
get a couple of railroads. The
bonds are now coming due. In
order to meet them the people are
paying 14 per cent taxes. It will
take two years at thiB rate to pay
the bonds. After that it is es-
timated that the taxes will be low-
er than those of any other city in
kbe Etate.
A large share of the business of
our merchants and tradespeople
comes lrom the people living with-
in the limits of the city. The
Daily Chieftain reaches nearly
every resident of the town every
afternoon. A better advertising
medium never existed in a town
the size of Vinita. Want adver-
tisements frequently bring enquir-
ies in a few hours.
When you see a dandy appear-
ing chap walking down the street
with a college strut and a far
away detective sort of look in his
eye you must tip your hat and
give him the road for very likely
he is a new federal appointee that
has come to fill a position that
rightfully belongs to some citizen
of this country. Tahlequab Re-
publican .
The National Bank of Commerce
St. Louis will hereafter set apart
for employes who have served it
more than five years a share in
surplus profits a disability pen"
sion and a permanent pension af-
ter long and faithful service.
Let us not get excited about tho
danger of smallpox but rather go
to work intelligently to prevent its
getting a foot hold in the city.
Prevention is cheaper than dealing
with the disease after it gets here.
Kid" McCoy won the fight
with Peter Maber at Coney Island
yesterday. Maher was the favor-
ite in the betting ring but McCoy
disposed of him easily knocking
him out in the fifth round.
The Muskogee Phoenix was sold
yesterday to the employes of the
concern for $8000. Tne Phoenix
has been one of the most success-
ful weekly newspapers printed in
the Indian Territory. '
We know of no town in the
whole country that is better quali-
fied to accept and appreciate the
good things that are coming to the
territory during the year now
opening than is Vinita.
City Mexico Dec 26.1629
Mrs. Cora Belew Vinita: Dear
Cousin Today your favor of Nov.
2t5th received and I must saj- it
was a happy surprise lor 1 had
given up all hopes of ever hearing
from you again. While read-
ing your letters my mind ran bark
to olden times. While it had its
bitter as well as sweet I must say
I shall always cherish those mem
ories for I believe you all to be
my dearest friends outside of my
dear old mother and father which
you know a mother's love for a
child.
You asked my intention of
coming out here and if I was only
on a pleasure trip. No I came out
here because I thought I could do
better in my business and the
climate is so beautiful almost the
same the year round. I have been
here juBt one year and have lived
in the city all the time. I am in
business here and have done very
well. I am connected with an ad-
vertising agency in fact I am the
main man. I was the one who
first organized it and control the
business and I make money easy
but it costs so much to live here
My board is $30 per month and
room rent $30 and I don't r uve the
finest either. Everything is high
here but if one is up to the Mexi-
can tricks he can hold bis own.
But its no place to work for wages
and unlesB one has money they
bad better stay in their own coun.
try. There are other great draw-
backs here the language unless
one can speak Spanish they are in
a hard row but I manage to make
myself understood though its a
hard language to learn. There
are a good many Americans in the
city but in smaller;cities very few.
I made a trip last week to a city
south about 200 miles which was
interesting so will giveyou a brief
sketch of my trip and what I saw
for everthing is bo different from
the United States and one who
has never traveled in Mexico it
will be interesting reading espec-
ially if tbey are inclined to things
that are different from their daily
life. The name of the city I went
to is Puebla. The Mexican rail-
road runs there via Vera Cruz on
the Gulf of Mexico. I left here at
4 o'clock in the evening and ar-
rived there at 11:40 at night most
of my travel was in the day and
when I came back it was all day
travel and I saw thecountry in all
its beauty. After leaving the city
the railroad runs along the base of
a mountain for a long way and you
see one of the most beautiful val-
leys in Mexico. Then it gradually
winds around the mountains until
it gets about 10000 feet above sea
level. Then it takes a down grade
until it gets about 5000 feet aoove
sea and then you get in the finest
farming district in the Republic
except down on the coaBt in the
hot country where oranges pine
apples bananas sugar cann cocoa
nuts and all tropical fruits grow.
I know you will doubt my word
when I tell you that this month ib
wheat harvesting in that part of
the Republic. The fields are ripe
with wheat and you see the Mexi-
cans cutting it by hand with an
old blade like a brier hook. I only
saw two reapers and they were of
the first make old and very clum-
sy and for 100 miles was a solid
wheat field. The way the most of
them threBh ib like they did in
olden times mace a floor of rock
and build a wall about four feet
high and round shape and then tie
from ten to twenty horses close
together and start them to tramp-
ing and when itB a windy day they
pass the wheat from one pile to
another and the wind blows away
the chaff. There is only two
threshers in this part of the coun-
try and they are little old tramp
wheel with one mule like they
used to be in the slates and the
Mexicans cannot wait for they
could not get around before time
to begin sowing again. I also saw
the Mexicans herding sheep in the
valleys just as the bible describes
them in old times.
Yours as ever
Edwin Edwards
1st Independencia No. 4 City of
Mexico D. F.
at its re
calling
THE CHEROKEE SPEAKER.
First and Probably Last White
Man to Hold the Office.
The Cherokee council
cent session passed a bill
for the investigation of the aud-
itor's office and accounts as there
appeared to be gross irregularities.
Previous to that date as disburs-
ing officer Indian Agent Sboenfelt
advertised that the payment of a
certain amount of Cherokee war-
rants would be made beginning
January 1 or as soon thereafter as
possible. But when the bill was
passed as above stated it dawned
that there might be a repetition of
the Creek warrant transaction and
in view of thiB fact the agent haB
wisely concluded to defer the pay-
ment of warrants on the general
fund. He will pay warrants on
the Bchool insane and orphan
funds but none else. Due notice
of the time of payment of these
warrants will be given. MuEko-
gee times.
Amonst the most conspicious
personalities in the Cherokee na-
tional council this year is the
young smooth-faced light com-
plexioned purely Caucasian
speaker of the lower house. He
is the first and aB has been pertly
remarked very likely the last
white man to occupy such a posi-
tion in the affairs of the Cherokee
Indians. This enviable personage
is unquestionably one of the com-
ing men of this country.
James S. Davenport was born
andsp-nt bis earlier years on a
farm in middle Alabama; removed
to Arkansas on attaining his ma-
jority whereupon he took up the
profession of the law. But short-
ly after admission to the bar he
came to the Indian Territory and
united his citizenship with the
Cherokees by taking in marriage
an exceptionally charming and ac-
complished daughter of one of the
purest and proudest strains of
Cherokee blood the celebrated
Ross family in whose keeping the
chieftaincy and well being of the
Cherokee nation was for "forty
years intrusted. After locating at
Vinita about five years ago he set
out upon what was then consider
ed a most difficult road to success
the practice of his profession.
Until the act of congress approved
June 2S 1S9S. the Cherokees con
ducted their own courts and made
their own laws; and it is a well-
known fact that no white non-citi
zen lawyer dared enter their courts
with a case. And when Mr. Daven-
port became a citizen by adoption
he immediately acquired a lucta-
tive practice and scored legal tri
umph after triumph in the "rougn
and tumble species of legal ethics"
then prevailingin the tribal courts
Here it waB that his truest and
best character frequently disclosed
itsell lor soon was unswerving
fidelity to his clients and sterling
integrity to his citizenship estab-
lished that Lincoln sobriquet
Honest Jim" was conferred upon
him by the public "without no-
tice." It was in these courts also
that a mental triumph not infre-
quently required physical "back
up" in counsel argument; and here
it was that Davenport's 200 pound
avoirdupois and skillful use of bis
sluggers oftentimes "bad weight
with the authorities." A more
mild gentle pleasing and yet
fearless character than he it has
not been the lot of one man to
meet; and thebe enviable qualifi-
cations soon put him on one or the
other side of the more important
cases in the Cherokee courts.
Naturally enough be was forced
into politics. And in the morning
of his career a most remarkable
star dawns upon him. The aver
age full and even half-blood In-
dian's antipathy to the white man
is wholly blotted out in Mr. Daven
port's caBe as is without a doubt
exemplified by his call to fill the
speaker's chair of the lower house
of which ho is a regularly elected
member when it is remembered
that nearly half of that body can
not speak an English word and
three-fourth averagw the half-
breed. Globe-Democat.
NEW COLLECTION BLANK.
New Form Prepared for the use of
the Merchants.
Col. Frank C.Uhurchili revenue
collector for the Cherokee nation
has just returned from an extend-
ed trip through Colorado during
the holidays and haB again taken
up the work of collecting the rev-
enues due the Cherokees under the
tribal laws. The following blank
has been prepared for use of the
merchants and ib to be made in
duplicate:
DErAHTMEST Or THE I.VTEBIOH. I
United States Indian Service. (
To J. Blair Shoenfelt. United states Indian
agent Muskogee. I T.
1. My name if
2. lama member of the firm ....
Kind ot business
Place of business
Commenced business
Date from and to which taxes
are now paid to
Amount of merchandise re
ceived and offered for sale
by said firm during such
time
On which the tax of one-fourth
of one. per cent is
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3.
4
5
6.
7.
Member firm of
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sm
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129
953
SI
Our Annual
Clearing
Is now on. Bargains everywhere. We find in going through our stock
that there are a great many items in every department which should be
sold. Now we are going to sell them. It is not a question of profits this time.
We Do Not Expect Any Profit Dun 1
ing This Sale.
We are not even trying to get one. It's a matter of turning our surplus
goods into CASH for that is what we want. We are making the lowest
prices you have ever seen on good Clothing Men's and Boys'. Lowest
price on Overcoats you have ever seen. Lowest prices on Dry Goods Dress
Goods Flannels Flannelettes Jeans and Cassimeres you have ever seen.
Lowest prices on Blankets Comforts and Bed Spreads. Biggest Shoe bar-
gains ever shown in Vinita.
Millinery at Your Own Price!
We are offering Knit Underwear at greatly reduced prices during our Clearing Sale?
Good Union Suits for - 25c.
Better one for - 45c
Good Vest each - - - 11c.
Extra heavy Vest - - - - 19c.
Hundreds of other items in stock on which we are making the same low prices It vill
pay.you to go to Badgett's for anything you may want in Dry Goods Clothing Boots
and Shoes Hats Furnishings and Groceries.
mmmm
-r
Merc fi e Co
VINITA IND. TER.
mBmmmmMmmmmmmmmAEmmmmmmnmmmi
TO BE SOLD.
I of .solemnly b wear
that the sum of $ forwarded
herewith in accordance with the
foregoing statement is correct and
the entire amount due from......
to the Cherokee nation Indian
Territory as a tax on merchandise
and the Bame is full and complete
payment of all taxes so due to the
date last above mentioned and
that no goods or merchandise have
been received or offered for sale by
either directly or indirect-
ly during the period from to
except as Bet forth above.
Subscribed and sworn to before
me this.. ..of
Notary Public:
The United States jail at Mus-
kogee beginB the new year with
25S prisoners in jail.
Mary Corndropper Will 60
to the Highest Bidder.
A custom which has been in
vogue among the OsageB from
time immemorial will soon be ob-
served at the residence of ex-Chief
Frank Corndropper west of here
when his only daughter Mary
will be Bold in marrage to the
highest bidder who will make
payment for his bride in ponies.
Mary is twenty-three years old
and pretty. She has twice before
been married her first hu&band
having been Tall Chief and her
second John Logan a prominant
member of the Osage council. She
was sold lor 400 ponies the first
time and 300 the second time.
Both marrages proved unhappy
and thiB is why the girl is to be
put on the block again.
In accordance with an ironclad
rule observed by the Osage aristoc-
racy that only fullbloods can inter-
marry only fullbloods will be al-
lowed to bid. The parents of tho
competing young men will do the
bidding and the bride attired in
silk of the gaudiest hues will an-
nounce the result by riding into
the arms of the successful contest
ant. The ceremony will be com
pleted by the bride being taken
into the house and stripped of her
clothing which will be torn in
two and divided equally between
her parents and her husbands par-
ents. A feast consisting of many
beeves will follow and the festivi-
ties will be concluded with a three
days dance which will he partici-
pated in by about 300 guestB.
Miss Corndropper has 1200 acres
of land which will be given to her
husband. They will live at her
fathers house. Barllesville Mag-
net. Vinita is again confronted with
a dangerous and expensive con-
dition. The responsibility of deal
ing with the smallpox in the coun-
try southeast of us must be met
heroically and promptly. It should
be managed with as little expense
consistent with the gravity of the
situation as possible. We believe
the primary object should be to
stamp out the disease wherever
found and to effectually prevent
its spreading. The first step
Bnould be to rigidly quarantine
and isolate every individual who
has bien exposed and to enforce
general vaccination of the people
throughout the country. It can be
effectually kept out of Vinita if
prompt measures are adopted and
every citizen of the town and ad
jacent country should act in accord
with the authorities in dealing!
with the contagion. The unavoid-
able expense will necessarily be a
heavy blow upon the city but
there is no way ot dodging the is-
sue and the minimum of expendi-
ture in ever detail should be in-
sisted upon.
In the United States there are
estimated to be 21458294 children
of school age of whom 70 per cent
are in the common schools. In
1870 the school attendance was but
61 1-2 per cent. The average
school year had been lengthened
eleven days in tho last quarter of
a centnry. Thirty-two states have
adopted compulsory school at-
tendance laws.
The Vinita Chieftain was deter-
mined to have a "green Christ-
mas'' so put out an extra good is-
sue of its paper last week with an
appropriate border printtd in green
around each page. Purcell Reg
ister.
Kansas Oitv is fast becoming the i
greatest cattle market in the coun
try. During the year just closed
the live stock receipts at Kansas
City were considerably more than
121 million dollars.
Gov. Barnes' daughter Louise
eloped Saturday and married a
Guthrie bank cashier Carl Havig-
herst at Oklahoma. City. '
PREPARED
.Paints
Why put your good money jn
to a painters- hands to buy ma-
terial for painting yoar house when
you can get the product of years of
expert en ce
for less mon-
ey? The old
system of pre
paring paint
from the raw
material as it
id used has
long gone in-
to practical
disuse. With-
out the appli
ances it is next to impossible to
secure the same shade in two sep-
arate lots of paint to say nothing
of the quality. This trouble can
be avoided by using prepared
paints handled by us.
P. Q. Browning
-prione 30.
Legal Blanks
xne louowing ainai oi approrea luim
on tale at
The ChHptan
Chattel mortgages per doz SSc
Cherokee deed. -So
Chattel Mort. sates " asc
Lien notes (a mortgage) per doi i'
Rills sale. .2V:
Illll Sale (Cherokee Mort) per do St"
Bills Sale short form 25o
Renewal affidavits ... ... sic
Prommtsorynote.per50 i'c
Receipts .... Sf
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Marrs, D. M. The Indian Chieftain. (Vinita, Indian Terr.), Vol. 18, No. 19, Ed. 1, Thursday, January 4, 1900, newspaper, January 4, 1900; (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc71627/m1/2/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.