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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 27 ary or accidental, can not be avoided. This condition is due to the char-acter of the plant8 and children who attend. Although the destruction to buildings has been great, as yet no lives have been lost. To guard a.gainst such a contingency, so far asadeqnate precautions are concerned, the following circular was issued on April 12, 1899 : To Agents and Bonded Superintendents. SIR: Your attention is directed to paragraohs 210 snd 211 of the Indim school rnles relating to 6re drilla and the orgsniktkn of fire brigades in the achools. This is a matter of p a t importance, and should bo oarefully looked into st each school yon visit. ~ l l p u ~ ifrlosm the smallest tot up to the largest should be taught how to march speedily, quietly, and with military preaision out of their respective dor-mitories and roomsinto the free air vhenever the first signal o~llsthem. They shonld be instructed to Garoh out 01' the ~chooal t a given signal, first by being notified of i t beforehand. When they are proficient enough to execute the drill properly, the signal should be given without immediate notice, and Bnally they should not be told on what day the signal will he sounded, but will be expected to march out of the building as quickly as possible, :and in the proper nbilitary order, at a moment's notice. The drill should be s. regular feature of school life nt leeat once a week, or oftener, if possible. The great importance of this subject can not be overestimsted, in view of the fre-a. o eno"v with which fires occur nt Indian achools. and their t ~ ~ u a lilsvol ated looatitions. No one can predict wltat calnrniry might not sorue day Ibu avoided if papilr ora prop-erly trained in thin drill. b'ires in crowded lmildin~aa re dreaded as mocla by reaaoo of t h e orush. excitement. and dan-ee r incident to the scare as the fire itself.. Under suah cenditioosparsona may be maimed or killed, when in reality there was no aotual danger from the fire. Halls, dormitories, and other rooms osn be more quiokly.end exoeditionslv cleared when each one knowa hia o-laoe.. whe n and where to move. as is taught in thorough fire drilla, for the reason that action in the ohild from fre-quency of exercise beromas almost automatic, and each from force of habit takes without excitement, hurry, or confusion, the plme previously assigned. Even should neither fire nor scare ever occur, tbesa sy'steruatic drills are exceedingly valushle in giving the children the moral quelities of self-control, precision, and ohedienoe to the orders of a superior. Yon will appreciate the absolute necessity for throwing every safegnard a r o ~ ~ n d the Indian children committed to your care. The material protection of Government property ia not so important as the preser-vation of the lives of these little ones. Very reapeotfnlly, W. A. JONES, C'onmissMner. FEDERAL COURT DECISION AS TO RUNAWAY PUPILS. Martin St. Germain, a Chippewa Indian boy, ran away from the Lac du Flambeail Boarding School, Wisconsin, on August 15,1897. Prior to that time he had for several years been in attendance upon this school. On September 15, 1897, Reuben Perry, superintendent, and Norbert Sero, diseiplinarian, pursued and arrested St. Qermain and attempted to return him to the reservation and school. While in thedischarge of their duty, the sheriff of Oneida County, Wis., arrested and imprisoned them upon the charge of kidnaping. A writ of habeas coyus was sued out, and on .January 19,1890, came up for trial before the Hon. K. Bul~n,U nited States district judge for the district court of the United |