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Show 56 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. Gordon W. 5illie ("Pawnee Billn) took Indians from the Rol;ebud Reservation, S. Dak., to the Antwerp Exposition, Belgium. When some of these Indiausretur~iedt o this country their condition was such as to cause unfavorable newsyaper comment as to the treatment they had received abroad. The United States Iudian agent of the Rosebud Agency was therenpou requested to make a report as to the condition of the returned Indians, which he did December 27,1894, to the effect that all of the Indians claimed to have been badly treated, improperly and insufficiently fed, underpaid, 'nd abused by the man in oharge of them; and that they all emphatically refused to go again with "Paw-nee Bill." Mr. Lillie afterwards (Januaxy 22, 1895) applied for permis-sion to take Indians agaiu for show purposes, but he was refused. Mr. Stone, of Perry, Okls., entered into contract, etc., and took some Indians of the Pouca, etc., Agency, Okla.,-for the purpose of going East and playing baseball. While in St. Louis, Mo., the Indians were aban-doned without money or food and were filially seut to their homes at the expense of Mr. Stone's bondsmen. The Indians, however, were not paid their salaries as stipulated in their contracts. This office, therefore, April 16 last, recommended that the case be referred to the Department of Justice in order that suit might be instituted for the recovery, from the bondsmen of Mr. Stone, of the amount due the Indians, about $400. Mr. William 1,. Taylor ("Buck Taylor") mas hkewise granted authority, entered into proper contracts, etc., and took 15 Indians of the Rosebud Agency, S; Dak., for the purpose of giving public exhibi- i tions of 'iAmerican frontier life." His "show" became stranded in , St.. Louis, Mo., and this office was compelled to returu the Indians to their homes on the Rosebud Reservation at the expense of the Gov-ernment. The United States Indian agent reported that the Indians were not properly fed or clothed, uor were they paid the salaries stipu-lated in their contracts. This office therefore recommended, June 8, 1895, that this case also be referred to the Department of Justice, that suit might be instituted for the reoovery from the bondsmen of Mr. Taylor of the amount due the Indians nuder the& contracts, about $3,200. In view of these experiences the office will be very slow to grant the privilege of securing Indians for such purposes to any new company, corporation, or individual. Many applications for such permission Lave therefore been refused. SALE OF LIQUOIZ TO INDIANS. In my last annual report t.he attention of the Department mas invited to a decision by Judge Bellinger, of the United States district wurt of Oregon, in which it was beld that the sale of liquor to Indians who have taken allotments iu severalty is not a violation of section 2139 of the Revised Statutes as amended by the act of July 23,1892 (27 |
