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Show LSXXVIII REPORT OF THE COXI~ISSIOFER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. police (aho has alwaya beau my clerk) is clerk of the court; he odls the ease, when the police in attendance brings in the plaintiff, who takes the witnesa stand, is sworn and presents his case, then his witnesses in turn, after which the defendact and witnesses are heard. The court then retires to c~roorn,anda fterasuffioient time to go all over the evidence they return to the court-room end in the presence cf plaintiff and defendant annoouce the verdict, vhich is recorded by the clerk under the title of the case in a book kept for that purpose. These people look upon the cbnrt as the final arbitrator of all theirdifficulties, and when the verdicts are strictly enforced bv the agent it exerts a heslthv and beneficial ioflueuoein ail their bnsiness relations, and as now organized is devoid of all technicality and easily understood by the masses. I do not wish any chang- e made iu the court except that we be allowed one judge through the entire year. Umalilla Agency, Oregon.-I have the honor to hand you herewith the information you require in reg.ar d to the conrt of Indian offenses on this reservation, viz : Names of judges, Pu-pu-t,ow-yah and Cmh.L'ash, aged respeotively forty-six and fifty-three years; appointed July 1,1885; length of servioe, seven years. They are held in high esteem by both Indiana aud whites., s-p eak enou-g h Eng.. lish to make themselvesuuder-stood, wear citizen's olothes, live in good frame houses, and have been a great help to me in suppressing lewlessness on the reservation, and have a l ~ e yuss ed their intlu-eoce in inducing children to attend school. Both are strongly in favor of the allot-ment system. dbollt 25 oases have been disposed of during the fisosl year just ended. Somewero tried for drunkenness, some for plural marriages, and a greet many minor oases wero tried, such ae settling trivial disputes, eta, of which uo record is kept. The fines range from $5 to $10, and when the criminalsdo not have money to pay their fines the.7 are incarcerated in the agency prison, and serve a, day for every dol-lar fine imposed until thefineisliqnidated. The judges usuallp sit insession together, andtheaeoused is brought hsfore t,hem aodgiveuafair andimpartialtrial, and iaeither convicted or acquitted in accordance with the cviilenoe adduced at the trial. Records 510 kept of all the important ensea, and the findings of the court entered in ra regular court docket by the agency clerk, who acts as clerk of the conrt of Indian otfenses. Colville Agency, Tafaah.-The court of Indian offensea at t.his agenoy consists of two filli-blooded Iudiilna belollging to the tribe of Lower Spokane Indiana, namely: Whiatleposern (Lot), who is seventy gears of age, and skis-jock-in (Cornelins), whois sixty years of age. They were selected as judges by my predeoessor Bomc time dur-ing the year 1887. They speak but very little Engliah, hut they are very inteiligeut Indians. They wetlr citizens' dress and conform to the white man's ways. They are in favor of allotments of lands and are strong believers in education and general prog-reas in civilization. There were16oasestried bythe court during the past fiscal year, 14for whisky drink-ing and fighsiog and 2 for adoltery; 8 were fouud guilty and sentenced to imprison-lllent in the agency jail; 4 were seotenoed to 90 days, 2 to 60 days, and 2 to 30 deys. The Iudian judges try the cases coming before them similar to the way a justice of the peace tries cases in this State. They examine the witnesses very carefully, both for and against the aocuscd, and then sum up the evidence aa to the innocence or guilt of the prisoner, and if proven guilty they soon determine upon the severity of the punishment to be administered to the guilty party. They ask my advice in some eases doring the progress of the trial. There is a record kept in this office of d l cases tried by the court and the disposition of each ease. The oourt has been a de-cided succeas, and the general influence of the court ia -er awine to be an imnortant factor in the ~ ~mi n i s t r ~ toifo anf fairs a t this sgency. The juzgees ehould be paid a small salary, and nnles's this is done I fear I shall be compelled to dispense with this useful branch of the service. Cousiderable time isocou~iedin the cause. to the detri-ment of their farms, and it is notying more than just that they should receive some compensation for their services, as they are inquesti ion ably a, rery good assistance to the Indians in learning habits of civilization. |