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Show players and to retain them through the ball-playing season, or about five months, and stated that he would pay them fair salaries, give them proper care in the way of food, clothing, medical attendance, etc., and protection from immoral and other pernicious influences, and retarn them to their homes at the end of the season. He was advised that if the Indians desired to leave their homes as individuals, and he would, in addition to making satisfactory arrangements with them, deposit with their agent a sum sufficient to cover the risk taken, the office would interpose no objection; but it must be with the distinct under-standing on the part of the Indians that they go entirely on their own responsibility, assume all consequences, and receive no help or aid whatever from this office should they become stranded on the road or get into any other trouble. In accordance with verbal instructions from the Department, this office prepared a letter, June 10,1899, to the president of the Greater America Exposition, which is being held at Omaha, Nebr., during the present summer, setting forth, in compliance with his request, the terms and conditions upon which Indians might be obtained for attend-ance at the exposition. These conditions were in substance as follows: The exposition com-pany must deposit in a United States depository a sum equal to $50 per capita for each Indian desired, as a guaranty for their transport& tion to and from Omaha, their proper care and subsistence while in transit and while in camp in Omaha, including medical attendance, camp equipage, bedding, and other things necessary for their comfort. The company must .agree that the Indian camp shall be kept in a good sanitary condition and every precaution taken to preserve the health of the Indians. The ghost dance, sun dance, scalp dance, war dance, and other so.called "feasts" of a similar nature interdicted by the rules of this office must be prohibited. This letter, approved by the Department on June 10, was indorsed June 21 by the president and secretary of the exposition company and returned June 23 to this office, accompanied by a certificate of deposit for $5,000 on the Merchants' National Bank of Omaha. That amount entitled the exposition company to tbe attendance of 100 Indians. Seventy.five Indians, in aceordance with telegraphic instructions from tkis office to the acting agent, were obtained from the Pine Ridge Reservation, S. Dak. Supt. S. M. McCowan was granted leave of absence without pay and allowed to make arrangement,s with bhe exposition company for pro-curing Indiaus and looking after them while at the exposition. July 31 he reported that there were then on the exposition grounds, in addi-tion to the Indians from the Pine Ridge Agency, 28 Indians, represen& ing various tribes from the southwest. July 8,1899, upon the solicitation of Hon. Fi-ancis E. Warren, United States Senate, permission was granted Mr. R. W. Breckons, secretary of the exective committee in charge of the Annual Frontier Day Cele- |
