Page 7 - August 2012

Book Reveals Chehalis Boarding School History (Part Five) Reprinted from Assimilation’s Agent: My Life as a that had not returned to school. As the school employees, and Mr. Mills, Superintendent in the Indian Boarding School System we approached the house, we heard standing nearby, took him by the by Edwin L. Chalcraft, edited by Cary C. Collins, by bells and knowing what that meant, collar and shook him. This made Peter permission of the University of Nebraska Press. Copyright we tied our horsed and, at the house, hustle off home in a hurry. 2004 by the Board of Regents of the University of entered the door without knocking. Nebraska. Our coming was a complete surprise. A few minutes later, I heard that Charlie Walker, a policeman, was Doctor Jim, a prominent Mud Bay sitting on a chair, barefooted and Shaker, was at old man Heck’s house. The cost for the book is $29.95. If you are interested in with his trousers pushed as high as I immediately went there with George ordering a copy of the book, go to this website. http://www.nebraskapress. possible, be treated for rheumatism in Quinotle as interpreter, and ordered unledu/product/Assimilations-Agent,671728.aspx. Order by Phone 1-800- his feet. He was slapping his feet and him to leave the reservation within 848-6224 limbs with both hands and assisted by two hours, or I would have him Part 5–Assimilation Agent continued from May 2012 two others who were doing the same. locked up in the “skukum house,” The annual sixty days vacation was were looking about the room in Cap Carson was standing in front our jail on the reservation. I told him divided into four parts, being thirty rather an expectant manner. I looked of him with a bell in each hand and to tell his Mud Bay friends that if one of them came on the reservation days in September, and ten days each towards Alice and she began to play ringing both. There was a large at the end of December, March, and the closing hymn and when the picture of the Cross on the wall again without my permission, I would have him locked up and fed on bread June. At this vacation in March, many singing ended the benediction quickly behind Cap and lighted candles of the families went to Mud Bay. followed with giving anyone a chance on a table beneath the Cross. John and water. Doctor Jim was gone ten minutes before the two hours expired. After their return, fantastic stories to say anything. We subsequently Smith appeared to be in charge of the began to circulate, such as “All white learned they had planned to rehearse doctoring. The other people, men and I felt that the point had been reached people are bad and Indians don’t some of the things learned during the women, were in a circle around the to take some defnite action, and count with them. They say all Indians recent visit at Mud Bay. “patient,” jumping up and down with quickly too, without waiting to are crazy and want to send them to arms extended horizontally and their consult Agent Eells. After talking the [the territorial mental hospital at] While it had been necessary to be whole bodies trembling and shaking. matter over with Mr. Mann, it was Steilacom where many white people frm and positive with the Indians, at decided to call a special session at the go. The Government people and Mr. times, it had always been in a friendly When we appeared, those in the Indian Police Court, to convene at one Mann no good, and it is true they way; and nothing had appeared to circle stopped shaking and took seats o’clock the next day. The policemen work only for money. They won’t let indicate other than full confdence in about the room. The principal actors were sent out to notify all Indians to shakers alone. The world will shake my good intentions in their behalf; continued a minute or two, when Jim be present at the meeting. all day of the next fourth of July, all yet, Agent Eells had been advising Walker said something to them in the Shakers believe that. Soon God will me to be careful and not go out on Chehalis language, causing them to The Police Court convened promptly send a big water, it will cover all the the reservation without having some stop and sit down. The Shakers had at one o’clock on April 14 , 1884. th world. God will come in a big canoe trustworthy person with me. He wrote claimed that after beginning to shake to take and save all Shakers. All white me to take into my own house the they could not stop until God told Associate Judges Jim Walker, Charlie people and Indians not Shakers will revolvers and ammunition kept in the them to do so, but this was defnite Walker, and Pike Ben were in their be drowned. He will not save any of commissary for police use. evidence that they could and we were placed on the rostrum when I took my them.” [now] in a position to prove it. I made seat as Presiding Offcer, with George The revolvers and ammunition were no comments and with my companion Heck, interpreter; an awe inspiring I remember Old Heck coming to removed, but I continued going about went on home. array of “legal talent,” indeed, to inquire if it was true, “That all the reservation as usual until one day, tackle the serious job before the Shakers were to be sent to Steilacom, I found Mr. Mills following me on When we arrived home from John Court. and if so, he did not want to plant horseback, which he explained was Smith’s, we found Mr. Mann there. any more crops as there would be no being done, “Because he was afraid He had come to conduct Church The attendance was large, including one left to harvest the.” I assured the something might go wrong with me, Service the next day, Sunday, April Shakers, non-Shakers, and two white th cautious old man that no well behaved and if this happened, he wanted to 13 . There was a large attendance, men, Rev. Mann and [Mr.] Mills. Indians would be sent there. He went be nearby.” The next time I went out, including many of the leading One of the leading Shakers was away apparently satisfed. there was a revolver with me and it Shakers. Mr. Mann preached a absent and I had him brought in. was my companion for some time, very appropriate sermon for them The court was opened with a short At the Church Service on April 6 , no but nothing arose indicating it was to hear. He particularly mentioned address explaining the object of the th reference was made to the Shakers. needed. John Smith and Peter Heck as two meeting. The Indians were told it was A rumor was afoat that they wanted misguided men, losing the true faith for the purpose of getting defnite to have a part in the Sunday Service On April 12 , I went to Oakville and now leading their people astray. information about the Shakers having th and it appeared to me they might with Jim Walker, the Head Chief, to After the Church Service, he ignored power to cure all kinds of sickness have selected this as the time to see Dick Case’s wife who was still them completely. As we came out among Indians, and their method of begin. When I fnished speaking, it sick from the excitement at John the building, Peter Heck made an treating the sick people. was noticed that a number of Indians Smith’s house, to inquire about a girl insulting remark about Mr. Mann and To be Continued in September chehalistribe.org  greatwolfodge.com  luckyeagle.com  eagleslandinghotel.net Page 7