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The king of testimony of some 200 Indians and mixed bloods, holding or claiming tribal rights on the Colville Indian reservation, was concluded last Saturday at Inchellum, after a four days’ session before referee Scott, ap pointed as a special commissioner by Judge Frank H. Rudkin, of the United States circuit court at Spokane, to take the testimony. The purpose of the In quisition was to facilitate the trial of the cases brought against the United States by Emaling Whitney Lehman in behalf of herself and eght children, Lucy Hardin for herself and four chil dren, and Eva Whitney Shaw and her children, to establish their claim to al lotments on the south half of the Col ville Indian reservation thrown open last summer to settlement. Oscar Cain of Spokane, L. C. Jesseph and W. Lon Johnson of Colville, ap peared an attorneys for the claimants, and United States Deputy District At torney Thomas A. Scott represented the government. It is claimed by the protestants that they were voted into full membership of the Colville tribes of Indians at the councils of September, 107, and 1410, and that this proceeding on the prt of the Indians gave them the right to land and money. According to the testimony adduced it would appear that this was true, and further that the In dian agent or superintendent carried them on the rolls at meombers of the tribes, but for some unknown reason the interior department by its chief of bureau in Washington, disclaimed the rights accorded by the Indians and declared them alien to their tribal kindred. It appeared that Eliza Smith, a full sister to the Hardin and Lehman women, and her children of the same degree of Indian blood, was allotted in accordance with the decree of the In dian counsels and the allotment in her case was approved by the Indian bureau. The evidence disclosed that the three sisters were granddaughters of Joseph Gengro, an half breed whose mother was a full blood Okanogan Indian. Gengroe, in the early part of the last century went to Rogue river and married a full blood Rogue river Indian woman and returned to Colville valley, where he raised his family. His daughter Esther married Thomas Haller, a white man who settled here in the early ‘60s. His wife, Mather, recently died on the Spokane reservation. Many cases were cited where members of large families were voted in by the councils held by the Indians for the purpose of deter mining Individual rights. In nearly all of these cases the government was declared to have stricken some from the rolls and rejected others of the same degree of blood. Nearly all of the Indians on the South Half were once residents of the Col ville valley which was included in the territory originally described as the Colville Indian reservation. Later, about 1873, president Grant modified his order and opened all the lands south of the Columbia river and gave the Indians the right to move across the river to the reduced area. Many of them had established their homes in the valley and as white settlement had not yet commenced to encroach they felt that so long as they were secure in their homes originally es tablished there was no occasion for moving. Their children, however, shaned the invaders and moved to their own country in their own good time. Among the names included in the first mixed families are the Finleys, Roberts, Hall, Stensgar, McRea, Du puis, LaFleur, Peone, Dessautel, Her rons, Dupliase, Wilson, Paradin, Perras, Butler, Flett, Merchant and Gengro, the white strain originating from the fur traders who came over 100 years ago. Some of the Indians show remark able aptitude as Mnguists. One wom an, a splendid physical example, spoke English and French with equal fluency and was mistress of seven distinct In dian tongues, and displayed remark able intelligence. The tendency among the Colville Indians is to advancement in moral, social, industrial and educa tional uplift and degeneracy in not only frowned upon but is an exception to the rule. The visiting officials and attorneys were treated with great hos pitality and expressed themselves high ly pleased with conditions in the new country. Impure blood runs you down—makes you an easy victim for disease. For pure blood and sound digestion—Bur dock Blood Bitters. At all drug stores. Price, $1.—Ady.
Newspaper Details
Colville Examiner
Colville, Washington, US
Sat, Feb 03, 1917
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Neeka S.
USA 22 May 2026
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Colville Examiner
