“Just before I
left the reservation, Mrs. Victoria Kicking Woman died. She had tuberculosis,
and was at the time about thirty years of age. Her husband was almost blind
from trachoma and sick most likely with the same disease as his wife. They
asked for rations during her last illness, but did not get any. The husband was
unable to bury the body, and it lay in the church a week or more and was then
taken to the burial ground where the coffin lay for more than a week on the
ground. Superintendent McFatridge was asked to have the grave dug, but he said,
“you ought to have guts enough to bury your own dead.” At the time he had a
large number of Indian prisoners, who were kept busy sawing and cutting wood to
keep the agency employees warm. The priest made a collection and paid for the
burial. This, to me, shows the condition of the people, the disposition of
Supt. A.E. McFatridge, and the earnest manner in which he looks after them. I
believe there are Blackfeet Indians who would rather die than to make a request
of Arthur E. McFatridge for anything. The cold has reached forty degrees below
zero this winter. There is much sickness among the Indians and the doctors do
not respond to calls by the Indians.”
In June, 1913
Robert Hamilton wrote: “TO THE HONORABLE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, WASHINGTON,
D.C.: Sir: We the undersigned, members of the Blackfeet Indian Tribal Council
and members of the Blackfeet Tribe of Indians, respectfully represent; that
during the forepart of March, 1913, we elected certain members of our tribe,
namely, Robert Hamilton, Curley Bear, Little Dog, as delegates to represent our
Tribal interests before the various Departments in Washington; that later other
members of our tribe, namely, John White Calf, Medicine Owl, Long Time Asleep,
and Lazy Boy, were in Washington for the purpose of submitting statements in
regard to the conditions of our Reservation. It was reported that this last
delegation explained to you the deplorable conditions of our Reservation and in
particular, the destitute and starving condition of the Indians.-The Sacred Buffalo Vision by Robert J. Juneau and Robert C. Juneau
pg.98-99
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