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REPORT     OF  THE    COMMISSIONER       OF   INDIAN   AFFAIRS.      219
them have since built good hewed-log houses, which are not finished for want
of lumber. 
The greatest need of the tribe now is a good saw-mill, for improvements cannot
proceed 
without lumber. All the half-breeds and a number of Indians have traded ponies,
or other 
articles, for hogs, and will, in a short time, with proper encouragement,
raise their own 
meat. A day-school for the half-breed children was kept up four months, with
an average 
attendance of twenty. Religious meeting and Sabbath-school have been kept
up at the 
agency regularly since its establishment here, which some of the Indians
and half-breeds at- 
tend, and religious meetings have been held among all classes, at which we
bikve generally 
found a willingness to hear gospel truths. 
In conclusion I wish to call the attention of the Department to a few facts
that in my 
opinion need legislation: 1. A law is needed to punish one Indian for committing
depreda- 
tions on the person or property of another Indian, either of his own tribe
or of some other. 
This should be backed by a sufficient police-force to enforce it. 2. A law
to punish white 
men, or prevent them from taking small parties of Indians through the Eastern
States for 
show or speculation. Fifteen members of this tribe were hired and persuaded
off in the 
spring of 1873, and were gone nearly one year; were cheated out of part of
their wages, 
and came home with syphilis, which is now spreading rapidly through the tribe
and doing 
incalculable damage. 
Very respectfully,                                MAHLON STUBBS, 
Former United States Indian Agent. 
KIOWA AND COMANCHE AGENCY, INDIAN TERRITORY, 
Ninthmonth 1, 1874. 
Hon. E. P. SMITH, 
Commissioner Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C.: 
In accordance with the regulations of the Department I submit this, my second
annual 
report. 
The year closing with the 31st ultimo has, in some respects, been one of
anxiety and sus- 
pense with many of the Indians of this agency. 
On the arrival of Satanta and Big Tree from the Texas penitentiary, to be
held in the 
military guard-house until the assembling of the council appointed for their
release, the 
Kiowas became satisfied that, notwithstanding their many disappointments,
the Government 
now intended to carry out its promises and release their chiefs; hence their
presence on the 
reservation, though still confined as prisoners, had a good influence upon
their people. 
They waited patiently and watched for the council to convene. Having complied
on their 
part faithfully with the requirements made of them, they expected the immediate
release ot 
the prisoners. Their disappointment was very great, on the assembling of
the council, to 
learn that all previous conditions and arrangements went for naught, and
others entirely 
new were imposed or required. Governor Davis, of Texas, still claiming them
as his prison- 
ers, disregarding all the promises of the Government, exacted compliance
with new condi- 
tions, involving the conduct of another tribe, for whose actions they were
in no way respon- 
sible and could not control. Their faith in the power of Washington sank
very rapidly. 
They had hitherto believed the arm of their Great Father at Washington superior
to all oth- 
ers. Now, as they said, Texas could break and throw it upon the ground. Their
excitement 
incident to the delays and new conditions imposed was very great, and had
not you, the hon- 
orable Commissioner, been able to cause him to yield a little in his conditions,
trouble would 
undoubtedly have followed. Their release, though in such an unsatisfactory
manner, had 
the effect to allay the excitement of the time, but did not have that good
influence upon the 
tribe which a free release would have had, upon the conditions previously
made. The new 
conditions, involving the Comanches, had the tendency to unite in sympathy,
if not in sen- 
timent, the two tribes. 
Cheevers, a Comanche chief, and some young men, with a company of soldiers,
went 
into Texas to try to capture some of the raiders, but failed to do it. The
subsequent demand 
made on them for the surrender of five of their raiders, created great consternation
among 
them ; so many more than five had raided, and each one feeling unwilling
to surrender his 
relative and see others go free, placed it in such a shape that they regarded
it as an impos- 
sibility; the sentiment of the tribe was adverse to the surrender of them,
and force was the 
only way they could be secured, which would necessarily cause a war, to avert
which in- 
tercession was made in their behalf and the order was suspended; and upon
the solemn 
promises of the chiefs to use all their influence and prevent their young
men from raiding, 
three-fourths of their annuity goods were issued to them, and the issue of
rations continued. 
Either their influence or promises amounted to nothing, as their young men
continued to 
raid into Texas and steal horses, in doing which twenty-four of their number
were killed, 
representing several different hands of the Comanches. The object of their
raids seemed 
to be confined to horse-stealing, as but few murders were committed by them.
A part of 
the raiding done during the winter was by Cheyennes. But one instance was
found out