James McLaughlin (1842–1923) was an Indian agent and inspector, best known for having ordered the arrest of Sitting Bull in December 1890. His 1910 memoir was entitled, "My Friend the Indian".
In his twenties, McLaughlin studied to become a US Indian agent, and was selected to supervise Devils Lake Agency in 1876, transferring to Standing Rock Sioux Agency in the Dakotas. In 1895 he was promoted to Inspector of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Department of Interior.
Major McLaughlin has written a very remarkable book, entitled, "My Friend, the Indian." Were the Indians to write a book, they might well entitle it, "My Friend, Father Ketcham."
This friendship was appreciated by Theodore Roosevelt while President. It was he who introduced Father Ketcham to President-elect Taft, saying, "Mr. Taft, I want you to know my friend, Father Ketcham. When Father Ketcham says anything about Indians, it is so." That was quite Rooseveltian.
The friendship of Father Ketcham, however, was a particular one for the Indian. He dared to sacrifice, in favor of the Indian, even the friendship of such a one as President Roosevelt. A good story is told which illustrates this point. There was a vacancy in one of the federal judgeships in a western State where the Indian interests were very extensive. The friends of the Indians feared that it would be unwise to appoint to the position a certain man from that State. Accordingly, Father Ketcham requested of Roosevelt that great caution be exercised in the appointment.
Notwithstanding this request, the President appointed the very man who was regarded with suspicion by the friends of the Indians. The appointee had been a member of Roosevelt's Rough Riders. The following day, Secretary Bonaparte met Father Ketcham on the street and asked: "Father, what do you think of the appointment?" Father Ketcham responded warmly, "Think of it? Why that man must lie awake nights trying to think of scoundrels to appoint to federal office."'
Soon Ketcham had occasion to call on the President . The President said: "Father Ketcham, that was a good thing you said about me." "What was that, Mr. President?" asked Father Ketcham. "Why, you said I must lie awake nights thinking of scoundrels to appoint to federal office. I have been accused of making all my appointments either from the Rough Riders or from Taft's class in Yale. I want this criticism stopped; because all the Rough Riders and the members of Taft's class are either in federal positions or in the penitentiary." A good laugh was enjoyed both by the President and the priest and their friendship was cemented thereby.
The Sioux Indians formally conferred on him the name ll'ambli U'akita, the Watching Eagle. For 10 years in Indian Territory, he watched at the doors of the Indian homes. He noted as a father their coming and their going. For 20 years more, as a faithful guardian, he watched in Washington at the treasury where their world's goods were stored, in Congress where laws were made, and in courts lest they might be unmade; and before the altar of God he daily watched and prayed, Father Ketcham was, indeed, Wambli Wakita, the Watching Eagle, the truest and best and most powerful friend of the Indians of his generation.
CONTENTS
I. Moving Into The Indian Country
II. On The Threshold Of Civilization
III. Life With The Agency Indians
IV. Brave Bear And The Only One
V. When Cupid Camps With The Sioux
VI. How Crow King Stopped The Medicine Men
VII. The Great Buffalo Hunt At Standing Rock
VIII-IX. The Battle Of The Little Big Horn
X. Mrs. Spotted Horn Bull's View Of The Custer Tragedy
XI. When Sitting Bull's Medicine Failed
XII. The Death Of Sitting Bull
XIII. How The Indian Gets His Name
XIV. Indian Sympathies
XV. Permanent Indian Villages
XVI. Treaties
XVII. Modern Treaty-making
XVIII. Captain Jack And His Modocs
XIX. The Masterly Retreat Of Joseph
XX. The Unwhipped Utes
XXI. Give The Red Man His Portion
In his twenties, McLaughlin studied to become a US Indian agent, and was selected to supervise Devils Lake Agency in 1876, transferring to Standing Rock Sioux Agency in the Dakotas. In 1895 he was promoted to Inspector of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Department of Interior.
Major McLaughlin has written a very remarkable book, entitled, "My Friend, the Indian." Were the Indians to write a book, they might well entitle it, "My Friend, Father Ketcham."
This friendship was appreciated by Theodore Roosevelt while President. It was he who introduced Father Ketcham to President-elect Taft, saying, "Mr. Taft, I want you to know my friend, Father Ketcham. When Father Ketcham says anything about Indians, it is so." That was quite Rooseveltian.
The friendship of Father Ketcham, however, was a particular one for the Indian. He dared to sacrifice, in favor of the Indian, even the friendship of such a one as President Roosevelt. A good story is told which illustrates this point. There was a vacancy in one of the federal judgeships in a western State where the Indian interests were very extensive. The friends of the Indians feared that it would be unwise to appoint to the position a certain man from that State. Accordingly, Father Ketcham requested of Roosevelt that great caution be exercised in the appointment.
Notwithstanding this request, the President appointed the very man who was regarded with suspicion by the friends of the Indians. The appointee had been a member of Roosevelt's Rough Riders. The following day, Secretary Bonaparte met Father Ketcham on the street and asked: "Father, what do you think of the appointment?" Father Ketcham responded warmly, "Think of it? Why that man must lie awake nights trying to think of scoundrels to appoint to federal office."'
Soon Ketcham had occasion to call on the President . The President said: "Father Ketcham, that was a good thing you said about me." "What was that, Mr. President?" asked Father Ketcham. "Why, you said I must lie awake nights thinking of scoundrels to appoint to federal office. I have been accused of making all my appointments either from the Rough Riders or from Taft's class in Yale. I want this criticism stopped; because all the Rough Riders and the members of Taft's class are either in federal positions or in the penitentiary." A good laugh was enjoyed both by the President and the priest and their friendship was cemented thereby.
The Sioux Indians formally conferred on him the name ll'ambli U'akita, the Watching Eagle. For 10 years in Indian Territory, he watched at the doors of the Indian homes. He noted as a father their coming and their going. For 20 years more, as a faithful guardian, he watched in Washington at the treasury where their world's goods were stored, in Congress where laws were made, and in courts lest they might be unmade; and before the altar of God he daily watched and prayed, Father Ketcham was, indeed, Wambli Wakita, the Watching Eagle, the truest and best and most powerful friend of the Indians of his generation.
CONTENTS
I. Moving Into The Indian Country
II. On The Threshold Of Civilization
III. Life With The Agency Indians
IV. Brave Bear And The Only One
V. When Cupid Camps With The Sioux
VI. How Crow King Stopped The Medicine Men
VII. The Great Buffalo Hunt At Standing Rock
VIII-IX. The Battle Of The Little Big Horn
X. Mrs. Spotted Horn Bull's View Of The Custer Tragedy
XI. When Sitting Bull's Medicine Failed
XII. The Death Of Sitting Bull
XIII. How The Indian Gets His Name
XIV. Indian Sympathies
XV. Permanent Indian Villages
XVI. Treaties
XVII. Modern Treaty-making
XVIII. Captain Jack And His Modocs
XIX. The Masterly Retreat Of Joseph
XX. The Unwhipped Utes
XXI. Give The Red Man His Portion
