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[[newspaper clipping]] Gas, Clubs Route Indian Fisherman [[images]] Armed Camps: Indians at the Bridge Face Police Officers Officer Leads Indian From Scene Tear Gas Clouds Cover the Area - News Tribune staff photos by Warren Anderson NEWS TRIBUNE 88TH YEAR NO. 77 Entered as Second Class Matter at Tacoma, Wash. TACOMA, WASH., WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 9, 1970 G M TEN CENTS THE TACOMA NEWS TRIBUNE Riverbank Skirmish Only a Battle In War Over Puyallup Salmon By MALCOM MacNEY Today's skirmish between a band of Puyallup Indians, their supporters and police and state officials comes with the war far from over as far as the Indians are concerned. Their goal can be stated simply: Unmolested fishing in the Puyallup River. Attaining that goal is far from simple, if not impossible. The Indians claim they are guaranteed such fishing rights under the Medicine Creek Treaty signed in 1854. The Supreme Court decision in the mid-1960s seemed to deny absolute fishing rights when the court ruled that state has the right to regulate fishing in the river as a conservation measure. Some of the Indians, however, do not see that decision as final, and say the court avoided the matter of their rights. Since the court decision, the Indians have fished with nets, sometimes in earnest and sometimes as demonstrations. When the Fisheries Department decided the fishing was in earnest, it usually moved with police support to break up the fishing. Sometimes Fisheries enforcement officers only observed, and made arrests later after warrants were obtained. NEW CAMPAIGN This year's action bean around Aug. 1 when a group of Puyallup Indians, led by the group known as the "elected tribal council," and also Bob Satiacum, announced they were once again going to try and establish what they believe is their tribal fishing rights. They set up a camp on the Puyallup River, erected a couple of teepees on the southeast side of the river between bridges at the Freeway and Old Highway 99 and began fishing. After two raids the nights of Aug. 10 and 11, the Indians announced they were going to arm themselves and form their own police protective force. About the same time, young people from the Seattle Liberation Front moved into camp to show their support, but then either moved out a short time later or were asked to move - the Indians may have found them more interested in confronting authority than supporting the fishing cause. Less than a week ago, one of the young camp leaders said the group had been stabilized at about 40 to 45 permanent members, some of them from other tribes who came to give support. He also said they had weeded out all militants who had come only seeking trouble. Satiacum from the first had laid down a camp rule against alcohol and any drugs. Negotiations between various factions of the Puyallup tribe - a suit over leadership is pending in federal court - and the Fisheries Department and the governor's office began a few weeks ago. U.S. Atty. Stan Pitkin also entered the talks as a mediator. Some thought an agreement was near about a week and a half ago, but a week ago Tuesday night the Indians walked out, declaring the state's offer unacceptable. The state had offered 48 continuous hours of fishing a week. The Indians said they would settle for the 48 hours but only if they could have it in nightly portions of eight hours each. In a move termed a "show of good faith" by James Dolliver, administrative assistant to Gov. Dan Evans, Fisheries declared the river would be open from 6 p.m. Sunday to 6 p.m. Tuesday for Indian fishing from the 11th Street bridge to the Puyallup city limits. POLICE WARNING Also last Friday, Tacoma Police Chief Lyle Smith visited the camp to tell the Indians to quit brandishing their arms menacingly, or arrest would be made. Tuesday afternoon he returned to the camp to pass on a message from the Fisheries Department that officers would move on the camp if there was any fishing after the 6 p.m. deadline. This morning's minor battle ensued. While it probably was the most serious of any so far, don't bet it will be the last. Much more time in court is bound to come, involving today's action, injunctions, tribal elections, ownership of the river bottom, etc., etc., etc. And don't bet the Indians won't be back fishing in defiance of Fisheries' regulations. Those in the camp have been displaying a nearly do-or-die attitude. [[line]] Gas. Clubs Route Indian Fishermen (Continued from Page 1) on a prowl car to "lay down your arms and peaceably leave the area or be placed under arrest" because it was an unlawful assembly. But the Indians countered over a bull horn for the police to leave because they had a right to fish on "our" land. "If anyone lays a hand on that net, they are going to get shot," Ramona Bennett, a member of the Puyallup Tribunal Council, had said earlier. "We're serious," said another Indian. "There are no blanks in our guns. First they disease our water, then our air." Indians from many different tribes - Mestizo, Apache, Cree, Sioux, Blackfoot, Cherokee and Yakima - have come to the camp since the first net was put in the river in July. Indians say the camp has averaged about 45 people since then. Security guards were stationed around the camp 24 hours a day to guard it from "outsiders." "It's a sad thing we have to get guns out," said Many Dog Hides, "but we are a dying people and have to fight for survival as we have done for about 500 years." Police have reported numerous complaints from Burlington-Northern Railroad workers about people near the bridge pointing guns at them. A yellow warning light on a switching engine was shot out recently while it was crossing the railroad bridge. But the Indians place the blame on "vigilante-type people" who come in the camp to back up the Indians. "These people will do anything to destroy the camp," said Many Dog Hides. "They attempt to undermine the morale of the camp and create incidents. No one from the camp does it. "We have been pushed as far as we can go," he added. "The time has come when we won't take it anymore." Bullets Fly But Net Is Seized By JERRY PUGNETTI Police used tear gas and state game officers used clubs today to break up a force of about 30 Indians armed with guns, knives and fire bombs on the west end of the railroad bridge north of Old Highway 99 across the Puyallup River. Four shots were fired after a partially strung fishing net was confiscated and several Indians were arrested following the dramatic, armed confrontation. Involved were members of the Puyallup Tribe encampment and Tacoma Police and state game and fisheries department officials. State fisheries officials used a small boat to detach the net from the railroad bridge. The Indians fired four warning shots into the water near the boat before police and game officials ashore converged on them. State fisheries officials said the Indians, who have been setting nets in the river since July 22, are fishing with illegal nets and equipment. The Indians contend that they have the right to fish on the Puyallup under the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854. BEGAN AT DAWN J.E. Lasater, assistant director of fisheries, said the "enforcement action" began at 6:25 a.m. Wednesday morning. An Indian, who called himself "Many Dog Hides" and reportedly is head of encampment security guards, said about 25 Fisheries officers drove within about 300 yards of the camp at 6 :39 a.m. and stayed about 45 minutes. They left and returned about 9:30 p.m. with Tacoma police, State Game Department officers and Pierce County Prosecuting Atty. Ronald Hendry. Police stationed me on top of the Old Highway 99 bridge. Two police cars and several State Game Department cars arrived on the east side of the river. About 50 state game officers with Hendry and a few police officers, lined up ready to cross the railroad bridge. RIOT SQUAD About 25 police officers equipped with riot helmets and clothing moved in to contain the Indians. When the Fisheries boat arrived and began moving across the river toward the net, Indians on the bridge fired shots in the vicinity of the boat. Then police unleashed tear gas and moved in to disperse the Indians. One Indian threw a fire bomb on the railroad bridge to hold back the State Game men coming across the bridge with clubs. The bomb apparently set off a blaze that damaged the bridge. Police officials were unable to say immediately how many were arrested. Two police paddy wagons and one from the Pierce County sheriff's office hauled some of the Indians to jail. Before the confrontation, police warned the Indians several times with a loudspeaker (Continued on Page Two) [[image]] [[caption]] PROSECUTOR HENDRY [[/caption]] 60 Arrested On Riverbank Police Chief Lyle Smith said Wednesday afternoon that about 55 adults and five juveniles had been arrested in the river incident. No exact figures were available, the chief said. All were placed under booking charges, Smith said. He indicated formal charges could not be filed against all until sometime Thursday. The charges, Smith said, will probably include felony rioting, arson, possession of fire-bombs, possession of weapons and assaulting officers.
