Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/140

 122 T. C. Elliott. and Clearwater rivers, the same having been given to him on the 9th day of June, 1861, and described in an instrument of writing bearing that date and signed by several of the chiefs of the tribe, it is hereby agreed that the said Robert Newell shall receive from the United States a patent for the said tract of land." (See Treaty of May 7, 1863.) This tract of a little more than five acres — which included an old Indian burial place— lies in the oldest part of the City of Lewiston and upon it still stands the house in which he died. The patent followed, though some time after his death, and the unsettled condition of all titles at Lewiston up to about 1872 gave occasion to some minor disputes with squatters and ad- joining owners during his last years. It was to assist in se- curing for the Indians some amendments to this treaty that Dr. Newell visited Washington in 1868 with the chiefs, avS previously stated; as well as to secure his own appointment as Indian Agent. Between 1862 and 1868, Dr. Newell held different positions at Lapwai, as special commissioner and as interpreter both at the army post and the agency ; the Indians trusted both Newell and Perrin B. Whitman with their business affairs. Upon returning from Washington he, on October 1, 1868, succeeded James O'Neill as regular Agent, under David Ballard, Superintendent of Indian Affairs and Governor of Idaho. But he held the position only until the 14th of July, 1869, when the agency was turned over to Lieut. J. W. Wham of the U. S. Army. Under a change of policy just then the War Department was placed in charge of Indian affairs, and Col. De L. Floyd Jones relieved Governor Ballard. This change of policy was a matter of regret to many people who were well informed as to Indian affairs. Dr. Newell 's con- duct of the office of Agent was after his usual happy style; an incident illustrates this. A party of the employees were preparing to go up the Clearwater after a raft of logs, for building purposes, and were getting their outfit and pro- visions together and sent a Mr. Holbrook to the Agent to ask for some candles. "Candles, candles?" demanded Newell,