Whetstone Agency, although some distance from any significant white settlement, was not exempt from the harmful influence of the unscrupulous ranchman, who followed in the wake of our most advanced military posts, and hovered around secluded Indian agencies. They located as near the boundary line as possible, often only a few feet outside the jurisdiction of the agency.
This early rancher, always looking for an attractive tract of land next to the agency or along some well-known road or trail, where he could offer shelter to the traveler who might pass his way. It was here that he would dispense “forty rod” whiskey. It was said that it supposedly had the power of killing at that distance. It was also known as “Taos Lightning” or some other local colloquialism.
Low-grade whiskey carried with it the threat of poisoning the drinker, so makers might start with clear alcohol, water it down, and then doctor it up with whatever they had available. Chewing tobacco gave it the appropriate color. Harsher ingredients added the bite that was expected. An inspection of liquor samples in the middle 1800s contained the following: sulfuric acid, red pepper, soda, potassium, and strychnine. It is no wonder that “rotgut” was the most prevalent nickname for this concoction!
The earliest fur traders used intoxicating liquors in their dealings with the Natives. They discovered that the Indians were fond of liquor and they were willing to pay, in barter, at almost any price the trader would ask. It was discovered that when under the influence of liquor the Natives would be willing to trade, when under the influence, their furs which were always worth more than the liquor they received.
This led the unscrupulous and crooked trader to use liquor freely as a means of driving a good bargain. This disgraceful use of liquor became of such serious importance to officials that Congress, in 1832, enacted a law which prohibiting the carrying of liquor onto the Indian reservations. Enforcing the law became the duty of all army officers along the Missouri River. At each post and agency, they inspected the steamboats traversing the river and seized all liquor consigned to fur traders and their representatives.
Intoxication among the Indians was substantially reduced as a result of this benevolent measure; however, it seemed impossible to stop the sale of liquor altogether. Traders were shrewd enough to manufacture liquor which was good enough for trading purposes at their post. They used it freely in bartering whenever they felt safe from being detected. The Indians as a rule would not divulge the trader’s name who furnished them liquor, knowing that it would result in depriving them of it in the future.
The 1832 law caused considerable disruption in the fur trading routine. The fur traders relied on the Indians to trap and hunt for furs, in exchange for alcohol and other goods.
In the 20th century, Federal Indian policy began to treat Native Americans differently. The emphasis shifted from control to care, the latter as paternalistic as the former. There developed a growing bureaucracy of Indian services and a seemingly-contradictory attempt to shift control to the tribes themselves. As part of that effort, government-mandated prohibition on Reservations was lifted in the 1950s.
Sunday, October 7, 1804, was a cold and rainy day on the Missouri River between the Moreau and Grand rivers in South Dakota. Lewis and Clark were on their way to the Pacific Ocean when they met two Teton Indians who asked for something to eat, which they gave them.
On the 8th, they came to the mouth of the Grand River when a number of Ricara Indians came to the river to meet them. Captain Lewis with four members of the Corps of Discovery visited the Ricara village, which was located on a island and contained fifty lodges. Several Frenchmen were living with them. The island was three miles long and covered with fields in which the Indians were raising corn, beans, and potatoes.
They received visits from some of the chiefs on the 9th and gave them some presents. The 10th of October was a fine day, and after breakfast Clark dispatched several men to invite the chiefs of the Ricara to a conference. They assembled at 1 o’clock and after the usual ceremonies they addressed them as they had the Sioux earlier and presented them with the customary presents.
The Ricaras would accept no whiskey nor taste any. They were disgusted that the Corps of Discovery would offer them any liquor. One of the chiefs remarked that he was surprised that they would offer them liquor which would make them fools. Clearly the educated and civilized had much to learn from the uneducated and uncivilized!
On the 11th of January, 1875, President Grant issued a proclamation withdrawing a large area of lands in Dakota, from the market. The lands thus set aside were supposedly for the use of the Native Americans whose vast reservation covered the whole territory west of the Missouri River. The purpose was to prevent its occupation and settlement by whites, although considerable settlement had already taken place in the area.
It was expected that this would put a stop to the covert introduction of intoxicating liquors into the Indian country. The purpose was to suppress the liquor traffic on the Missouri River. It did not have any impact on the illegal distribution of liquor to Indians!
Author Author Clarence Shoemaker, originally published in the Gregory Times-Advocate on October 16, 2024