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Seat oe Siena de ee Ba HE BRE ie Ea nel tea ae OB RE = yones with all the modern conveniences were built for Lea Sof the tribe,°only to have them roll up ta their bicnée ond @leep in the yord. In fact many of the homes had a. wiguan Gnopy outside in which the Indians spent a large amount of% ise when not driving about the country tn thetr gutcmop ae Stomp dances were indulged in several times a year bY tne’ tribe, at which time members of other Indian tribes were tavited wi, BO | ‘attend aa guests. Gifts were exchanged between the vartous. “tribea and individuals. These stomp dances were the occasion for gi all-night and all-day feasts during which the Indians, clad ta »- ~pteturesque costumes, would dance tn a circujar formation to the Ee -Phythmic beat of the tom-tom. After the dance they would retire ay ewuifor further feasting while professional Indian dancers amused the grassembled cudienee. This dance was participated in not only sy. che 2050 young and enthustastic members of the tribes, but also by the 2 oe “older nen and women. 3200) ra , 23gRr Marriages, by fullblood Osage Indians were solemnized.. 24.25" * “according to ¢ribal custome. 26 852 The tribal officers of the Osage Indians, the ‘chiep, 27,3. 7 Asstatant Chiepand eight Tribal Gounctimen, were elected every B28 5. “4 x0. yeare. Ps _ “In 1901 the mad rush for oil had already brought into. the county unscrupulous prospectors and in a short time some - 2,000 Osages found themselves facing the same problem which ‘drove the Indian from other parts of the country - the attempted — acquisition by the white man of all the Indian possessed. . Among the many adventurous prospectors and other white .+ va men who drifted into the Osage territory was a man whose desire.» et riches and power was devoid o of seruple ~- William X. Hale, Pe .dater dubbed "King of the Osage," an uneducated and more or less © oi | uncouth cowpuncher from Teras who possessed a domineering person- «a@ltty. Hale was of medium stature but had a prepossessing J tguree fi. 'He was a neat dreaser and had a ruddy Complerion. He was self~' —« yconftdent and affected a military air by carrying his shoulders ra back and his chest out. , . te Haie succeeded in controlling 45, 090 acres of select . Osage grazing land by means of Imes end-Geguivéed 5,000-acres out- right. He becane immensely wealthy througn “nis déaling with the " Osage Indians and eventually became a millicnaire and owned te of fine horses. He controlled a bank at Fairfaz, Oklahoma, . pned an interest in a store there. He owned a home in reenter} ma, and a ranch house near Grayhorse, Cklahoma, in the center. tmmense holdings. He dominated local politics and seemingly: not be puntshed for the many crimes which were laid at Abts: . Hts method of building up power and prestige was to put ¥ yeartous individuals under obligation to him by means of gifts or. a eae