Proceedings of the Board of Indian Commissioners at the Nineteenth
Lake Mohonk Indian Conference [excerpt]

     Gen. THOMAS J. MORGAN. I received yesterday a brief statement of the tribute of Lone Wolf to President McKinley, which to me was very touching. Lone Wolf was one of the chiefs of the Kiowa Indians. He has professed Christianity and united with a little local church. I would like to read this tribute. It was taken in shorthand as he spoke.

LONE WOLF’S TRIBUTE TO PRESIDENT MCKINLEY.

     Lone Wolf, chief of the Kiowas, lives near the new town of Hobart, which sprang up in a day when the Kiowa Reservation was opened to settlement in August. The following account of his remarks, as contained in the Kansas City Star of October 3, is vouched for as substantially correct by one who heard him speak:
     “One of the unique incidents of the memorial services held at Hobart in honor of President McKinley was the address delivered by Lone Wolf. He had been invited to make a talk, but when he arrived at the place of meeting he called for an interpreter. None being present, Lone Wolf, who is chief of the Kiowas, rose up from his seat and solemnly addressed the crowd. He spoke as follows, according to a stenographer’s report of his address: ‘Mebbe so me not talk; mebbe so me not read; mebbe so me not make you understand when me talk. Me never go to school, but me not like I used to be. Mebbe so me better than me was. Me changed. Mebbe me pa was bad; he not know better. He not read. Mebbe so he not Christian, for he lived long ago and go on the warpath and kill.
     “‘Mebbe last summer me go to Washington to see McKinley. McKinley he work; he work; he great father; he be fine man. Me shake hands with him and me proud. Me like him, the great father.’
     “At this point Lone Wolf raised his hands in a gesture of sorrow, and with tears streaming down his cheeks said: ‘Mebbe so McKinley dead; him gone; him no more walks; him no more speaks to his red children; him dead.’ With breaking voice he continued: ‘Me not able to say what me mean. Me know. Mebbe people all over country, mebbe so white people and Indians feel heap bad—Kiowas, Comanches, Apaches sorry.’ With tears flooding down his cheeks he said: ‘Me sorry; me heap sorry. That’s all.’ Notwithstanding his bad English and disjointed remarks, Lone Wolf made a wonderful impression on his audience.”