Richard Oakes Beating

Medicine Men Mad Bear (at right), of the Tuscarora Reservation in New York, and Peter Mitten (in center), of Ontario, Canada, are trying to improve on which physician’s efforts to save the life of Indian leader Richard Oakes who has been unconscious for 13 days following a beating. Oakes’ wife, Anne, was also at the bedside after the ministrations which officials said were permissible as ‘religious rites.’ Contrary to medical opinion, the medicine men claim considerable improvement since they began their treatments.