The Arkansas banner., 1843-11-04
For tie .aykansas Banner.


 rokee, in some paragraphs of which the writer animadverts severely on myself, and other citizens of Washington county, for the part which we have borne, in relation to the apprehension &c., Of the Stars. If an edi- tor chooses to open his columns to the at tacks of Indian correspondents, upon citizens of our State, he is, of course, at liberty to do so ; and if their detraction falls upon G .Ni- Htia Geaerazs,n they ought not to complain particularly, after officers of the Army of the United States, of high rank, have had poured upon them the grossest billingsgate, through the same respectable source.
 The facts in relation to the Stars, are these: On the morning of the 25th of Sep tember, received information, through John Bence. a Cherokee, that MT. Wore and his family-white people-had been murdered in the Cherokee nation-tlat Thomas Starr, Ellis Starr, and Bean Starr, were accused of being the murderers-and that 1t was suppos- ed that they had crossed into Washington county. We all knew, that, by the laws of the United States, the District Court of Ar kansas had exclusive jurisdiction of the of fence; and we all felt that 1t was our duty to apprehend the supposed murderers, whe- ther we went at 1t very regularly or not. A warrantwas accordingly issued by-a jus tce of the peace, and placed in the hands of | Mr.snith, a constable. The constable called on me, in my official character, for assistance; and for the purpose of aiding the civil au- thority, directed Lieut.. Latte to take 25 men, and accompany the constable. The next day the constable called on me for further assist ance, and directed Capt. White to take 25 men. and aid in the arrest.
 Some of the friends of the Starrs soon af- forwards called on me and inquired, whether, if the accused would come in, they would or not be delivered over to the Cherokee author lties, in case they should be acquitted by the proper authorities in Arkansas To which l answered that, if the Stars should be ac- quilted in Arkansas, they certainly would not t-be in danger from arrest while in Arkansas that it would be proper for them to stand a trial, and be acquitted by the proper court, if they were innocent. That day the Stars came in, and voluntarily surrendered them selves I then sent for Benge to bring for ward his proof The Starrs also requested me to send for Col. M. Mcclellan and Col. Mark Bean-who were sent for and came, as citizens and spectators.
 The next morning, Mir. M. Duval, a clerk of Gov Butler, who appears to act in the absence of the agent, (and with how much l judgment or discretion is for the government to say,) came to me, and demanded the pri- soners. l told him that had nothing more to do with them-that they were then in the hands of civil oficer-that presumed Gov. Yell would be the proper authority to apply to-and that l doubted not he would do what was right in the premises.
 After some conference between the magis- trates, Chandler and Stout, and Benge and Duval. 1t was determined that the prisoners should be taken to Fayetteville, for examina- ton. The papers were regularly made out and transmitted to J. B. Costa, who is ma gstrate and lawyer.
 The constable took with him guard of eight or nine good men-men who would bo tn last to shield murderers from justice.
 Smith returned next morning, and said that the prisoners had escaped, about seven miles from Evansville; and he desired me to render him assistance in retaking them. In my anxiety to arrest the supposed murderers, l may have exceeded nay authority as a mili- tary officer; for l called out one hundred men, to a;d in retaking the prisoners. gave information to General Taylor, to the deputy marshal at Beattie's Prairie, and to the princi- pal Cherokees, and have aided, i'll every way, in securing the country.
 This is all the part that 1 have borne in this matter; and think that the county will say that I have not been relax in my duty. And feel certain that, if the correspondents of the sIntelligenoero really feel desirous ol finding murderers, they may bring many to justice, with much less pains than the citizens q of Arkansas have taken in searching for the murderers of the Nores.
 One of the correspondents deals a few blows at Gov. Ye}l. He enlightens the citi- zens of Arkansas, by letting them know that the Governor will be slow to act, lest his f doing so may injure his reelection. l did not before know that the Governor was a candidate for reelection But there is one thing can assure these Cherokee scribblers of: the Governor is an honest man; and could he arrest all Indian murderers, and bring them to justice, there are several per sons running at large, and favorites in the Cherokee nation, who would suffer the pen alties of their crimes.
 must confess that am opposed to the z crossing of arnled l parties aG charnlz into l the State. Ihope they will act out their tra- 3 gedies on their own land.
 Soon after the murder of Isaac Bushyhead , Cherokee, called Capt. Sanders, pretending , to act under the permission of Gen. Taylor, , brought an armed party into Washington county. One ofsthe party fired gun into the tan-house Of Mir. Shuler. On the l2th September, the same Indian cooked his rifle on a Mir. Chandler, and would have fired, had he not been disarmed. thought that if this : was specimen of the military operations of the Indian QuiXottes, l, as one, would repel , them
 One of the writers speaks of the number of friends of the Stars in Washington coun- ty. So far as the accused Stars are concern cd, this is lalse Some of the men, however,