Washington telegraph., 1845-01-22
CAPUrRE OF BIG THUNDER AND OTHERS.
MURDER.
HUDSON, Dec. 30, 1914.

GEHTLEMEN-Our city has been for the
las; two days. the scene Of confusion and
excitement. And even now, fears are en-.
tertained that scenes of no very pleasant
or Peaceable characfe: NAV cSssue. Twill
give you the a.c;aiis. On the 1Ith inst.
the c:e.am of the county started for the
purpose ot selling the personal property Of
Stephen. Decker, in the town of Ancram.
under, and by virtue Of a warrant of dis
tress for rent unpaid. When within about
IA mile or so of the place of sale, he was
met at Sweets tavern by body of men,
/ disguised in Indian costume and indeed in
every other costume that the imagination
Of man could invent. and about 500 men
unIisguiseds While detained there, he
stepped into small room To converse with
one of his deputies, and was soon afer fol
lowed by eight Natives" among whom
were Big Thunder and Little Thunder" I"
They then formed a circle round the Sher-
i'll and his deputy, and Big Thunder. the
chief thea demanded TO know If the Sher-
iff of the County of Columbia was in the
room Being answered by the Sheriff in
the affirmative. the chief then ordered his
mea in this wise: Natives, take heed
draw swords-1raw pistols-cock and pre-
sent pistols" Each man being armed in
accordance with the words of command,
did as he was directed. Then eight pis-
to's were presented within about foot of
the Sherifi-s breast. The chief then de-
manded the Sheriff. papers. which he re.
| fused AMI told them that he had no business
to transact at that pace, but when he ar
rived ai the place of sac he should do what
to him seemed hest. They then escorted
the Sheriff to the place of sac under mar
iial music, the Natives" marching in In
dian file. When they had reached the
place of sale, the chiefthen renewed his de-
mand for the Sheritf's papers, and was
again refused. The chief then summoned
ali his men. and asked every man who was
in favor Of taking the Sheriffs papers. 10
hold up his left hand. which they all did 10
a man. The Sheriff seeing that extreme
whence was 10 be rcsor:ed to, and his life
was in jeopardy, delivered up his papers,
which were then set fire to and consumed
In making the demand, the chief observed
that he demanded them as chief of the
tribes of the counties Of Albany, Rensse-
laer, Schoharie and Columbia. and tha, he
made it point when they had captured
the Sheriff, to burn all his papers relating
to rent"
Thus matters rested until Wednc sday
last. On that day an Anii-rent meeting
was called at Smokey Hollow; the same
chief addressed the multitude. Beforc he
OF Riven5augh, who had gone thfder onrn
curiosity. and who had not opened his lips
to utter word, was shot through the heart
by one of the ..Na,ivesl' the result, whe-
ther of accident or design, has no, yet been
asccrtainei: but there was not man there
who was dsgaised. but was armed with
either sword or pistols. and many with both.
The excitement consequent upon this act
vol may readily guess. The Sheriff. to-
geiher with some of our prominent citizens,
Immediately repaired TO the spot. The
Natives had left. except some twenty; Big
Thunder" was discovered in his citizen $
dress in the house, and was captured-not
without hard sirugs.c--some of the Ma
tives Immediately fled. They then captu
red Little Thunder" and two others, who
are now lodged in our county Jail. Big
Thunder turns ont TO be a man byihe name
of Smith A. Boughton, of Rensselaer, coun-
ty, and Little Thunder is man by the
name of Martin C. Beldcn, of Herkimer
coln:y, town of Stark; upon Belden's per-
son was found pistols, a dirk. and ''the little
jokers," otherwise the little utensils used by
! thimble Triggers. Such are the men who
assumed the knowledge of the title to real
estate. and who are leading some portions
of our yeomanry 10 acts ofopen violence.
Our citizens are apprehcnsive ola rescue
of the prisoners. and an attack upon our
\ iail, vet we trust and think that their apprc.
tensions are needless. However, we are
prcpared.-N. Y. Ners. aftr-en