The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-12-17
MURDER OF AGENT Bo1AND AND IS MINERS.
Attack by the whites u on peaosable Indians, SC.

Attack by the whites u on Peaceable indians, &c
Letters have heon received. sevs the Wash
ington Union. BY the Commissioner Of the In
dian Affairs, from Superintendent Joel Palmer,
respectively dated October 9Th. 18th. and 10Th,
stating that tn. people in these territories have
been thrown into a state of most intense ex-
element BY the hostile acts of the Indians. A
large number of citizens have been killed. and
the Indians are combining together in large
numbers COR the purpose OF wae;ng war against
the Writes Ini;an Agent THOMPSON. in a
letter which accomo4nes that Of the supern-
tendent. gives the following Information ree4
pecting the fate Of AGENT Roland, and the sup
pose1 plan Of attack. which the Indians con-
template making on the settlers. This letter
is dated Dallas. Sentenber 29th:
"Mr. Roland left this place for the Catholic
mission, on the Yakamah river. some fen DAYS
ago, for the purpose Of learning the truth Of
the reported murder Of several citizens nv the
Yakamah tribe Of Indians. Te state at the
time he started that he would return in three
DAYS Nothing. however. has heen heard from
| him except the Tndrn rumor of his murder,
which rumor IS made nv friendly Indians. A
squaw who was taken captive and afterwards
escaped states that Mr.. Poland reached the
Catholic mission on the Yakamah, and was
midway on his return. when he was nvertaken
bv three or four Indians. who seized and
bound him. and afterwards put him to death
by cutting his throat
at is also stated nv friedlv Indians that the
LYakamahs under the control of Scloo, are de-
termned to make war on the whites, and that
overtures (not agreed to- have been made to
the tribes and bands in this vicinity to join
them The plan Of operation is said to be-
first to attack and destroy Mr.. Joslyn and
family, who reside at White Salmon river, 20
miles below this place; to take his stock and
make large feast, that their hearts may be
made strong; then they are to make descent
upon the people at the Cascades, and cut off
the communication with the Dalles; after
which they are to destroy the people of the
Dalles, together with all whom they find in
the country"
d In another part of this letter VIC find the
i following statement: ssa-g 4e
,'The Sab Indians are much frightened in
consequence of the many deaths hat have oc-
Icurred since the treaty, which deaths they at
Tribute to disease having been placed in the
goods presented to them by the agent. They
have left the Siah plain, and say that will no
longer live in it."
Subsequent letters state that they have fed
to the mountains. In the superintendent
letter we find the following paragraph in re-
latioh to the murder Of fifty five miners:
i "Reports generally believed by the surround
ing tribes, are current, that those Indians have
murdered fifty five Americans: first, party
, of six miners. then party Of eleven miners,
and afterward, in different parties, twenty
: eight others"
The Yakamahs have been Joined by several
tribes and their force is stated to DC upwards
= six hundred well-armed warriors. The whole
5 country is in danger. Mr. Agent Olt5ey; who
. HAD returned from the Snake country. with
some troops, was dispatched to the WaEa-
Wallas, Gayuses, and Umatillas, wi h instfuc.
e tons to remain among them till matters were
n qu ct. Mr.. Olney deemed it unsafe to remain
s n the Snake country without a military force
, The klckitates, formidable on account of theil
knowledge of the manners and customs o
; the whites, from acquaintance among them
: sweled the number of the rebellous, and in.
creased the diSaffection of those who were
# not altogether willing to unite with the Yaka
mahs.
A battle between the troops under the com
< mand of Major Hallenns and the Yakamah In
dams took place near stream called
a ropin-ish en- Sunday evening, the 7th of DC
tober The firing commenced at five O'Clock
> and continued till dark. The less on the par
; of the Indians is not known. Our troops hat
It one man killed and FIVE or six wounded. Tht
q In aians are represented to have had a Large
: force engaged in this battle.
The following paragraph appears in a post
script to Superintendent Palmer's letter, datet
: Dayton, Oregon October 49, II is in refer
i ence to the murder of number of Indians By
. the whites.
"A gent emen of unioubtei integrity arrived
this morning with intelligence that compane:
S of miners and others had organized and com
e menced an indiscriminate slaughter of all In
$ dams found on Table Rock reservation; tha
they had already killed one hundred and 81,
: men, women, and children"
S The victims of this out burst of furry, it :.
n said, were all friendly Indians. Something
! must be done quickly, or it is feared that :
long and bloody Indian war will ensue. b,
this postscript above alluded to, we are told
a that the number of warriors on the .'war-path'
4, had increased to upwards Of 1,3o0-a number
s of tribes having united with the Iakanlahs-
i and that the number is increasing daily.
The troops in these Territories are mostly
r. new recruits, and calls have been made fol
!. forces to fight these Indians. A petition. sign
y ed by about one hundred and fifty citizens o
= Umpqua valley, had been sent to Governor
: Curry, for five hundred volunteers to repe the
!, hostilities of the Shasta and Rogue River In
= dams. Similar petitions are dispatched from
all parts of these Territories. ,sff
s The Liquor Law.
/ The arguments on the Liquor Law befor,
It the Supreme Court, have closed. The ques
: ton has been ably argued on both sides, and i
> the judges cannot come to pretty speedy de
: L =. IL i. r