Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1858-12-16
The Indian War.

| rorted Indian difficulties at Spirit Lake
Was all in the eye Of the Special Messcn-
GER who carried the news to Gov. Lowe.
The mail from Spirit Lake arrived here re
Gently; but it brought no confirmation OF
the news that Ink pa-du-ta, Sen, had been
appropriating the settlers ''cold whites"
This Indian war is humbug, and our wor
thy Governor has been made the dupe OF
some frontier sharpers. .-. ....
The following letter, written by DR.. PREs
COLT, OF Spirit Lake, and published in the
Jasper County Free Press, a Republican
paper, successfully establishes the fact that
the people Of Spirit Lake have no more use
for the Governors Frontier Guard" than
we of Sioux City. After copying an ac.,
count Of the 'outrages' as they were dc
tailed TO the Governor by the special mes
senger," DIR. PREscorT writes:
The special messenger" who conveyed
the above Information to Gov. Lowe. has
been guilty of more direct and palpable
ialsehoOds that ever knew embraced with
IN the same compass; and ! am certain
that the majority Of the settlers at the
Lakes never authorized him to speak in
their behalf.
With brief Intervals Of absence upon bus
mess, have been a res ident at Spirit Lake
since April, 81, aud my wife aud six chill,
dren are now there. l have lately passed
through. going and returning, with my fam
lily and teams the entlre nothern frontier
from La Crosse to Spirit Lake. 4 party
of hunters. several of whom were members
of my own family, returned on the 9th inst,
having, during the nineteen proceeding
days, trayersed the country between Spir.
it LAKE and Rock River, down the FLOYD
and up the Little Sioux. Ny teams and
men IN my employment have been constant
Iy passing from MaukatO to Sioux CITY
and Fort Dodge, and the Mankato and
Sioux City mail carrier stops regularly at
my house, on his route, as do also most OF
the travellers passing il those directions
From personal knowledge, from every fact
derived from reliable information. from the
statements of different parties of surveyors
who have been trayerslug the entire coan
try between the Dcs Mpines and the Big
Sioux during the last six months, | pro.
nounce the statements in the above quo
ted paragraph false from beginning to end,
aud without the shadow Of fact to rest
upon. There has been no collecting Of In.
dams upon our northern frontier. not sin
gle degradation has been committed upon
the property Of the white settlers at the
Lakes, save that few shade trees stan
ding before Mr.. Word S house were cut
down by said especial messenger watch
ing his opportunity when none but Mrs.
Gaylord was at home no horses or cattle
have disappeared nysteriously, and Miss
Gardiner lnow Mrs. Sharp is not residing
| at ;. lake or It's vicinity. She was there
on briet visit. with no intention of re-
naming. at my house several hours, and
from The whole tenor Of her conversation
| attn confident has not seen any of lnk> pa
! dutah : band, the remnant OF which, with
lnkpadutah himself. is well ascertained to
be among a band OF Sioux some eight hun.
dred miles to the northwest OF Spirit Lake
The sole and only collection Of Indians
seen or heard OF in the neighhorhood of
/ the Lakes was a band Of five three men
and two squaws with sundrv small pap,
doses not counted, who were passing
through with an agents pass from Fort
Aidgely to the Cotton River, and who
eamped Tor few days on Spirit Lake and
the Little Sioux. They disturbed no one
meddled with no ones property were per,
ieetiy civil, AID left when ordered. With
! this exception, have not been even in
the reported neighborhood OF Oh Indian
along our whole northern frontier From
the Big Sioux to Des Moines, from Sioux
| City to Mankato, no Indians are found or
indications OF them seen, save along the
borders oil their own land, and not the faint.
est rum0r Of gathering or band or indica
ton al hostility to raise fear even in q
wgman's heart, has come to us from any
quarter, save from this SPECIAL messenger
with dispatches Of his own concocting.
Our settlers dwell secure in person and
property, our windows and doors are not
barrieaded. and the whole countr, is con.
stantly being trasefsed without fear or in
dicatlen Of danger. That under such cir
| cumstances, any man, for base personal
ends, should send abroad such reports, so
utterly without foundation, exhibits wan
tonness OF wiekedness rarely met with -
! That a troop of soldiers should be sent to
watch the faint trail OF three Indians and
couple Of squaws, speaks not much for
the bravery Of some seventy men, with
weapons so numerous that our wives threat.
ell To throw them into the Lake as nuisau
ces in their way.
hold myself responsible to establish
the above by sufficient evidence, if called
| for. j s. pRlseorr,
gs.y' ] he BuZzard seems to derive I'm
mense satisfaction in attributing our hum
bic efforts TO some other person than the
| Editor. Ills enIoyments are disturbed by
SO many crosses that ii would be an act
Of cruelty TO dispel this pleasing illusion.
There can be no question as to the author