Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1863-10-10
Siiout City 4tgisttr
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1868.
LETTER FROM JOHN II. sHODER.


Box HOMIE, Sept 2sth. 1868.
Editor Sour City Register - oLser-
we'd in the Ddkottan Of September 18th
an article purportins to be written by one
"Judex,' making a viIianous, slanderous
and falacious attack upon certain ci,izens
Of Bon Homme county, aud take this
method OF presenting the truth and the
facts before the people Of Dakota Terrific.
~. Trusting you will have tn. fairness
and generosity to give the matter publici
ty in your psper, and the writer of this
article will resort to no subterfuge or
false cognomen to shield from public view
his name, but will in a courteous manner
represent the facts as they transpired, and
sign his proper name and hold him self at
all times morally, politically and legally
responsible for the same
About 3 o'clock p. NJ. of September
5th, 1863, Messrs. Gates and Spsague,
rrivates Of Co. b, Dakota Cavalry, (~ho
were residents Of this district at the time
of their enlistment) arrived at Bon Hon
me detailed on . scout. Marshal Pinney
and Deputy Smart arrived few moments
previous. was reliably informed that
they were up for the pufpose of arresting
any Of the Bon Homme soldiers who
might be present on the day Of election
and force them away to prevent them frotc
casting their vo.es-(kno~irg that to a
man they would cast their votes for the
candidates on the patriotic "Peoples
Union Ticket met Messrs Gates and
Sprague aud told them they should con.
slider themselves under arres, aud my
prisoners. sent them to the Hotel where
! they had their horses put in the stable,
aud c"iled for thnir dinner. so~ rTsa@
While there Pinney and Smart attempt.
ed to arrest aud take them away, and sue.
ceeded before | arrived at the Hotel in
getting away with Sprasue, and was just in
the act OF taking away Mr. Gates. told
Deputy Marshal Smart thu. Gates was in
my charge (if prisoner at all) and l
would see that he was not molested |
took charge Of Mr.. Gates and kept him
until the morning Of the 7th, when it was
mutually agreed that Gates should not be
interrupted in the exercise Of his elective
franchise, aud thus ended the contest over
the unauthorized arrest.
DEPUTY MARSHAL Smart deported him.
self like a gentleman while here and the
citizens Of Bon Homme respec, him for it.
lie did no. succeed in taking Mr. Gates,
but it was no fault Of his. The citizens
nor Mr.. Gates did no, conside. him author
lied to make the arrest, and were deter.
mined, il ia their power, to prevent their
citizens and soldiers from being kidnapped
by an unauthorized power.
On The morning Of the, lib . eoody
numher of non resident copper .celored
gentlemen, with some of lighter complex.
ion made their appearance mt the place Of
holding the eletion. We proceeded to the
election Of Bradford and Warford as two
OF the judges Of Election, by unanimous
consen.-when Mr.. Brown was nom inaied
and elected BY the electors Of The district.
Marshal Pinney declared Mr. Brown was
not elected, and insisted that the non.
resident halfbreeds made majority
against him. The bona .fds electors OF
this district gave him TO emphatically un-
ders.aad that they wou.d not submit TO Be
controlled by nonresident half breeds or
non.residents Of any kind or character,
aud that they could and would manage
their own affairs without the MD or Assis.
tance Of the U. $. Marshall. The Marshal
then said, If you will no. allow that
class Of persons to vote We will Lolo "a
election Of our own" '
We cared no: what course they might
see proper to take so long Us they did no.
violate the law and Try TO tranpls under
foot the rights Of The Electors Of this dis.
trict. And we care nothing now abeu,
what they done, we'll kuesi0g their whole
movement was unauthorized and illegal,
and most OF their followers non.residen,s,
and many Of them copper oolored gentle.
men-descendants Of the aborigines OF
our country whether "Copperheads" or
not | Go not profess to know. a@a7
Mr.. Bradford Withdrew from the Judges
Of election and va proceeded 70 elect
Charles Taekeit to fill bis place, aud
opened The Polls ia due form Of law
after which quiet and order resivncl. ~