, 1863-03-21
Auburn Correspondenee.

EDS. STATESMAN Enclosed send you a letter
from VIM. NJ. Drake to his brother Dan, dated
at Old's ferry on Snake river, (the first ferry
above the mouth of Burnt riYer,) conveying the
intelligence of the massacre by Indians of two
men by the name of Brayton aud Wandel. You
will please publish so much of the letter as will
give the facts to the public Since the Reception
of this letter Burton and Jewet, the companions
of Brayton and Wandell have arrived in town
and corroborate the statements of the letter and
say that the money left in the blankets was over
thirty ounces Of gold dust, and it belonged to
Jewet, and that one pistol belonging to Burton
was left in the blankets. That Brayton and Wan
dell each had a good six shooter with them but
suppose the Indians shot them mortally with ar
rows before discovered. They found moccasin
tracks on the ground. 1t is supposed by those
who claim to know the location Of the Indians,
to be party from the Eagle ofthe Light, band
of the Nez Perces who have threatened war on
the whites this Spring. The depredations of the
Snake Indians are now so frequent that some
thing must be done or many and more serious
murders will be committed.
The emigration to Boise is very large, and
many families of women and children are now on
the road with ox-teams. About four weeks ago,
the Indians fired into a tent near the Picket cor
raj on the Payette, where two men were camped
and wounded one of them. They barely escaped
by crawling out at the back part of the tent and
secreting themselves in the grass. They had two
horses picketed near By that were shot with ar
rows, which they pulled out next morning AL
ready the Indians have stolen over four hundred
head of horses and mules, and are continually
stealing more.
JEFF. Standefer has raised a company of ifty-
three men who have gone to try to recapture the
stolen stock. This small party supported and
furnished by contributions cannot be expected to
stay long, or do bGt little good We are aware
that the Government has provided for sending
soldiers and establishing fort on Boise next
summer They have not anticipated the eynigra-
ton to these mines and the hostile character of
the Indians, or something would have been done
sooner. The winter would have been the time to
have classified the Indians. They could easily be
found in their encampments and quickly whipped
out or subdued. Next summer they will scatter
over the country committing stealthv massacres
and with good walking stick will escape any of
the dragoon horses that may chance to follow
them Immediate action is required, and the
question is, what can be done? One or two com
panes of soldiers to protect the road is necessary
can government send them forward They can
come from Walla Walia to Snake river in three
weeks with supplies tents, &C., and much better
than they can in two months from now, when
we have high waters. If they can't come so soon
let Government send a commission to some good
man in Boise with orders to raise company,
and furnish them, and put them on the road for
the protection Of packers and the travelling COM
munty This can and will be done if some men
men Of the right stamp are selected for that pur-
pose
l have been riding to and from Boise over this
road nearly every week since the first of January
am well acquainted in the mines and what l write
is of my own knowledge. The mines are the best
that have been struck in this Northern country
excepting Florence) The high prices of gold
ought not only to incite the government to secure
its protection, and with due vigilance by every
means at hand encourage its production. Yours
truly. NJ. KELLY.
P. S. A party of six men from Olds' ferry that
went out on the 9th or 10th inst to search for
the bodies of Brayton and Wande found them
in Snake river near where they were killed They
had both been scaped and one was shot twice
and stabbed twice, and the other was shot once
and stabbed twice The shots were both rife or
pistol shots. The bodies had each the amount of
money on them that belonged to them, some fifty
dollars each. An inquest was held over the bod
les and they were buried near Olds ferry March
11th. Yours, &c. K.
The following is the letter referred to by Mr.