Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-01-09
Horrible Massacre by Indians.
From the St. Paul Press, December II. !

Our readers remember the horrible mas
sacrc of mining party on the Missouri last
August, not one being left to tell the mourn
tul tale. Who they were and how the mas
sacre occurred has remained wrapt in mys-
terry until the present time. 1t was only
known that their mutilated bodies lay
bleaching on the banks of a distant river,
and but for chance party that followed in
their wake, the particulars of the affair
would have still remained unknown.
John II. Carter, John 5. Briggs, r. Schou-
Ter and brother, all Of Wapello county, Iowa.
have just reached this city from Idaho
They have been mining at Bannock City,
(there are two Bannock cities in IdahO), on
the Snake river, on the west side of the
Rocky Mountains, $50 miles north of Salt
Lake, and the same distance southeast of
WaIla Walla. On the 18th of June, one
week after the massacred party started, they
left for home, intending to come down the
Missouri. They were delayed month upon
reaching the river, by the want of a Macki-
nav boat, after procuring which they pro-
ceeded to Fort Berthold. Here they first
learned of the massacre which took place on
the 3d of August, one hundred miles below
the fort ut the mouth of Heart river. They
found one of the men who originally started
with the unfortunate murdered miners at
the fort, he having had presentiment of
danger and remained behind. From HIM a
list of the names of the unfortunate men was
obtained as follows:
| H. Field, wife and three children, st.
/ Joseph, Missouri.
| II. S. Butler, Iowa City, Iowa.
! Joseph Smith, Benjamin Van Wrinkle and
- Perkins, OF Springfield, Illinois. Mr.
Smith las an uncle in Red Wing, in this
! State.
- Cooper, residence unknown.
, Reuben Downing, Van Buren, county
Iowa.
Daniel Riggs and Joseph Shear, Gurnsey
county, OHIO.
| Emslcy POLAND, Jefferson county, Iowa.
Thomas English, residence unknown.
- Biladoe, carpenter, Fort Randall
John Reed, Davis county Iowa.
There were five men whose names wert
unknown, the entire party consisting o
eighteen men, one woman and three children
From Indians and half-brceds our infor
mants obtained the particulars of this horri
bic affair.
The miners, anticipating trouble, wer
well armed, and in addition to small arm
had small cannon. At the mouth of Hear
river party ot l2nktonans Sioux cam
along the bank and beckoned them to com
to the shore They responded by firing th
cannon three times. the Indians returnin!
the fire vigorously The continuous fire q
the cannon caused the boat to spring leak
and but for that unfOrtunate cirCumstanc
they might have escaped. The Indians wpr
Fdriven back from the shore, but renewe,
the attack, and during the second fight th
boat leaked SO badly that it sunk in shaloN
water. They were then oNerp0wered am
murdered. Mr.. Fields wife Was taken prl
soner, but the Indians Quarreing as 10 VIII
should have her for his wife, the controyers
was ended by shooting her. Two of ia
children were killed aud the third was tax c
to the Sioux camp, where il cried Itself {
death.
All Of the bodies were scalped, and thos
! who had heavy whiskers were further NUT
lated by these being torn of The hodiC
were then left lying on the sand har, wheg
: they fell, and weye still lying there whe
the second party leit Fort Belthold TIL
Indians acknowledged that the minel
} fought desperately, aud admit that the
? killed thirty.six and wounded thirty-tyi
/ The unfortunate victims had between cig.
5 teen and twonty thousand dollars with shel
: in gold dust aud money, which fell into L
hands of the Indians, who are using -
{ making large purchases Of ammunition
The party which has just arrived heI
6 deemed Il unsafe ~ pursue their eounse IN
3 ther down the Missouri, aud after waiting
= month at Fort beIthald Joined party
I hall breed hunters who were GA their wa
; 60 Fort Garry, from which point they cam
+ here. White crossing she plaias they pssse
! xlthin hfteen miles of siA hundred lodfs
! lof Sioux, Who seFe eneamred near Iuhl
4 Mountain.