The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1864-10-01
from Spring Valley, Rancho.

Il IL
EDITOR PosT Having noticed III yo,,n, .yo,,,
gsPes some communications relating to m
o,an troubles, send You this account =
Mnas mas happened, to my own knowledge
/ The first depredations that r know "a
were committed at Dempsey's.o The coral
was broken open, the horses let out. and tn,
staiiion united. On being discovered in tn,
act, they were fred upon and made coof
thelr escape, leaving three dead uppon tn,
Ihe next, day they came to NV ranch anf
camped for the night. | had sir horse,
rdnning in the valley. They got ni.ed ~,
| with the red-skins' animals. and conId NJ ~
be caught in he evening. When the morn.
came they were nowhere to be seen. The
man VINO was taking care of my ranch
went to the Indian camp, bu. could not see
any thing of the horses. The savages told
alm they had seen the horses over at the
FOOT OF the mountain, pointing out the
place, some miles distant. On arriving
there, he saw that he had been " grouseI. q
NO horses were there. Having crossed the
river, he hired horse and went up stream.
continuing his search. Night overlook him
when meeting two men, the three picketed
their iponeys and lay down to sleep. IOn
waking they found their ropes cut and two
poneys missing. My man, being one of the
unlucky ones, made the best of his way
home, arriving safely, with his saddle on
his back, at about 10 O'Clock. 1t appears
tome that ne was swearing some. So
My horses were stolen on Saturday. and
on Sunday returned from Summit. Early
on Monday morning, Joe Lohrmann and /
saw Indians running horses off and shortly
after, W. c. Vaughn came up and stated
that the Indians had stampeded his horses,
in daylight, before his eyes. On Mondav'
Mr.. Vaughn and I rode to the Indian camp
but failed in getting any trace of the stolen
stock. On Tuesday morning. Edward
House, 0. Garland, Lockwood, G. Vaughn,
6. LoveJoy, p. H.. Way, David and myself
started on the trail. late in the afternoon
We came to their camp; next morning, We
went to the chief, who admitted that his
band had twenty or twenty-five head of
stolen stock and that he would bring it in
two nights, but we did not believe him
Edward House and went ahead of the saw
ages to the Gallatin, and having acquaint-
ed the settlers with the facts. most of them
promised to meet us at the time appointed
for the meeting. Not man came After
we failad getting help at the Three Forks,
MIR. House said that if anv man would 90
with him, he would 60 to Virginia CITY if
any one would accompany him, and accord
ingl ly started with p. W. Way, promising
to return in few days, if he could raise
any men, but that if not, he would send
Way back. / waited for two days after the
appointed time, and then rode over to J.
NJ. Bozeman, who promised, if possible, to
assist me, provided / could get some men
to go along. The men that had been with
me had got out of patience and had all re-
turned except one. l staid all night with
Mr.. Bozeman, and made known nv case to
the citizens on the following morning, tell.
ing them | intended to take the first Indian
stock that | met-peaceabjy if l could, but
anyway | would have them. l then rode !
miles down the gulch and met four Indians
at Pugh's ranch seized their ponies and
persuaded them to 60 back and tell their
chief that they could not have them unless
my horses were given up or paid for. Two
more of the t.ibe riding on one horse were
served in the same way, but refused to go,
and one, though warned by Lockwood not
to do so, yet rushed up to within four feet
of me, putting his hand under his blanket
as if to draw weapon. fired and he fell.
After lying some fifteen miautes he got up
and walked towards camp. We returned to
Bozeman's, and, after hearing our story,
the inhabitants corralled their wagons and
ruled us out, saying that we should be safe
# we took the mountain road to Virginia,
but if We stay ed there, their lives would be
in danger. In this opinion Bozeman con-
Cured, so we mounted and took to the road,
wishing them good luck and, in return
wishing US the best of good luck. was
lext arrested and brough ght before Don L.
Byram Esq, for killing one Indian and try.
ng to kill another. However, no one could
prove that the Indian was dead, though |
many thought he was. Twas permitted to |
make my own statement, which / did, in !
substance agreeing with this letter. The |
.esult was, was held till the 7th in ST 900 |
ponds, when was bound in 81, 900 to ap-
'ear at the next court, the judge refusing
o hear any of my evidence.
e. started for home with an OK team, and
vas arrested at Peter Daley on charge of
tealing FIVE poneys from the Nez Perces
Indians. We waited for the coach to Neva-
La. came home, and in few days, Mr..
Davis, the constable, came in search Of nv
lorses, to within 100 yards of my cabin. I |
mounted and started for the river. He
lailed me, and l, not knowing who he was, /
ode on. Mr.. Davis told the man at the
abin that he ought to have shot me, and
hat did not act in gentlemanly manner.
Afterwards he admitted that he had no
variant. Davis acted kindly towards me
Thilst prisoner in Nevada. ''E Z, AZ
I had forgotten to mention, that, at the
ime appointed, we made a demand for our
tock, Of the Indians, but they laughed and
aid the Pen d'Orei!les had them and called +
IS towards and squaws. BON ..ob 54s1 gqsFt-
Old Ranger Jones says in his letter which
ppeared in your columns last week, that
The chief says 10 head CT stock followed
nem of and that they drove them all back"
low know of five head that wers never
rought back, for they were my own !, also
{ saddle toHooed them, and was found (,
It'll them, which was rather curious.--Iv
here were osaly about 25 head taken from,
ais valley. SD,
j can prove this to be. a true abatement. |,