American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1867-06-19
The Indian War. 7.
Murders and Depredafions.
Al. APPALLING LIST

| GoDFRER' s, HANcHE, CoL., Nay 81, fof#
H We have arrived at Godfrey's Rancho,
40 miles east Of Denver thus far safe
and sound. SO much has been recoun-
ted of Indian doings that we absolutely
-hudder At our close proximity to them
For the edifcasion of your readers we
give you list of the various murders
aud depredations lately committed by
! the Indians.
90 the 10Th instant. two men named
WIN. Guler and Martin Kannon we're
killed and scalped twelve miles from
Cottonwood Springs At the same time
tiity head of horses and fifty head Of
mules we're stampeded by Indians, who
we're camped in the canons in the neigh
borhood of Fort Mcpherson, in open
defiance of the troops
On the 23d instant, John West, form.
/ erly an employee of Wells, Fargo &
Co. S line, John Peterson, native Of
Switzerland, and an unknown hunter ,af>
ter "a desperate fight, were killed near
station cal ed Big Laramie, situated six
miles from Fort Saunders, Colorado
The Indians on this raid captured one
hundred aud fifty head Of cattle, but a
party Of ranehmen, well armed, started
in pursuit aud succeeded in retaking one
hundred head The citizens chased them
about twenty miles and were several
times nearly within rifle range. After
a two hours chase the ranchmen retraced
their steps, while the Indians, twenty
| five in numberstarted for lonely rancho
further west. ...
On the 9th instant a mounted cour>
Ter rode to Fort Sed wick and informed
/ Gen. Hunt, the commander, that nine
teen Indians had made a raid on white
maus camp in ravine near Pole creek
aud had killed and scalped three men
Captain Mix and his cavalry were in
close pursuit The Captain did not see
any The same day the same party of
Indians made raid on Rielette's ranch
and ran off four steers aud iour horses
On the 25th, nine miles above Sales
burg, Sergeant Manigan, of the squad of
men detailed from the Both infantry, to
protect the graders on the Union Pacific
Railroad, and two ctzecs, one OF whom
was named Wade, were killed uine miles
above Saesburg, and were most inia-
mously and horribly mutilated The
bodies were recovered and decently buri-
ed with appropriate ceremonies.
On the same day General Potter states
that eigh'een Indiaus rode up to within
fifty yards Of corral near which was
stationed detachment Of infantry, and
ran off three mules, manitesting the great
est contempt for the soldiers by exhibit
ing their breech clouts,
On the 26th, twenty one head ofstook
were run off opposite Beauvais ranch or
old California crossing Some soldiers
were near who fred on them. The fire
was returned;several soldiers we're slight
| ly wounied, AMI one mortally.
From Mr. Henry Carlyslc, gentle
man of undoubted veracjty, we have the
| following H.. ....
son the 26th had some men cutting
ties ior the railroad at Cheyenne Pass.
Some time in the day. they were attack
ed by small parry of Indians. Two
of the men were killed, but could not
learn their names" e-s
| 1t is supposed by some that there were
/ three, but it is only by the greatest diff
Guilty acurate information can be procur
ed Those Interested in the Platt Val
! ley Railroad, contractors and superinten-
dents, will use their utmost to prevent
details from being given TO the public
Had we remained satisfied with what Ii
dlngs we gained Of the war at Omaha,
We could have givep the public nothing
but vague, unsatisfactory reports. Moth
iog was definitely stated "They say they
had slight brush with the lnjins, but
there is no reliauce in these kind of re
ports, you know; perhaps two or three
have been wounded; only this, and moth
ing more" ,.5u t..-
A correspondent, to be able to give re-
liable news, must be in the field, must
witness what he is to record, that he may
have something tangible to report. He
must also be disinterested, that he may
give facts as they actually occurred Such
has been our case; We went TO the field
for that special purpose. We have de-,
scribed what We have seen unbiased by
any consideration.
The ranches that still stand at inter
walls of ten or twelve miles are barricaded
after the mQstapproved manner out West
in the Indian country. Each rancho has
its little arsenal and ready at any mo-
menl for use. The place from where |
lndict this letter is fair sample of bar
ricaded abodes. 1t is owned by an old
settler named Hallen Godfrey, grim
old chap, determined aud obstipate.--
There are FIVE graves near his ranche.--
The head boards bear the simple epitaph
"Killed by Indians" For each of these
meu killed, five Indians have Bit the dust
--sent to their account by the deadly
rife of sold Godfrey" g Old Wicked" /"
as he is termed by the Indians, is not
much troubled by the Cheyennes and
Sioux nowadays. His very name is a
source of terror. In his rancho are about
twenty rifles, always loaded All pas
sehgers to Denver must per force stop at
Godfrey's for supper. This supper is a
square meal, perfect one, and like other
meals on the plains, it costs s1.50. Sew
eral indians passed and repassed within
respectable distance of this place TIE
, last week. DepFadations have been com