The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1872-04-30
A Terrible Fight in the Court Room
Seven Killed and Many Wounded.

Il
Seven Killed and Many Wounded.
The Fort Smith New Era of April II,
says: "The following startling letter was
received on Tuesday morning at the United
States Marshal's office, by Captain ]. W.
Donnelly chief clerk:
WHITTEMoRE's BARREN FORK, CHERo-
KEE NATIoN-We have had terrible fight
Lost seven on our side killed, and three of
theirs are killed. There are lots of wound
ed. We are in devil of a scraps. Send
us men and means instantly.
We are with our dead and wounded, and
expect to stay with them until the last one
goes. Owens is wounded. For Gods sake
send help, and send quickly. Come to
Dutchtown, and then down Barren Fork to
Whittemores. Ward is killed; Varney
and are alone with 10 Owens. None of
the rest are here with MS. We look for
help tomorrow night by dark, and are
looking to be attacked every moment.
The parties are close together. Some Che
rokees are with us. Yours in haste.
[Signed.] j. S. Peavy.
In order that the circumstances causing
the terrible fight above alluded 10, may be
more fully understood, we will state the
following:
On April 18th whi te man named ]. j.
Kesterson, living in the Cherokee nation,
near the Arkansas line, about fifty miles
from this city, came here and filed infor-
nation before United States Commissioner
Churchill, against the Proctor, also white
man married to a Cherokee woman, for as
saulting him, with intent to kill. He stated
that while in his saw mill, on the 18th of
last February, Proctor came in, walked up
without provocation, and shot his wife
dead He then fired his revolver at him,
the ball striking just above the left eye.
Before he could fire again, Kesterson
escaped. 1t is further stated that Proctor
was undergoing trial for the murder of his
wife, at the court house in the Snake dis
trict, about fifty-seven miles northwest of
here. A writ was issued, and the deputy
marshals was instructed to go to the court
house and remain until the trial was over,
and if he was not convicted to arrest him on
another charge. Proctor is known to be a
desperate, and it being in the neighbor-
hood where Deputy Marshal Mentz was
killed, about month ago-where, in fact,
deputy marshal is shot at almost on sight
it was necessary that strong force
should be sent. The parties had also writs
for the murderers of U. $. Deputy Marshal
Bentz, who are supposed TO be in the i'm
mediate vicinity, and they intended to
resist arrest. On Saturday morning, April,
18th, Deputy Marshals Jacob II. Owens
and Joseph G.. Peavy, with William Weid
Jos, G.. Vawney, James Haskens, Paul
Jones and Eugene Bra cket, as a posse, left
here for the seen of action. At Evansville
they were joined by Riley Ward and w. j..
Morris, and at Dutchtown by man named
Beck, who is part Cherokee.
The Indian court house is about twelve
miles west Of that place. The party pro-
ceeded about p. m. on Monday. They
were within fifty yards of the court house
when they dismounted, hitched their
horses, and quietly walked toward the east
side of the house in file by twos. They
stopped at the corner, and Beck stepped
around to the front door and looked in.
Seeing large number of people inside
armed to the teeth, he turned Immediately
10 come away, but not before he was fired
upon and dangerously wounded. At the
same time volley was poured from the
court house upon the Marshal's force with.
out, who then commenced to return the
tire. They were at great disadvantage
as the attacking party were under shelter
inside of the court house. 1t appears that
Beck had some friends inside the court
house, who, when they saw him fall, open
cd on his (Beck's) enemies, and presently
the fighting was general. 1t was brief
however, but terrible in its results. OF th'
Marshal's force seven out of eleven la,
dead, and of the assailants only three
Some sixteen or seventeen are reported
wounded, some mortally, including Marsha
Owens. The messenger knew tho name o
only two of the Marshal's forces who wer'
killed, James Ward and Riley Woods
Three were missing, James Hawkins, Pau