The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-04-22
ARKANSAS.
Murder of United States Officers
A Plea for HeIp-Cause Assigned
for the Massacre, dtc.

A Plea for HeIp-Cause Assigned
for the Massacre, dc.
LITTLE Rock, April 20.-The Fort
Smith Ne'o Era OF Wednesday last, the
l7th, contains the following startling
news from the Indian country. The
feeling Of jealousy harbored by our
Indian neighbors at the authority OF
the Government of the United States
exercised over their territory eliminated
last Monday, the 18th in"., IL t-arful
u.,u vr p,v3us,ru, raIllng little short OF
wholesale massacre OF the agents oil
the United States Government. The
| following startling letter was received
on Tuesday morning at the United
States Marshal's office by Capt. Jamei
w. Donnelly, chief clerk OF White
more bureau:
Fort CHEROKEE NATloN.
j. W. D0nnelly:
DEAR SIR: We have had q terrible
fight and lost seven on our side killed,
Three on theirs killed and lot wound
ed. We are in devil OF strait. Send
us men and means instanter. We are
with the dead and wounded, and expect
to stay with them until the last one Of
us gives up. Ownes is wounded. Fol
Gods sake send help, and send quickly
Come to Tutchtown and then down
Barren Fork to Whitemore's. Ward is
killed Ranney and l are alone with
Ownes. None of the rest are here with
us. We look for help tomorrow night
by dark. We are expecting to be at
tackled every moment by the parties
who are close together. Some Of the
| Cherokees are with US.
Yours in haste,
| [Signcdl }. s. PEAvY.
In order that the circumstances caus'
| ing the terrible fight above alluded to,
may be fully understood, we will state
the following: On the llth inst. white
man named J. j. Kisterson, living in
the Cherokee nation, near the Arkan
sas line, and about 80 miles from this
city, came to this place and filed an in
formation before the United States
Commissioner, Col. Jas. o. Churchhill
against one Ezekiel Proctor, also 6
white man and married to a Cherokee.
woman. for assaulting with intent tc
kill. lie stated that while he was ir
his saw mill on the 18th of February
| last, the aforesaid Proctor came in
walked up to his wife, a Cherokee.
woman, and without provocation sho
her dead. He then pointed his revolver
at him and fired, the ball striking JUS
above the lett eye, and before he coulc
fire again he, Kisterson, escaped. H.
further stated that the said Proctor wa
undergoing his trial now for the mur
der of his wife, at the Court House il
Going Snake, distant about 81 mile
north OF this place. A writ was issuet
aud the Deputy Mar.hals were in.
structei to 60 to the Court House anG
remain until the trial was over, and
he was not convicted to arrest him Oh
that charge.
At three P. NJ. on Monday they wer
within about fifty yards Of the Cour
House. They dismounted, hitche,
their horses and quietly walked towar
the east side of the house, filed in b
twos and stopped at the corner.
Beck stepped around to the from
door and looked in. Seeing a larg
; number Of people inside, armed to tn
teeth, he turned Immediately to com
away, but not until he was fired upo
) and dangerously wounded. in the act {
turning. The ball passed in near th
left shoulder blade ard lodged again:
the collar bone.
+. At the same instant a volley wa
fired from the Court House upon tb
Msrshars force without, who then con
: menced to return the fire. They wei
at a great disadvantage. as the attack
u ing party was under shelter inside of th
Court House
It 1t appears that Beck, who is a Cher
i okee, bad some friends inside the Cou
House, who, when they cav him fal