The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-21
Bloody Tragedy In tho Indian
Territory.

Territory which painfully tells us that the utter
lawlessness Of the times of the border ruffians,
although pushed further out into the wilds,
still exists The despatch which we print in
another column gives us the outlines Of
tragedy which in savage bloodness out-Herods
anything in the annals of backwoods crime
that can be found in history or romance. That
the sanguinary affair took place in a court of
justice turning that outpost of legal DISPENSE
ton into q shamble marks the fearful condi-
ton of society there still more. The Indian
Territory has long been known as the resort Of
some of the worst desperadoes in the world.
Among the Indian tribes they find an asylum
which their crimes in other parts of the coun-
try deny them. One Of these scoundrels,
named Proctor, for whom the generic term OF
"border rufian'' was coined-a man stepped in
the blood of eighteen murders-was on trial
for wife murder at Whittemore's Barren Fork,
in the Cherokee country. An idea of the
chance he had of being convicted will be
gained from the fact that the Court House was
filed with sympathizing desperadoes armed
to the teeth. 1t appears that about three
weeks ago this same ruffian shot the wife of
white settler named Kesterson and attempted
also to kill the husband, who, however,
escaped, and on reaching Little Rock, Arkan-
SOS, told his story 1t was decided that a
strong posse of United States marshals should
go down to the Court House, ut Talaquah,
where the mscreant was being tried. The
party numbered eleven men. Their instruc-
tions were to arrest Proctor on the fresh
charge, in case of his acquittal on the other.
The vindctive hatred of tho federal govern
ment by the Indian Nations, growing out of tn Q
endeavors to bring criminals among them to
justice, finds every possible opp ortunity to
show itself by numbering the deputy marshals
who make, or endeavor to make, the arrests.
The posse proceeded to the vicinity where the
Court was being held, and, knowing the
danger of their enterprise, dismounted and
approached the place on foot They were met
by volley from the ruffians ambushed in the
Court House, and seven out of the eleven were
killed. one being MORALLY wounded. Some
friends of the posse within the building fred
on the scoundrels, and as the result of the fight
that ensued there were in all ten killed and six
teen badly wounded, the Sheriff being among
the former and the Judge on the bench among
the latter. The letter from one of the surviv-
ing deputies, written in expectation of a Sec
ond attack, is one of those graphic pieces
which bear witness to q frmness of purpose,
Spartan courage and fidelity to duty which
which would have done honor to Leonidas him
self: eve are with the dead and wounded,
and expect to stay with them until the last one
of us goes. Owens is wounded. For God IS
sake send help and send quickly" With a
company of thirty determined mounted men
en- route to the scene of slaughter our informa-
ton breaks off like thrilling chapter in sem
sation serial. We shall look with strained at
tention for further news from that land Of
blood, whose history is one of similar
crimes, although this certainly exhibits the
feror nature more awfully than anything
coming previously from within its bloody bor-
ders. The government has grave duty to
perform in this connection, and the pursuit,
capture and condign punishment of these
brigands will be its most effective perform
ance for the present.
In consequence of the attempt to civilize the
tribes and preserve them from humiliation by
allowing them tribal government of their
| own the march Of civilization has been re-
| tarded in this region and way made open
! for the complete defiance Of law by the
white criminals like this Proctor who take
refuge in the Territory. These men, in order
| to secure themselves further immunity from
the consequences Of their crimes, infame the
minds of the Indians against the general gov.
eminent, and a wholesale slaughter, as in the
present instance, is only an illustration of how
successfully these white iends have worked
upon the credulity Of the Cherokees The
usual stage of judicial Advancement in the
West which succeeds the era of the white
demons among the Indian tribes may be
called the period of Lynch law, which,
as society grows stronger, disappears. We
are aware Of the often loose way in
which Justice is administered in these
Lakewood courts, and how the disregard of
human life prevails that sometimes makes law
a mockery, the guilty only being brought to
justice when uninfuential and wanting in
''clear grit" by which is meant the ability to
die before surrendering. Even when a trial
is had the guilty often escape, because judges,
as well rs jurors, in such state of society, are
easily influenced by sympathies that would not
be admitted in any court where civilization
was more than name. ave have q bad repu-
tation for hanging in this county, but it's
mostly before trial." was the explanation of o
Californian sheriff who had been introduced by
a citizen to traveller as first rate officer,
because 'that sheriff never drew bead and
missed, and he's as good a shot with his horse
on the lope as an or nary man at hotel bal"
This fearful grade Of civilization is gradually
passing away; but the bloody ARRAY at Tala-
ouah reminds us that it is determined to die
T. L. al tI,o