Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1872-04-24
IEAoLDI =. H@E VEST
A Terrible Fight in the Indian territory
Results i'm the Death Of Sheriff, Seven
Deputy U. 5. Marshals. and Three others.

A Terrible Fight in the iHOiaH leiItoi!
Results in the Death of Il Sheriff, seven
Deputy U. S. Marshals. and Three others.
Sr. LOUIS, April 20 "A special des-
patch from Muskagek, Indian Territory
savs ,Lat a man on trial for murder al
Talaquah, yesterday, was acquitted
whereupon the relative of the murdered
man shot the defendant dead, and then
the Judge on the bench. An indiscrlmI-
nate fight then commenced, in which
eleven persons were killed and as many
more wounded.
Among the killed were three United
States marshals, named respectively
;. Messrs. Owens, Hawkins and Wilson.
An ACCOUNT OF THE AFFRAY.
IN order that the circumstances caus.
ing the tereible fight above alluded to
may be more fully understood we will
state the following: On April IL
white man named j J. kcsterson, living
in the Cherokee Nation, near the Arkan-
sas line, about fifty miles from this city,
came here and filed information before
United States Commissioner Churchill
against one Proctor, also a white man,
married to 4 Cherokee woman, for as
saulting him with intent to kill. lie
stated that while in his sawmill, on Feb
ruary l3 last, Proctor came in, walked
up without provocation. and shot bis
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 is undergoing trial for the
murder of his wife at the court house IN
Snake district, about 81 miles northwest
of here. A writ was issued, and the
deputy marshals were instructed to go
to the court house, and remain until the
trial was over, and if he was not convict
ed, to arrest him on another charge
Proctor is known to be a desperate, and
it being in the neighborhood where
Deputy Marshall Bentz was killed, about
a month ago-where, in fact, a deputy
marshal is shot at almost at sight-it
was necessary that strong force should
be cent.
THE PARTY
had also writs for the murderers of United
States Deputy Marshal Beutz, who are
supposed to be in the immediate vicinity,
and they intend to resist arrest. On the
morning of April l3 Deputy Marshals
Jacob H. Owens and Joseph G. Peavy,
with VIM Weed, Joseph G. Vanney,
James Harkins, Paul Jones, and Eugene
Bracket as a posse, left here for the
seer. of action. At Evansville the were
joined by Riley Wards and W. j. Nor
ris, and at Dutchtown by man named
Beck, who is part a Cherokee. The
Indian court house is about IL miles west
of that place. The party proceeded, and
about 3 P. NJ. on Monday they were
within fifty yards of the courthouse,
when they dismounted, hitched their
horses, and quietly walked towards 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,
AEMBD To THE TEETH,
he turned Immediately to come away,
but not before he was fired upon and
dangerously wounded. At the same
time rolley was poured from the court
house upon the marshals force without,
who then commenced to return the fire.
They we're at a great disadvantage, as
the attacking party was under shelter
inside of the court house. 1t appears
that Beck had some friends inside the
court house, who, when they saw him
fall, opened FIRE on his Beck's enemies
inside, and presently the fighting was
general. 1t was brief, however, but
TERRIBLE IN IT'S RESULTS.
Of the marshal's force seven out of
eleven lay dead, and of the assailants
oolr three. Some sixteen or seventeen
are reported wounded-some mortally,
including Marshal Owens. The messen-
ger knew the names of only two of the
marshal's force who were killed-James
Ward and Riley Woods. Three were
missing Hawkins, Paul Jones,
and Eugene Bracket. Morris helped to
lay out nine bodies on porch, about
half mile from the scene of the deadly
affray, and thither the Federal wounded
were also carried. Proctor. the woman
killer and desperado, was guarded by
eleven of his personal friends, who would
not see him convicted. The eheriff was
killed, and the judge received three
buckshot in the knee. Indeed, it ap-
pears from the sudden and deadly assault
Oh the marshal's force, that the people
inside the court house had been fully in
formed of their approach, and were pre-
pared for them. The officials were in
structed to make demand for Proctor
only in case of his acquittal, and e1-
pected some resistance should they at
tempt to arrest Proctor after his acquit-
tai but for
THE MURDEROUs voLLEY,
on their fret approach. they were not
prepared, and hence their slaughter.
Immediately on the receipt of Deputy
Marshal Peavy's letter, Il. G. Kerens,
chief deputy marshal, Captain J. w.
Donnelly, chief clerk, and United States
Commissioner Brooks Churchill r,;sad