The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-09-30
INDIAN MURDER.
JOHN WRIGHT SHOT, AND HOR'
RIBLY MUTILATED.

Word was received here Monday
that Mr.. John Wright while herding
cattle about four miles north of Bis
marck, DIT, had been shot Thursday
by Indians and 100 head of cattle
run off: In company with George
Lewis, of this city, he was herding
some 600 head of cattle belonging to
Clark and Whitney, the government
contractors. Lewis, who was some
two miles distant, heard the shot.
The following dispatch to the Mime
apolis Tribune gives full particulars
Bismarck, D. T., Sept. 27.-John
Wright's body was buried in the
church yard here yesterday Sunday. }
There was a large attendance at the
funeral, with no special mourners,
but a feeling Of sadness pervaded the
whole community, and all attending
the funeral ceremony followed the
body to the grave. 1t was found
about ten miles north Of Bismarck.
While sitting on a rock near q
wooded ravine, the Indians crept up,
| it is believed, and shot him, the ball
passing from the rear just below the
right ear. He rar about fifty yards,
when he appears to have been shot
through the head, the ball coming oft
at the left temple. His head was
then split opeu with tomahawk and
his forehead crushed with the butt of
gun. He was then partially turned
over and hay and brush piled on his
bowels and fred, Burning that part Of
his person to a crisp, His clothing
being wooden he was not burned, ex-
cept where the fire rested. After cut
ting three deep gashes with a knife
which they left BY his side, and plant
ing a COO, or challenge to follow if his
friends dare, near the body, the Indi-
ans left, taking southeasterly course
for their agency at Standing Rock,
The cattle were stampeded, a hun.
dred or more Of them, but toward the
camp, and so the Indians got away
with none, as it now seems, though
they took his pony.
The murder occurred Thursday.
The news reached, Bismarck Friday
night. Saturday a general hunt fol
the body was made, and early Sunday
morning a detachment of the Seventh
Cavalry, commanded by Colonel
Yates, accompanied by Major Nc
Lean, Harry Douglas and other citi.
zens, took the trail, and at last &C.
counts we're following it toward Stand.
ing Rock. Two other companies Of
the Second Cavalry struck trail on
the west side of the river, nearly op
posite the scene of the murder, which
they were also following to the same
agency.
A courier from Col. Yates came in
this morning, who left the command
nearly opposite Fort Rice. Col. Yates
had given orders for an all-nig ht ride
and expected to strike the Indians this
morning. The Indians are supposed
to be from Two Bears camp at Stand
ing Rock.
Mr.. Wright lived here for mum
Der of years and was a young maj
generally esteemed in the community
He was about thirty years Of age ant
unmarried. The family lived a
Dayton, Otter Tail county, at tn
time of the Indian massacre of 1862
and one of the brothers was then kill
ed by the red devils, and another, Ed
win NJ, was severely wounded. Ii
this community q very strong feeling
in favor Of the "peace policy" pre-
walls. It would secure peace by wip
ing out of existence every accurse(
Indian belonging to any hostile trib'
or band.
LArEsr.-Col. Weir has returned
to Bismarck, unsu ccessful in his hun
after the Indian murderers Of MI
| WRIGHT.