Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-08-25
The Indian War.

-TA2TLINC sTiTEAESrs-THE INDIANS WE'LL
SUPPLIED WITH MUNITIONS or VAR
THEY ARE CONSTANTLY RECEIVING sur
PLIES.
Nav YORK, Aug. IS.-The correspondent
Of the New York Herald writing from Terry
Camp. jas; before they started On the S,h Of
August, makes tbs GlloHiag startling
statement, That wi;hin the last year. the
indians have been supplied with tons of
ammunition from the Cheyenne agency and
Steamboat captains assert that arms and
ammunition arc constantly going up the
Missouri river for the Indians. \ reliable
man asserts that he saw starting out from
Carroll. q trail of thirteen pack mules. car
ryiug q, 900 rounds Of ammunition for Sit
ting Bulls party. E@ch mule carried two
boxes Of fixed ammunition and sack ct
-four. These supplies were intended for
the hostile Indians, and although the mas
sacrs of Custer and his troops was already
known, the supply train was permitted to
proceed. The statement Of wei. informed
army officer. estimates tha; from Standing
Rock agency, alone, nearly 100000 rounds
Of ammunition were sold to the In
dians and a; the Brule agency it
Wa. estimated that 10000 rounds
were sold. These statements are maintain
ei by the government. On the j.h inst,
Gen. Gibbons wrote to Powers, the we'll
known trader at Fort Benton. taat lSS, 900
4 . Z ,sl nj
nreech-loading small arms had been stopped
by him, and informed him that If any -Of
these arms were found on hostile Indians.
he would be held responsible by an out
RACED community. and Gibbons warned
Powers as citizen Of Montana. and of the
United SLate=, to see to it, that none OF
that war material went into the hands OF
the Indians.
Gen. Gibbon also wrote "a letter to Gov.
pslis. of Montana, stating me above tacts.
and urging MIN t. take some legal steps 10
prevent Powers and other Indian traders
/ from selling arms 10 the Indians. The same
/ correspondent says that about year ago
/ the government bought and presented to
the Sioux some 80 horses which cost each
/ Sl25. and il any one doubts 1t he has only
| to refer to the files Of the newspapers and
read the advertisements from the interior
3 uSldTtmeuN- .,
/ Sitting Bull, though notOriously hostile.
/ has been for years allowed 10 provide him
| self with ammunition at the Fort Peck
agency. The steamer Duriee, when ordered
| to bring troops up the Yellowstone, had on
board immense quantities Of arms and am
munition, consigned to Powers i Co., at
Fort Benton Ii is useless to say that these
munitions Of war were not intended Tor the
Siouxs, because Powers has been for years
trading with this tribe, aud 1t Il SAID that
nny one known to be friend or agent OF
this house can pass safely through Sitnng
| Bulls camp.
Captain Hughes Of Terry's staff found
these munitions on board at Bismarck lie
te!egraphed to the war department Tor per
mission to seize them, but it seems the mili-
tary authorities can tind no legal means oil
presenting the traders from supply the
Indians with war material, even when they
are engaged in active hOstilities asaInt
the United States. The army officers are
tired of protesting against the outrage oi
arning the savage with the most apprOsei
arms. when it Is notorious TACT tha'
they are used chiefly. if not wholly, To
murder unprotected citizens. or shoot down
soldiers OF the U1ited States.