Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-06-27

deep gully where his pony stumbled
and fell aud he was dismounted. Rap
idly regaining his saddle and seeing
that his pursuers were gaining on him,
and that the bullets from their guns
were becoming unpleasantly close, he
gave up the stock and started off on
horseback at full speed. When the
party came to the gully they found
memorandum book, dropped in his
haste by the chief, and which, on OPP
ening, proved to be the property Of
Lagnhhu McLanrin, OF Mel .aurin
brothers, two well known livery aud
hay men Of Crook City. This aroused
their suspicion Of foul play about Nc
Laurin, but seeing that the course of
the Indians led towards the rancho oil
Mr.. Ives, they went in that direction.
On coming in sight OF Ives ranch they
discovered that the Indians lad car
ricd off a large lot Of provisions from
Mr.. Ives tent. They seemed to be
desirous to obtain sheeting and cloth
ing, as they emptied several sacks Of
flour on the ground, filling the flour
sacks with provisions and clothing and
other goods. They also cut hair
mattress in two, and after emptying
out the hair, filed ii also, with goods
which they found, They packed their
horses and left Mr.. Ives loss is
about $4,000. Mr.. Ives was fortun-
ately absent from his ranch at the
time Simpson, with a number of
friends, came to Crook City and rela-
ted the facts, giving it as their opin-
ion that several other ranches had
been attacked The finding of Mr..
McLaurin's memorandum book as it
had been dropped by the Indian,
aroused their fears for the safety of
MIR. McLaurin. A party of the citi-
zens Of Crook, headed by his brother
P. McLaurin, Jim Williams, John
Lighthan, Billy Wilson, and dozen
others, all well armed and mounted,
started out to where Mel. expected
to cut hay On their way they came
across a party of haymakers, who in
formed them tnat about four O'Clock,
Sunday evening, they were attacked
by party Of Indians and an attempt
made to drive off their stock, but the
latter happened to be grazing close to
the ranch, (the men were in the bot
tom cutting hay) A young man who
was inside the house opened a brisk
and effective fire on the Indians ard
succeeded in driving them off. These
lawmakers said that on Sunday even
ing they saw riderless horse, answer
ing the description Of the one which
McIaurin was riding, running over
the prairie with number of Indians
after, and apparently trying to capture
it the Crook City party then changed
their course in the direction from
which the riderless horse was last
seen, and soon came upon the dead
body of poor McLaurin. An examin-
alton showed that he had been shot
through the breast, the ball passing
upwards on the right side and coming
out at the shoulder. Another ball
pierced his head. He was also scalped
and tomahawlled, the latter left sunk
into his skull. His pockets were rifed
of about one hundred dollars which he
had on his person. The body was
carried 10 Crook City, arriving here
at about o'clock last evening. The
corpse was laid out and at the time
" left dear friends were paying the
last tributes to the departed by wash
ing off the body and dressing it in q
new suit OF clothes previous to burial
which will take place to-day.
1t is feared that more lives have
been taken than there is now any
knowledge Of, as parties making hay
chopping timber and prospecting are
scattered all through that portion o
the Hills in the vicinity of where thi!
last attack was made. The rancl
keepers on False Bottom and othe
valleys, no longer deeming that the,
are safe from attack, are commencin;
to rendezvous at Crook. A publ
meeting of the citizens of Crook wa
uCld 1dSb CNIulliR anu ICSUlQliOI
passed calling the attention of Ger
Sheridan to the helpless, unprotecte
and exposed condition of the settlers
and asking him to afford the necessar
military protection. At the request Of
/ large number Of people of Crook City
the editor of the Champion last evenln
telegraphed to General Sheridan th
7 wish of the people Of Crook City an
the necessity of distributing troops
2 the section Of the country alluded t.
!. Unless some steps are at once take
$ to stop these raids, great injury wi
. accrue, not only to the settlers WI
4 have invested their all in improvin
and cultivating a large acreage
n ereals and the cutting and marketin
e Of thousands Of tons of hay. The GEL
r eral government, in its representa-,
O capacity, has been an imperative, ar
q not to be shirked, duty to perform |
. rendering to the enterprising pionee
. who are converting the Black Hi