The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-15
RAID ON CANADIAN INDIANS.

MYSTERIOUS ARREST OF PEACEFUL RED MN
RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCE THE PROBABLE
C,UsE-ExPEcrEp ARMED RESISTANCE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD
MONTREAL, June II, 1877.
Yesterday ten men OF the provincial police iorcc
rivediu Montreal They were supposed TO be employed
on special work IN connection with ito revenue
department. Probably some OF the unlicensed
liquor sellers quaked with fear on reading the an
nounccment all criminals felt that their chance OF
escaping such we'll selected force OF Her Majesty 9
officers OF law was very light indeed. But any such
fears quite unnecessary. Montreal might be car
RED away bodily by her vagrant Bashi-Bazouks and
the provincial police would have remained quietly
in Quebec But before morning dawncd their conncc-
tion with the revenue was made quite apparent Az
about three O'Clock this morning tho houses OF tho
Indians at 0aka were broken into, the men, women
aad children pulled from their beds and
nve OF the former dragged away into the woods
The provincial police wcro working In connection
with tho Revenue Department. Two hours aftcrward
they returned and boastngly stated that one OF the
Indians had been .sent TO hell" Tho cries Of the
women ana children whose husbands and fathers were
in tho woods tho time were p.tcous to hear. and
several OF them for themselves, but found
the statement was u boastful lie TO brighten them,
perhaps order TO facilitate the work OF tho Revenue
Department.
Inrce more Indians were baggcd and tho party were
brought choastquc JAIL whore u is very probn
bic the usual enchanted justice Will be measured out
IT, them Among the houses brokon into was that OF
Chief Joseph, VINO fortunately was absent and among
the PRISONERS was old Indian said TO BIO eghty-one
REASON yon THE RAID.
Tho cause OF the raid Is not known even TO those ar
rested Tho most probable excuse Tor the Outrage
CIV the f0llowing:-Back Of tho village there IS
m incoscd pasture Of 700 acres. For many years,
AMI until eighty years ago, when the Indians turned
Protestant thoy collected nominal pasturage fcc
from any but themselves who turncd thor cattle into
this Enclosure. Since then they have not attempted
TO collect any iee ana until TINS year aa MOI pny any
fences and two weeks ago gave notice at the Roman
Catholic Church door that all persons putting their
cattle into hc enclosure must pay the leo which wns
customary years before Their gates were destroyed
thrcc times, and three times rebuilt by tho Indians.
and thus matters stood ill this Tho chiot
arsumcnt in support OF this dispute beng tho Of
arrest is that the Algonquin Indian, who Is eighty
years old who served IN the war OF 1872 and Who
was arrested is we'll off and most inofensivc but hc
assisted in building the lence and no other charge
could possibly be brought against him. Report says
that the whole number OF Indians Is forty telegram
from Hudson reply to inquiries by your correspond
cnt, says:-
RELIGIOUS QUARREL.
"At three O'Clock this morning the provincial p0lico
headed by the priests noted bully, Fatcux and about
twenty-five Fronch Canadians, all armed, arrived AZ
Oka village entered ali the Protestant Indians
houses, except two, and took eight OF them prisoners
They entered Chief Joscphs house twice but
ioand u empty ho says there are . n ,os,sx
were sent to ST. SchaIastiquc Is expected that tho
remainder OF the warrants Will be served. The cause
OF tho arrests II Is supposed that tho Indians have
repaired the fences around their land and
put up gates the pubic road,
which has eecn their custom Tor over nifty
years. They show national papers 10 this effect.
-Four OF the prisoners belong to tho HUDSON Orange
lodge"
RESISTANCE ANTIcIPATED.
II Is rumored IN town tonight that tho Indians OF
Oka are arming ana intend TO resist the Provincial
Police and rescue their comrades IN jaiL The
rre iasL rYc All admit n.
dians being shamelully treated by the scignory
people,