, 1877-08-25
Origin CT the Indian War.

Origin of the Indian War.
Mt. IDAHo L T., July p, 1877.
! In The Herald of the Sth inst, under the
title of Special dispatches to the SFRday
Herald, from Washington City, d. G., aP-
pears The following:
WASUNCT0S, July 4th.
4 letter from Indian Inspector Watkins,
dated Lapwai, idaho, June 22d, says: The
excitement as to the outbreak Of the Nez
Perces Is subsiding. Four Indians from
Joseph's camp say he expects p be killed,
and viii 90 to Nallowa valley and fight rs
long as he can. He hopes to be buried there.
The prisoners and wounded of Capt. Perry
force were all killed by Joseph. but none
mUtilated and no citizens or soldiers killed
have been lped by Joseph's Indians. He
made the Indians throw away all money
taken from whites, saying they never can
Use it. No houses have been
burned or other depredations made by
JOSeph's band, and as far as heard from the
Only men against whom the Indians had
some cid grddge have been killed. The first
white man killed had killed an Indian few
days ago, and was killed by a son Of that
Indian. After shooting her husband the
indians toll! his wife why they did 1t, and
let her 20 unharmed. In another cSse, 4
girl 10 years old, was fed and kept a day or
two and sent to Mt idaho Two women
and one child were wounded, but that was
accidental Other information Is somewhat
different bu5 in 10 case has woman or
chic been killed or Ill treated, when the
band were together or when Joseph was with
them"
Prom the position OF trust occupied by
Col. Watkins as L. ). Indian inspector, any
reasonable person who has not had exPer-
ience upon the frontier and observed the
total disregard of truth and Of private rights
that ci.aracterizes the tools Of the Indian
ring and their persistent effort TO shield the
Indian from punishment for has crimes, and
charge upon TIE worthy pioneers either IN
express terms or by implication responsible
ity for Indian oItageS, would be LED to be
heve his statements.
We VIII pass over his statement Of what
-Four Indians from Josephs camp say, m
cludinr the prepOSterous assertion that lie
(Joseph) made the Indians throw away all
money taken from the whites, saying they
never can use it, with expressing surprise
that he should send u his superiors at the
seat Of government information received
from Indians from J0seph's camp, after his
experience regarding the confidence to lie
placed upon Joseph or amy indisn 5 Protes-
sions as made at tie Indian council five
weeks previously, when he Joseph agreed
to 20 peaceably upon the Nez Perce 5 Indian
reservation. Inspector Watkins well knew,
for abundance Of information to that effect
had been forwarded 10 General Howard and
Indian agent Monteith at Lapwai agency
before the outbreak, that Chief Joseph had
Lett his own country at Nailowa and lower
Salmon river and had been only ten miles
from this place holding council with v bite
Bird. Clotely, Mox MoX, Black Tan Eagle
and other Salmon river Indians, having their
war dances and military exercises, and that
Joseph had the credit at least OF beng the
hsad and front Of the combined hostlles
I'VE viii canfine ourselves to his statement
relative to the outbreak and the attendant
outrages for which Inspector Watkins stands
before the public as authority.
The whole effort Of Inspector Watkins ap-
pears to be 70 make Joseph a romantic hero.
INSPECTOR Watkins asserts that on the 22d
of .June mo houses had been burned or
other depredations made by JosePhs band,
when the facts were that before the evening
Of June 18th ten dwellings, three stores,
seven barns and one shop had been burned
besides large number Of minor buildings
that before lie 10th ultimo large numbers oi
abandoned dwellings, had been plundered
and some thousands Of cattle and ho:Sess
stolen and driven of 10y the Indians, and
several teams and wagons FlTndered and
destroyed
navine. killed On the evening OF June 18th,
Who had never had officially with amy In
dian, and was at the time confined To - hiS
premises by sickness. No man was killed.
bv the son of an Indian vino had been pre-
yiously killed by him. There was but one
man Killed against whom any OF the Indians
chad IN old grudge, VIZ: Samuel Benedict,
who. about TWO years ago, Killed young
Indian less than y years old, who with q
Marty of renecades attacked Benedict and
his family with firearms at their home, and
Panadi,+ killed him in self-defeuse at the
time Of the attack by the Indian killed and
Inc nartv Mrs. Benedict aud her family OF
infant children escaped from the house
,radad White Bird creek and secreted them
saI,es N the bushes to AVOID the s2va9es-
P;cbar5 Devine. the first settler murdered,
,,-ss killed on the 18th Of June, over 20 miles
froIo where Benedict resided Benedict was
t-;lIsd ON the 18th OF the same month, and
- oDa of the last victims Of the massacre.
~, the night Of June 18th, within less than
te,, nils II where Joseph GEd the associated
fsnds Of Indians had been holding council
and Derforpliag their military exercises, the
norton PARTY we're attacked, while heeihS
~ idaho for safety, and Benz. y. Nor
=, I,b,, Chamberlain and a child OF Chaiii-
i,a-Ia;n only four years old, killed; another
cbiIJ ~ Cha1nberlain's, two years DID, was
,+aII.S fIrough the neck. and lad = part q
- ta,',, c1t oif. and still lives to DC an ev-
;dence Of Indian mercy. Mrs, Nor'oA va /
severely wounded and she s:lH saners IIoHi
-, ;o;,,ries Mrs. Chamberlain was Wonn- /
III and her sufierings require a more Gfal lii1 I
80, - +Lsn mine 10 depict. Lewis Day was I
Pen P-t.D,- IL wounded. and Joseph Moore was (
,,-o5,nJcd and still fingers N critical eolHl-
49,, The fanc.ful Y atkins asserts that m 7
s,,otber case girl 10 Yeas old was Ieq ana !,
fepr a lIay or tEo and sent 70 NJ IdAlIo-
Nothing for which color Tor the above
-..taToe,,f eould be obtained ever occurred !
Or Ii+tIe eirI. SIX and halt years OH, was
-, - nv Patrick Brce from where her father
Is - ,,-oTnjsd on White Bird creek, and con
r.yad - h Nj. Idaho The little glrl herself
- +;,en suffering from broken arm and
t,s, arrow wounds, inflicted D. the Il,lAis-