Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-07-26

EDITOR TELIER: Agreeable to you.
instructions on my arrival at Mt. Idaho,
| proceeded to the residence Of Mr..
BARLEY, for the purpose Of interviewing
him in regard to his knowledge Of White
Bird aud his band. l found him at the
saw mill, and after the usual greeting |
told him that as his letter had created
quite lively sensation among the mill
tary as we'll as the citizens below. that I
was commissioned to interview him for
the purpose Of laying the facts before
the public.
Con-. Mr.. BARLEY. you stated that
White Bird and his band arrived near
Clearwater june 2Sth, how did YOU re.
ccive your Information?
Mr.. BARrLEY. From White Bird
himself.
Con-. Wien and where did you see
Whuc Bird?
Mr.. B. Over between the su.tcs
near KAMA, June 30th.
Cow. Please state under what cir.
cumstauces aud the conversation you
had with the exile chief?
Mr.. j. was out hunting some
mares aud when came in sight Of the
iia;s between the buttcs I saw large
band of indians coming from Kamia. |
went right on, in short time they saw
ne and halted, after few moments 3
OF their number rode out to meet me. /
kept right on aud when we were within
20 yards they halted and asked ne what
wanted, when recognized White
Bird. Bannock jim and Mox Mox. /
told them ] was hunting horses, when |
spoke, White Bird came forward and
said, hellow Abe, is this you. He then
lnotioncd to his mcn to advance, which
they did with more precision than our
Cavalry move, when they came up they
all dismountcd, which gave me an oppor.
tunity Of seeing their ammunition. each
one had a two bushel sack full Of As
caliber cartridges. White Bird told inc
they had caught one hundred cases
over on the Lo Lo trail, but he did not
intend to use them If the military did
not bother him, but his men wanted
him to go and take San Francisco, but
he would not as he was tirel OF fighting,
but ne was going west in spite of all the
white men in this country, and as they
would want to cross Salmon that day
they would have to be going. When
they mounted, | asked White Bird to
make his men ride past me in single lile
SO | could examine their horses, which
he did and when the 10Th one came up
| told him to stop, which he did, White
Bird came back and / told him this
warrior was riding my mare, White
Bird ordered him to dismount and catch
horse they had running loose and
turned the pare over to me. White
Bird started on and returned home.
Con-. Why did you not report this
to Col. Hancock as soon as you returned
home?
Mr.. B. Well the Col. is a warm
friend of mine and | was afraid he
would attempt to arrest White Bird and
would loose all his mcn and arms, and |
was too busy to do it for him, Thought
it would be better to let it pass.
Con-. Thank you Mr.. b. for your
information and without imposing on
good nature too much, would like to
ask you how many Indians did you kill
last Summer
Mr.. b, ! killed 4 in John Mes pas.
ture. 10 in the Cottonwood fight, 8 up
behind my house, 3 out by the lake and
enc the other day with a rock, and if |
could have got any one to went with me
last Summer could have killed more,
but the volunteers were to cowardly to
90 out Of the fort.
Con-. Well Mr.. Il. I shall submit
this interview TO the TELLER, so the
people who arc not acquainted with you
can see that there is as much truth iu
this as there was iu your letter.