The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-05-23
MURDEROUS REDS
"a. DeGeabashas Murder Ave.Eed-
stsies Msrses neesverea-A
B.A st.ie sf Amir. - y


PowDER RIyER, WYo., May 10.
About two weeks ago an account
vas given in your columns Of the muir
aer Of Mr.. John Deifenbach "a stock
man well known in this section Of
Wyoning). murder, according TO the
version OF your correspondent, perpe-
trated by white men disguised rs In
dians. but which there Is now not the
slightest doubt must be ascribed 10 the
Indians themselves.
wish. sir. to lay before your readers
a plain, unvarnished statement Of this
most melancholy occurrence. and to call
attention to the miserable apathy ito
use no harsher term) Of the Indian au-
thorities in connection with IT.;
In the month OF March last Mr.. John
Deifenbach came to my ranch and pur-
chased a number Of beef cattle. He
shortly afterwards purchased about ITO
head of horses from the estate Of the
late Mr.. Haller, and with these two
herds be started for the Black Hills,
where he resided with his brothers.
On the Goth day Of April he had ar
rived at place situated about forty-five
miles northeast Of Pumpkin Buttes, and
one mile from Belle Fourche river,
when his attention was attracted by a
herd Of horses grazing at a short dis
tance from his trail. Telling the men
Of his outfit to ride on with the cattle
and horses and pitch their camp little
further on, he rode off alone to examine
this fresh herd; but on arriving close TO
them be was surrounded by Indians
who had lain in ambush In the neigh
boring gulches and washouts, and who
had placed these, their own horses, In
q conspicuous position as a decoy.
Deffenbach was shot down ut once, and
later on In the day whilst the men Of
his outfit were searching for him, the
Indians swooped down on his camp and
drove of his horses.
His men found Deffenbach's body,
buried 1t, and then went on towards
the Black Hills, found Mr.. Dan Deffen-
bach (the murdered mans brother),
who, having obtained reinforcements,
making up their number to ten men,
started Immediately or the trail OF the
Indians. After tracking them for ten
days In the direction OF Fort Mckinney,
they discovered that the Indians were
greatly superior TO themselves In num-
bers, and consequently they came down
to the Powder river postotilce-a gov
ernment reservation and old govern
ment post-to ask for assistance.
And now, sir, occurred an event
which, although am sorry to say it, Is
yet Of such nature that do not hesi-
tate to characterize 1t rs disgraceful-
disgraceful not only to the Indian bu-
reau but also TO the military admins
tion which is supposed to be dependent
upon 1t. Mr.. Dan Deffenbach sent
telegram on May 9Th from the Powder
river postofiice TO the commandant ut
Fort Mckinney, stating the raid of the
Indians, his brothers murder and the
robbery Of his horses, and asking for
Immediate assistance, rs the Indians
were then at Crazy Woman, and within
fifty miles Of the fort. The answer
came at once, and was that which We
know from sad experience TO be the
stereotyped form In all such cases,
namely, that much rs the commandant
regrets the sad occurrence, he can do
nothing without orders from Washing
ton.
There being nothing to hope from
military assistance; rs the only choice
Of avenging his brothers. death or re-
covering the horses, lay in the imme-
diate pursuit Of the Indians, Mr.. Dan
Deffenbach sent round ut once to the
nearest ranches for assistance. OBJ
tained fifteen more men, including my
own foreman AMI two OF his assistants,
making 25 men In all, and the same
night started on the trail Of the In
dians.
After following the trail for 1--WE days
they came up with the Indians on the
18th, near the head waters Of the Little
Missouri, and after sharp fight, last
ing nearly two hours, they completely
routed the Indians and succeeded in
recovering all the horses except those
on which the Indians were mounted
and few which they had killed on the
way. In the fight, one OF our brave
fellows was killed; he was q married
man, named Rhodes, OF Deadwood, and
leaves q widow and four children to
mourn his loss.
trust most sincerely that some pro-
vision will.be made for this'poo widow
and children by that government whilst
performing whose soldiers duty Rhodes
nobly fought and died. The loss Of the
Indians Is unknown; several Of them
were seen to be hit, but they were i'm
mediately carried OF. by their comrades.
After recovering the horses, our citi-
zen defenders returned from the pursuit
OF the Indians, some taking on the
horses to the Black Hills and the rest
returning to their respective ranches.
my own men returned on May 10th,
having been absent eight days, during
'he whole Of which time no offer was
made, either directly or indirectly, by
any OF the nufhorifIoa NJ fj,a Icdtor