The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-07-28
THE MILE LAC MIJRDEREkS.
Arrival of Sheriff Tibbetts Of Aitkin County in
st. Paul With the Alleged Slayers
OrQna-ke.gi.sic.
Thrilling Description Of the Exciting Scenes
Following the Murder Given by
Eye Witnesses.
Interview Between Gov. Pillsbury and Chief
Cha.bash.cOnk, Brother of the Murdered
Indian A Plea for Justice.

Quite notable party arrived in st. Paul by
the Northern Pacific trarl yesterday morning,
being composed Of Sf.riff Tibbetts Of Aitkin
county, and his deputies, Frank Tibbetts and
James Thompson, who had in custody George
Harris and Henry Taylor, the young men who
wantonly murdered an Indian at Aitkin early
last Sunday morning. Accompanying them
were three Mile Lac Indians, namely, Cha
bash conk, chief of the tribe and brother OF
the murdered Indian; Wa-Wige- VAN Qhe
Indian home), and Pin-di-ga-gisic Coming
into the day.. The latter came along as
delegates from the tribe to see that the prison
ers were put in place where they could be Sc
cnre]y kept, and to talk with Gov. Pillsburv
concerning their crime and whether they would
be punished for it. Cha bash-conk, tho chief,
is quite an old man, whose copper-colored
visage is scared and furrowed by the troubles
and cares Of sixty years. He was attired in an
old felt hat, calico shirt, a pair of jean
drawers and an army blanket, his feet being
Olga gisic were similarly attired with the ex-
ception that they each wore brand new pair
Of ready-made pantaloons. Sheriff Tibbetts
and his deputies took the prisoners, who were
handcufred together, to the county jail, where
they were locked up in cell Cha BASH conk
and the other Indians made close inspection
of the Jail, and went away apparently satisfied
in regard to its security. The party then
went to a restaurant, whore they appeased
their hunger, and then composed themselves
to patiently await the return Of Gov. Pillsbury
from New Ulm.
THE STORY OF THE CRIME,
as related by Sheriff Iibbetts is q fearful re-
cital of devilish and unprovoked murder The
uamo of the Indian who was killed was
Qua-ke-gi-sic (stralght in the sky He was not
chief as stated by other papers, but was e
brother Of the chief Cha-bash- conk, and was
fiffv-fOnr If Ho okhor IN
dams were sitting around AL open fire about
o'clock last Sunday morning when George
Harris and Henry Taylor came down to the
camp with some whisky, and after some little
paid but little attention to them They then
returned to the town of Aitken. which is about
forty rods from the camp, and broke into a sa-
loon. After going through the till, they took q
Winchester rifle and went to house at least a
half mile distant, where they procured some
cartridges. Being thus prepared for the deed
of violence, they returned to the Indian camp,
and without word of warning opened fire
upon the little squad of Indians who were sit
ting around the camp fire. The first shot went
over the heads of the squatting savages, the
second also missed but caused all the Indians
struck Qua lie. gi-sic in the back of the
neck and killing him instantly and the fourth
shot was miss. One of the Indians ran up
the railroad and three shots were fired after
him, but without effect
Sheriff Tibbitts heard the firing from his
house and went ont to investigate the cause of
it. When the Indians gave him description
of the men who had done the dastardly deed,
he at once rccI gnized who they were and the
arrest of Harris and Taylor: followed.
Harris ut made e. n, ,o determined re-
bending trouble, Sheriff Tibbetts telegraphed
to Gov. Pillsbury for advice. A copy of this
dispatch and the governors reply thereto was
published in the PIONEER PRESS Of Tuesday.
1t appears that the sheriff's
APPREHENs1oNs OF TROUBLE
were we'll founded, for the Indians began COM
additions to their numbers were made on the
following day. They surrounded the Jail, keep
ing the most vigilant guard over it so that the
prisoners should not escape, and finally, on
Monday demanded that Harris and
Taylor be, turned over to, them
confidence in the white mans laws. They de-
clared that as had happened in other cases the
white men would help the mnrderers to get out
of the country, and then they would never be
eager for revenge as Quail -gi-sic had been
greatly beloved by them. They refused to be
satisfied with anything less than having the
prisoners delivered over to them to be pun
ished according to their savage customs. AS
may be readily imagined the little town was in
Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and
the citizens were in hourly dread of an out
break. The arrival of W. W. Erwin Of ST. Paul,
who had been summoned to defend the pris-
oners on their preliminary examination before
the local magistrate was regarded with great
an evidence of the intention Of the white mon
to shield the prisoners from the just conse-
quences Of their crime, and some Of the more
turbulent Indians fourished their weapons ia
Close proximity saaiyy to the notea de- criminal
the town, all Of whom regarded Mr.. Erwin as
one who was paid to aid in the escape of the
murderers of their greatly beloved Qua ke-gi-
sic, his feelings were quite the reverse of COM
that he readily agreed with Sheriff Iibbetts'
declaration that it would not be safe to attempt
to hold preliminary examination of the pris-
oners there, Us the Indians would undoubtedly
make rush for them the minute
they were taken out Of this JAIL 1t was finally
determined that the only safe course was to
devise some stratagem by which the prison.
ers might be got on the train and brought to
st. Paul without the knowledge of the Indians.
DURING ALL THIS TIME
the Indians had been holding councils. The
old chief, Cha-bash- Conk, who had been sum-
moned from the Mile Lac reservation, thirty
miles away, acted with Sheriff Tibbetts, District
Attorney Holland and other judicious and cool
headed citizens in the endeaver to placate the
Indians and preserve the peace, and it is
agreed that general outbreak was only averted
by their sound discretion and excellent judg-
councils ' held on Friday: TSe place where
they were held was a new hall called Kents
hall At the first council the Indians made q
demand that the prisoners be delivered over to
them. Mr.. George H. Holland, the district at
torney, then told them that there was q law for
ft1o oh NJ and t1,nfs ~
take its course. After this there was .
good deal of discussion and several
of the Indians made eloquent and fiery
speeches. Finally they agreed upon what evi-
IDENTITY seemed to them great concession, and
this was that the prisoners should be brought
out and put to death by the white men in any
way the latter chose, as long as the Indians
were allowed to see the execution. The refusal
to comply with the demand made them very
angry, and when Cha bash-C onk proposed that
the prisoners be allowed to be treated
as al thou, though they had! had murdered
Ct the naan. h% ss
renegade and q coward and left the hall and
the council broke up in tumult. While the
council was being held the widow of Quake
vented by guard appointed for that especial
purpose. If che had succeeded in getting into
the hall aud arouslng the Indians with her
lamentations the dreaded outbreak would
doubtless have been Precipitated then and
there.
AT TIE SECOND COUNCIL
there was good deal of Indian eloquence
aired. Cha-bash- conk finally persuaded the
old men of his band to consent that the pris-
onors should be tried according to law, but il
was long before they would agree that the
men should be taken away from Aitkin. The
young men vowed that Harris and Taylor should
never leave Aitkin alive. At last Cha-bash-
conk said that if the sheriff. district attorney
and eight OF the foremost men Of the town
w,uld sign two pieces Of paper-so that there
would be no chance Of the treaty getting lost
agreeing that the prisoners should be
brought :back to Brainerd for trial that he
would see that they were allowed to be
taken away: The treaty was signed
and Cha bash-conk took them to the
men of his band for safe keeping.
When he asked the eight citizens what
redress he would have in case the treaty was
not kept, they replied that then they would ex-
pect that their houses would be burned and
their families mastered. Mr.. Erwin then
offered Cha bash-conk 500 bill for the bene-
lit of the dead Indians family, which was &C.
cepted, much to the displeasure of brother
of the chief, who shook q pipe menacingly in
Cha-bash-conk's face and called him