The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-12-23
A Merry Christmas to all
WAR I'm THE WOODS.
Chinese Wood Choppers Dis
persed Sunday.
ARREST OF THE AGGREssoRs.
From the Butte Miner Goth.

From the Butte Miner Goth.
We r-frained Sunday morning from max
ing any mention of the raid then meditafed
against the Chinese wood choppers near
Highland park, for the reason that nothing
definite was then known in regard to the
matter. Sunday morning Constable soap"
Owen, of this township, visited the scene of
the strife, between the headwaters of Silver
Pow creek and Basin creek, about thirteen
miles from Butte. He went to the cabin of
Mr.. Joel p. Catching, In whose employ the
Chinese are. Mr.. Catching has y contract
30 supply several thousand cords of wood TO
the Colorado and Montana Smelter at s450
per cord delivered. The Cinnamon we're in
his employment, cutting wood under writ
ten contract. made by him and Joseph p.
Heine, a sub contractor, by which the China
men were to be paid from s1.25 to s1.50 per
cord for wood piled in the park. Mr.. Catch
ing stated that he felt obliged to employ
Chinese labor. as he must have the wood and
had tried in vain to get white men to take
his contract off his hands Mt Sl.56 per cord
and an additional bonus of $500. There were
about ten Cinnamon at work near Catchings'
cabin and Others In the camps around. Some
Of them, 1t IL said, had become alarmed and
fled before Owen arrived. While he was at
the cabin some two hundred and thirteen
white men. most of them armed, rode up,
with the intention of driving the Chinese
away. Owen undertook to read the .'riot
act" to them, but they greeted him with
groans and excavations, and even threats of
personal violence. They seemed to be under
the leadership of Chance L. Harris, Esq, as
sisted by james p. Matingly. Their leaders
at this point commanded silence, and asked
! that the peace officer be listened to respect
fully. cap" Owen in the meantime had not
| fiinched for moment from the discharge of
his duty, and at once attempted to arrest the
| ring leaders. The men declared that they
| would disperse, but only after they had
driven the Cinnamon from the timber which
they proceeded to do. The Celestials went
away without offering any resistance, being
| largely outnumbered. Deputations were then
sent from the main force to other neighbor.
| ing camps, and the whole body of almond
| eyed wood choppers was dispersed, with how
much or how little resistance is not yet
known. In the meantime Constable Owen
returned to Butte, summoned posse to aid
him in enforcing the law, and will leave to
day or tomorrow for the timber, with the
intention of dispensing the rioters. He will
take with him warrants for John Dee, Rich
ard Roe and several others less well known
1t was stated last night that reliable citizens
of Butte had already sent word to the timber
men of the approach of the posse, who, 1t Ii
said, will enforce the law at all hazards. Mr.
Harris has been arrested, and is out on bal
of $500 The section under which Mr.
Owens proceeds is number 10, on page 900 Of
the last Revised Statutes of Montana, and tn,
charge made in the warrants is the rathe
grave one of "unlawful assemblage and in
reference with pr ivate rights"