Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-01-30

A fortnight ago Tie whole un.rv
vas alarmed at the prospect of = terri
bic Indian war in tie northern part of
British Columbia. There being no mil
itary OF naval force in the Province, our
Government was appealed TO, and in
response sent the revenue cutter Oliver
Wolcott to the scene of action. The
outcome. the whole story in fact, is now
told in the dispatch following, to the
Victoria Standard, and is found TO DO
an affair far more trivial and ludicrous
than was imagined:
NASAIxo, Jan. q, 1sS3.-rhe e. S.
revenue cutter Oliver Wolcott with DR..
Powell, Indian Commissioner, Supt.
Todd and Dir. Anderson, on board. ar
rived at Departure Bay this morning.
When the Molcott left Departure Bay
on the upSard trip she met the steam
schooner Dolphin near Swanson,s Bay.
iii Flniayson's Channel, with Bishop
RIDLEY on board as passenger for ficto-
ria. The Bishop went On board the
Wolcott and retired With her TO Met
lakatlah. On arrival there il was found
that everything WAS III . state of some
little excitement. caused by the Indians
removing some building from a prom
issd church reserve. but which had new
or been decided by the Government, 10
spot upon their owa land. This removal
was effected with good deal Of noise
and excitement generally, peculiar to
Indians.
The Wolcott arrived on the 18th of
January. Summonses were issued the
same day ON complaint of The Bishop
against Paul Legaie, Robert Husson and
Luke Summer, Indians of TIE Duncan.
lite side. for rlotous conduct and remov-
ing property. A summons was also
sworn nut by Paul Legaie against the
Bishop for assault, and cross action
was entered by tie Bishop against Sitka
Jim, Robert Husson and Paul Legale,
for assault also. The 1irst charge, that
of rio:ous conduct and removing build
ings from the so-ealled church reserve,
Was tried the day after arrival and dis
missed, parity on the ground that the
church did not own the property, hav-
ing no title deed therefor. The charges
OF assaulting tie Bishop were proven
and Sitka Jim was fired $50 or 10 days,
ANU t4FEdtt anu ~NfC 42AltA . ~
or 10 days imprisonment Tie fines
were Immediately paid.
Now to give the origin OF the trouble
which created the excitement. Two
( thirds OF the Indians support Mr. Dun
can and the other third the Bishop.
/ The latter's followers had organized a
! band and one of them had purchased q
/ large drum from one of the Duncanites.
II! - Il. .xf
the Indians. in fact 1t was q joint stock
dun. But the man who sold 1t had
the largest interest III 1t. The other
Indians wEo owned part shares took
this dram away from the purchaser
when he was taking 1t home. and IN do
ing so used some force. This occurred a
few DAYS before Christmas. TIE Bish-
OPP on complaint, issued q warrant for
the eaptors of the drum. namely, Mat
thew johnson and Mark Bate, on a
charge of forcibly taking 1t IN the high
way and they were lodged III Jail. As
the Bishop did not want to try the case
alone, he postponed the hearing for six
days. refusing bail. The Indians not
wishing to SEQ their comrades confined
in cold, unheased Jail during Christ
mas festivities, made up deputation
and walked down TO the Bishops house.
He was not in: but they saw him COM
ing up the street accompanied by his
wife. They thought now was the OPP
portunity to see him and walked to
meet him. One of the Indians. named
Legaie, put up his hand in front of the
Bishop to stop him, but he brushed his
hand awey. They then closed around
him, when the Bishop squared off in
good style, hitting right and left. This
affair, of course, brought on more trou-
BILE, whom the Bishop started for Veto
ria on the Dolphin.
After the settlement of the different
summonses DR.. Powell invited the IN
dams tn pow WOW at pm. on Mon
day, 22nd, III the Mission building.
When no arrived at the building at the
appointed hour not an Indian was to
be seen, and on gong to Mr.. Duncan's,
the latter told him that the Indians had
concluded not TO go to the Mission
House, as 1T was on church property,
but that they had no objections to hav-
ing the meeting in their own church.
Several meetings were held and Mr..
Duncan at one time threatened to resign
and leave the place, but after little
while pacific counsels prevailed. At
one time matters assumed very black
appearances, as the Indians threatened
TO fence the Bishop in aud to do good
ness knows what if he stepped beyond
the boundry. IL was finally arranged
that each party should mind its own
business.
The Bishop intends to remove his
family from Metlakatlah and to return
and stay himself.
Further and more minute details will
be furnished on the arrival of the VOL
colt at Victoria.