The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1884-03-05
ON THE WAR PATH.
Hostile Indians on Arrow Creek
Bill Jones Killed -Excite-
ment Among the
Settlers.

Settlers.
(Beaton Record, Feb 29.l
Jack Wareham arrived In town to.
day with the st. srtling iuforma-
ton that a war party Of Indians,
tribe unknown, had appeared on
Arrow creek, fired upon two white
men, one of whom-B,ll Jones, an
old and we'll known resident of this
vicinity-was instantly killed. There
are also reasons to believe that the
Indians meditated a night attack
upon Jones' cabin. but the inmates
being fully prepared to receive them,
they failed to make any demon
stration. The particulars of the
affair are as follows:
Dan Gillem, a trapper and hunter.
living six miles from Bill Jones'
cabin on Arrow creek, while riding
down the banks of the stream to
visit Bill, came upon three Indians,
one of whom was punching a worm
out horse. The party seemed in a
hurry to leave the neighborhood aud
did not modest Gillem. Further on
Gillem came upon the carcass Of q
8 aughtered COW, which was quite
fresh and which the Iodians had
evidently just killed. On reaching
Jones' cabin, he told what he had
seen, and Jones got ready at once to
go after the Indians. On coming to
the spot where the redskins hid been
last seen they found the body
of dead horse, which
was still warm. There were indi-
cations that the Indians were not
far away aud G;llem suggested that
it would not be safe to follow them
further. Jones, however, who was
very courageous, insisted upon fol-
lowing them up, which they did, but
on coming opposite the mouth of y
coulee they were suddenly fired up
on. The 6rst shot fired had no ef-
feet. but the second Is supposed to
have struck Jones in the chest, as he
fell forward on his borse's neck, tx
claiming "Dh, my!" or, "Oh, DEAR"
or some similar words. Finding the
odds were against him and the Indi-
ans invisible, Gillem turned his
hOrse's head and rode back to jones'
cabin. JACK Morris was in the house.
but had not accompanied Jones OF
Giliem. The two men fearing that
the Indians might visit their cabin
during the night, and not know
ing how large q party of them
there might hr, barricaded the doors
and windows and KEPT on the alert
until morning. The men are conf
dent that whether the Indians med
itated an attack or not. they Were
prowling in the neighborhood. The
mules and horses were at intervals
extremely uneasy, and 10 the norm
ing moccasin tracks were discovered
near the house.
The following morning Gillem rode
up the creek to M,lluer & B 'arJ- |
mans place aud warned o:her settlers
the road. A party of ten or
twelve white men were Immediately
and started out to secure
Jones' body, but had not returned
when Wareham left. Gillem says
that when be left the scenes Of the
tragedy, the Indians Were chasing
Bills horse. Tue horse returned TO
the cabin sometime after Gillem's
He b-lieves that Jones is
quite dead, but bad no means of
positively.
THIS attack upon white settlers,
fifty miles of town, shows
how desperate the Indians have be-
come from starvation. Jones and
were in the employ of the
Cattle Association, and The
creek range contains some of
The most valuable cattle In the Terri
tory. 1t appears that a number of
costly animals had been killed at
different times during the winter,
aud this made Jones very eager to
the Indians or at least obtain
! glimpse Of them IN order to have
hem arrested and prosecuted. It is
evident that the Piegan tribe is un-
Ter no control whatever. The mill
AIRY at Forts Shaw and Assinnlto ine
ire too far away to exert any influ.
'nce in this peighbo:hood. The re-
ult will be, IL these Indians are per-
to enter the settlements and
oh and kill the settlers at will, there
will be q further reduction of Mr..
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