Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-04
NIADDENED CHEYENNEs.


\ Fort heOgh, Montana, correspondent
Of the st. Louis Globe Democrat writes:
Black Wolf, head Chief of the Chev-
ennes, a peaceably-dispOsed, fair-minded
Indian, rode up to ZoOk & Anderson
ranch last Thursday on his cayuse pony.
and was greeted by the three or four cow
boys present with the customary Western
salutation Of welcome, "How." The
savage alghted, lariated his pony and
was invited to partake of the midday
meal then about to begin. He accepted.
and, after dinner was concluded. went of
a li-tle distance, sat down on log. and
quietly commenced smoking. While en-
gagged in this occupation. with his back
10 the white men, one Of the latter. hard
case cowboy by the name of TalfOrd, IN a
spirit Of deFlltry. Wagered with one OF his
companions that he could put a hole
through the Indians hat with his six
shooter and not touch his head.
The bet was promptly accepted, when
TalfOrd, drawing his heavy Colts revolver.
took deliberate aim at the Indians hat
and fired.
Black Wolf tumbled off the log, but a
moment later staggered TO his feet with
the bloc d streaming down his face from a
deep cash cut along the crown of his
skull, quickly sDrang on his pony, and
hurriedly made his escape through fear of
being killed. The cowboys, seeing him
depart in the direction Of the villages.
dashing al full speed on his cayuse, an
ticipated trouble. so they quickly
mounted their ponies and rode off in
search Of assistance. Help was secured
and when, a few hours later, the cowboys
were returning with increased numbers,
they saw a band Of Cheyennes coming in
the direction Of the ranch, and race
commenced between the two parties to
see which would reach the desired spot
first, but when the white men came with
in range the Indians opened fire. and
drove the former from the field. They
then set fire to the ranch and Outbuild-
ings, burning them to the ground, after
which they quietly returned to their camp
on the Rosebud.
OF course, the news spread like Wild
fire. The whole country was aroused,
and every cowboy within a radius of 100
miles FASTENED to the spot, ready and
anxious to exterminate the bloody Chey-
ennes without delay; but the capture of
the guilty ones was effected, fortunately,
without blOOdshed, and in a very short
space Of time every warrior in the camp
was made prisoner.
Deputy SheTiffs Louis King. J. L. Ed
wards and Billy Smith started with
posse on last Sunday morning for the
scene Of the late burning, and by the time
bLC DuA y lEdCuEu lAOSCUuu luEl uuliDCI
had been increased by nearly every white
man and cowboy in the county.
Secretly the camp was approached,
completely surrounded, every knoll, bush
and tree cOncealing an enemy with a
deadly rifle in his grasp. Nothing would
have suited these men better than to have
opened fire and commenced the work of
humiliation at once, but there were wise
heads among the attacking party, and one,
a.
post traders establishment at Fort keogh,
volunteered to go in alone and negotiate
a surrender. He proceeded into the heart
of the village and was welcomed by the
head men of the tribe, to whom he related
the object of his mission,
The chiefs listened IN respectful silence,
Acknowledged the burning of the ranch,
but could not be convinced that their ac-
ton was other than just and right in view
of the treatment received by Black Wolf
at their hands. They looked upon retalia-
ton as purely just measure under the
circumstances, and did not want to 90 to
law about the matter; but Thompson in
formed them that resistance was useless,
and to prove his words gave an agreed
signal, at which every bush, tree, shrub
and rock gave forth a cowboy armed to the
teeth.
The Indians made no further resistance,
but surrendered at once; and thirteen Of
their number, known to have been en-
gagged in the recent incendiarism, were
handcufed and brought to Miles City,
where they arrived to-day. They are now
confined in the county Jail awaiting trial,
while the rascal TalfOrd is still at large, and
is probably by this time far on his journey
south into Wyoming. The trouble may
not end here, for the Cheyennes scattered
all through this part of the country are
gathering in and about Miles City, evil
IDENTIFY at a loss to understand why their
relatives and friends should be held in
confinement when their action was simply
in retaliation for an outrage committed
by one of the whites.