The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-08
BOUNCING THE BOOMERS.
Paynes Intruders Expelled from Indian Ter
ritory- The Leaders Under Arrest.

CALDWELL, Kan, Aug Yesterday Cen
erai Hatch, in company with Adjutant-gener
Finley and Inspector Greene of the Interior
Department, visited Payne's camp at Rockfall,
in the Indian country, and after reading the Pres
idents proclamation to him and his assembled
followers, directed them to leave the Territory
before this morning or they would be elected
This took place in small board shanty, oecu-
pied by the Oklahama Chief newspaper, the
forms of which were being made up
at the time. Payne at first attempted
to discuss the legal aspects of the
case but soon became angry and very
abusive in his language calling all the officers of
the government from the highest to the lowest,
q pack OF thieves. Cooper, the editor, chined
IN with vltuperation and threats. Failing to
provoke the officers into quarrel, Payne said
he had valise full Of money and he would give
$l.Uu0 to be tried by a United States court, and
in order to assure the officers of case against
him, he would then and there sell them liquor
OF cigars without a license or permit.
He urged the officers to dine with him, and
offered them plenty of liquor if they would do so.
BY TINS time a large crowd had assembled from
the tents and shanties along the river. The
officers again admonshed them to leave and not
return The only reply was torrent of abus-
i've eplthets that can not be published.
Ihe officers then returned to camp ten miles
distant. Early this morning twosquadrons of the
ninth United States Cavalry commanded by
Captain Moore, appeared in the boomers camp,
and under directions of Indian Agent Rogers,
arrested the whole community and took
charge of the printing Office All the women
new offenders, were escorted to the Kansas line,
together with their personal property. Six old
Offenders, named D. u Payne, j. B. Cooper, D..
6 Greathouse, !. ". Ecklebarger, John
AfafAr ya,45 H.. -. -.
mule wagons and started under escort of Lieu
tenant jackson and fifteen men, for Ft. Smith,
Ark, three hundred miles distant The paper
was ready to go to press, and, upon
inquiry number of printers were
found in the command, who soon printed
an ediaon Of 100 copies. The press
was then carefully packed and loaded into a
wagon, and started under escort for Muskogee,
It being contiscated property, and, under the
law unreplevlnabe. The printing Office and
other buildings including two boarding houses,
drugstore, a cigar store and restaurant and
some cheap dwellings-were then burned to the
ground, and the last yestige of Rock Falls had
disappeared Payne threatened to cut the
throat OF the first man who attempted
to arrest him, but one colored soldier
marched about the camp for an hour.
Payne has lost whatever prestige
he may have had heretofore with the thinking
class of the community. He has been on de-
bauch for week, and was unable, last night to
dltenthH conference OF SQnaUters aIger Generai
Hatch left Rock Falls. The poor deluded
squatters will now realize that they have paid
him many thousands of dollars without any
equivalent The number elected from this
camp was about two hundred and fifty.
large crowd of citizens was present from Hun.
newell, as spectators, and heartily approved the
course adopted to rid the territory of intruders.
It is believed this will cure the boomers Of try
ing to force settlement of Indian lands. Other
detachments of troops have been sent to the re
manning settlements, who will, in like manner
arrest the ringleaders and take them to Fort
Smith s#