The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-03-26
SBLANKINSHTP'S BLAST.
A Vigorous Letter on the Indian
Raid Question.
A Faithful Recital of the Depredations
Recently Committed by the Piegans.
DRY WOLF CREEK, NJ. T.
March Is, 1884.

March Is, 1884
Editors River Pres: ss7s5
Being constant reader Of your paper
and knowing the influence it brings tc
bear in exposing injustice and injury,
am writing you to show the danger te
life and property to which the settlers oi
the Judith Basin and Musselshell are
now exposed, being subject to the raids
of Uncle SANS red pets belonging to the
Blackfeet nation. 1t has been under.
stood that orders from Washington stat.
ed that all Indians (friendly or other
Wise) were not to be allowed to leave
their reservations without leave, and
then only with q military escort. Tt
seems that these orders are defied with
impunity, as the Indians leave their re-
servations when they please, and COM
nit burglary, murder, cattle killing, or
horse stealing at their leisure, wherever
they go.
Besides the stealing Of horses on the
Marias, and the killing of poor Jones
on Arrow creek, we find that four In
dians broke open the house of Henili-
der's, on Otter creek, stealing therefrom
his gun, blankets and provisions. From
there they came to my ranch, stealing
two of my best horses, valued at $4OO,
and one of my neighbor's, valued at
SIPS; this, too, in my presence, in broad
daylight, and fired at me for two or
three hours, fortunately without doing
any injury. Lucky for them [ was un-
armed at the time, or [ would have
made them dance Missouri jig From
my place they followed the mountains
to the Judith Gap, and when they came
to the 70 Cattle Co.'s ranch on Coulee
creek, Is miles south Of the Musselshell,
they dropped one black stallion branded
I'll on left shoulder and stole two fine
American mares.
They then went seven miles further
to the Painted robe creek to another cat
tie ranch, and there left two of the mares
and two of the horses taken from my
ranch. They then stole eight valuable
saddle horses from this place, after
which they made raid on the Crow
camp and got away with So hores. From
here they crossed the Yellowstone, and
in broad open daylight stole white
man. s horses right before his face. 1t
was in the chase after them from this
place that the two white men were slain
by these red devils; one of the Indians,
however, was killed, and another one SO
severely wounded that he won't be able
to sit down for a while. These Indians,
too, killed cattle belonging to the cross
S company, and dried the meat within
three miles of the ranch. How is that
for cheek?
1, ,;c SC, rasI
out of many This stealing of horses
cloak for raids on the whites. If the
government feeds these Indians, allows
them to be furnished with arms, and
then issues orders which are never
obeyed, the whites are going to defend
themselves. The cowboys on the Mus
selsheli and Yellowstone state that the
interior department had better call in
the rim-fire Henry's the Piegans have
got, and give them little longer range
guns, as travelling through there with
that kind has come to head in that
section.
In my 7O4 miles chase after these In
dams I heard of other war parties of the
same tribe securing through the country
with stolen bands of horses. When l
was at Okla Judith Cap / heard that
eight Indians chased one white man till
his tongue was out, to get possession OF
his horse. Another party OF Indians
were cached in the Big Snowies with a
herd of about sixty-five stolen horses.
A few days ago two Indians passed Mr..
Anderson's ranch, on Wolf creek, driv-
ing herd of thirty or forty horses
northward at full jump. About a couple
of weeks ago band of twelve Indians
were camped on Big Cottonwood, all On
foot, well furnished will lariats and more
im-fire Henrys. God help them when
the cowboys get after them, and they
won't fare much better among the
ranchmen, after killing two Of their
best men.
From what I have stated above if
must be easily perceived that eastern
Meagher county is getting heartily tireda|
of this border war, which is essentially
one-sided. If the Piegans cannot be |
kept on their reservation by their agent,
by all means let the military do it, and |
any loose ones that may happen to stray |
into eastern Meagher county with eye
sight so deficient that they mistake a |
white man for Sioux, and steer for
a buffalo, will have his eyesight so eff |
fectually cured when he gets there he |
won't want any more of Uncle Sans |
rations. w. III. BLANKINsHrP.