Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-24
THE CANADIAN TROUBLES.

News Received at Winnipeg of a General
Uprising of Indians-Wild scenes at bat
t~leford-Houses Sacked and Burned and
Men NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Take Refuge in
h Barracks.
WINNIPEG, Man., April News from
the Far West is very alarming. The Stony
Indians have risen and gone OH the war
path. The tribe is one of the strongest
and best fighting tribes in the whole terri
tory. 1t was always supposed to be friend
ly toward the Government, which boosted
of such friendship, but the rising to-day
has causeda genuine surprise to the author
tiles.
The tribe is known to number 5000
strong. most of whom possess arms and are
ready to fight. They occupy many reserves
in the vicinity of Battleford, and were ill.,
cited to rise by emissaries of Riel, who
went among the chiefs and offered them
presents from Riel to induce them to join.
Wild scenes were enated at Battlefront
Monday night. All night long the Indians
who had possession of the town had a war
dance, and made the night hideous with
their warwhoops and wild actions.
They sacked every house in town
containing: anything of value, and then
set fire to them. Most Of the red
skins were painted like demons, had
their heads plumed, and were per-
fectly wild with delight over the loot they
were able to secure. They continued to
feast and rejoice all night. In the morning
a large armed band of Indians marched to-
ward the barracks where all the settlers and
inhabitants of the town with their families
were in refuge. The Indians
gesticulated wildly and acted in a
menacing manner. When within gun-shot
of the barracks a halt was called and a
council of chiefs held. After a long parley
the band retired, much to the relief of the
inmates of the barracks, who were fearful
of an attack, not so much from the fire they
would be subjected to, but from fears of the
barracks being set OH fire.
The Indians went back to the town and
resumed their depredations. Not content
with plundering, the redskins visited u
ranch a short distance south of the town,
set fire to it, killed the owner, and drove
off the stock, which will be used to
keep them from starving and enable them
to continue the fight. In the town they
captured and killed George E. Apple
garth, James Payne and two others, and
it is believed that others were also killed by
the redskins. The settlers coming into
town to take refuge in the barracks were
robbed, roughly handled, and their pro-
visions seized by the indians. The author
tiles here are very anxious about the be-
sieged, as it is feared they will not be able
to hold out until relief arrives. An official
dispatch last night says:
"BATTLEFoRD, April 1.-The Indians have
left the town and gone in a western direction.
Ihe women in the barracks are greatly re-
Heved, as il is felt that the INDIANS do not
contemplate an attack upon the barracks.
Every precaution has been made to repulse
the Indians should they attack the barracks"
The authorities have telegraphed to the
people in the barracks to remain tllerc until
relief arrives. General Middleton has or
dered an advance of the troops at Qu'Ap.
pelle to the Touchwood Hills, sixty miles
toward Prince Albert. They will remain
there to combat the File Hill Indians To-
Gated near there, should trouble arise, and
when the main body OF troops arrive thew
will go with them.
OGeneral Middleton says he must have
1000 more troops. The troops from East
ern Canada will arrive here on Friday.
WORD has been sent from Washington to
the Commandant at Fort Pembina to co-
operate with the Canadian authorities to
prevent any depredations. The mail service
III the Far West is completely stopped.