Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1885-04-30

thirty whites Probably Butchered at tne
rort-A skirmish at Battisf0rd' and an
E,rfy Attack Expected.

rOrt-A Sktrmish ut 0stsASA~N~s ~
Eariy Attack Expected.
Winnipeg. Special Telegram, April "a
"a Ba,slefori, yesterday, FIVE mounted
,AIiao,aan arrived from Fort Pitt bearing
Intelligence that in an attack by the Indians
ono of the poIicemen was killed aud one
wounded Al the other Occupants OF me
fort, including the Hudson Bay factor, NC
team, and family, have taken refuge IN
camp Of friendly Indians near The post The
police, who escaped upon raft, tell the s'orN
Of the fight and give details Of the position
For two weeks tho fort was stirIotudcd by In,
dians, who constantly menaced the place. ana
an stack was constantly expected Iho IN
dams demanded the surrender Of the fort, but
Inspector Dickens, OF the police, fosoiutely re-
fused. There were about fifty men IN the DAT
racks, including the police, anu ~ lh1y MI, MI
well armed they eoula have kept the Indians
away hut Chief Big Bear sent TO bsVo Q pariey
with Mclean, the chief factor. The chief told
him II the civilians and police would lay down
their arms and surrender he would protect
themL Mclean is timid, and accepted the oner
for himself and the civilians. lnsp ector
Dickens even after tho civilians had lett him,
refused 70 surrender; and, with his mon, he
WAS rmbarhirg on taft for Battleford when
baud al hiindied Indians tifider bls Bear
attacked him The police fought desperately
and killed a considerable number OF REDSKINS
The band was finally forced to retreat anG the
police escaped. Willism Cqwani one OF me
humber. Was killed, and anBther, named Lens
by. fatally wounded Others were wounded,
but not seriously The timidity OF Mclean
embarrassed tho police and proved IA
tai 10 the liberty OF thirty whites,
men, women and children-who are believed
10 have fallen victims to the treach-
4 he nj ia w
escaped brought intelligence regarding the
Frog Lake massacre, which was reported re"
DAYS ago TO have been canard Tho Indians
about Prog Iahe had been acting IN strsnge
manner for some time, and one SUNDAY tney
invited the whites TO attend church, Inc
frightened people complied There In the sane,
mary for hours sat the trembling women and
children and much scared men, side by side
with their dusky enemies When the service
was over the Indians retired first and Us the
whites left the edifice ten Of them were shot
instantly The two priests, Fathers fafard
and Msrchaud who had oiiciated at the
service. were then seized by the bloodthirsty
Indians. and after being beaten 10 death, the
bodies were burned The redskins subse.
auently faided houses in the vicinity and
committed many depredations BaHleford
dispatches states that Frank Smart store
keeper there, while on duty at the barracks,
was killed by bullet from a rifle in the hands
fred upon band of Indians at Battle river
crossing with what result is not known.
Moosimin's band il In communication with
POundmaker's, and tronble is feared An early
attack on Battleford is expected The gar
rison is thoroughly alarmed. Word has been
sent TO Col Otter TO make all haste with his
colamn TO the relief of the besieged. IL Is
now expected that he will reach there Satur-
day. There seems little doubt he will have
s6me ightitg u do, as the entire country
about Battleford il supposed 20 DO s~arninE
with hostile Indians. A sufficient amount vi
supplies has at last reached Middleton to en-
able him 10 proceed forward dispatch TO
ceiYed this morning said:
MIDDLETON WOULD ADVANCE TO-DAY
Melgund and his scouts encountered several
OF Riol's scouts yesterday and exchanged shots
with them, but as Riel's men retired into am
bush, where it was probable that half breed
reinforcements lay MelgInd retired Middleton
telegraphed instru lions to have the steamer
Northc0tte bring on supplies with all haste The
steamer is now on the way to Prince Al, IT. heav-
lly freighted with provisions. Middleton says he
will meet her in Prince Albert in three days.
by which time he expects 10 have cleaned out
the rebels. Arrangements have been made for
Irvine 10 meet him near BatOche's Crossing,
where it is expected fight viii take place
Irvine will prevent the escape OF the rebels IN
the event of an engagement II is quite eyl-
dent that the military authorities are
In possession Of facts not known 10
the public for percmptory orders
were received from Middleton To have all
troops stationed here TO so 10 the front atonce
The London fusileers and French battalion,
each 800 strong, left in two special trains
for Swift Current from which point
they Will be forwarded by river to join
Middleton. The governor generals body
guard, the Winnipeg troop OF cavalry and
Quebec school Of cavalry 90 to Fort Qu'Ap-
"a al ~ n Middleton from
the rear should it be necessary for him 10 fan
back They will also be used 10 guard supply
depOts along the line. IL is believed here that
Middleton has information regarding ReHs
intention and his forces which led him 70 ask
reinforcements. A late dispatch from Middle
ton tn-night announces that he has postponed
his forward movement till to morrow morn
ing Prince Albert intelligence indicates all
well, but anxioUsly awaiting reliof Charles
hewitt, who was reported killed at Duck Lake,
is alive NolIn, one OF Riers councillors, IL a
prisoner at Prince Albert
As telegraphed, Riel IL at Batochs's, the
greater part OF his force being in rifle pits and
az is alleged Intrenched on the south side of
the river According to the best information
attainable by Gen Middleton, the insurgent
chief has 80 half breeds armed with forty
Winchesters, twenty Snider's Captured at the
CroZier fight, together with 400 to so rounds
Of ammunitiOnl and $50 10 20O shot guns the
latter effective at 100 yards when loaded with
slugs and buckshot IL IL now positively as
serted that he has two brass Iield pieces (seyeu-
poundeIs) with a few rounds of solid
shot for each. If he has the guns are relies
OF those formerly owned by the Hudson Bay
company and not regarded as very dangerous
in these modern days Estimates OF Biel's In
dian allies vary from three hundred to five
hundred, and the former is likely TO be neare,
the truth The Indians have arms o. all sorts
very similar in effectiveness and condition Il
those of our own Sioux and with the same lscl
OF first-c class ammunition Reil's men have
made up thoir minds that il caught they viii
be hanged-ergo, IT'S better to have Tough
and died than never to have fought at ALL anC
die anyhow. They will fight on the Indiar
every tree trunk and inequality Of ground a.
1 coign Of vantage.