The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-01
SETTLERS BECOMING ANXIOUS.
In Consequ ence of the Threatening Aaitud
of OregOn Indians.

Portland (Ore.) dispatch Very recent re-
ports from portions of eastern Oregon, eastern
Washington Territory and western Idaho indi-
cate restlessness among the Indians that
bodies trouble in the near future. Between
the white settlers and the Indians strong
feeling of luminosity exists which has intensi-
fed with time. One fruitful source of irrita-
ton between the whites and Indians has been
the rivalry and jealousy concerning the use
and occupation of immense grazing tracts
These grass producing regions have for wears
been considered as neutral groundsn to
which the horses and cattle of one belonged as
much as to the other Naturally, the hostility
of conflicting interests had full scope for
action and exercise under such favorable con-
ditions. II cattle were run Off stolen or
killed, belonging to white ranchers, the In
dams missed any of their horses, the white
man was at the bottom of it. Frequently the
inevitable clashing of interests resulted in
sanguinary meetings between herdsmen aud
Indians. Occasionally the body of white
man was found pierced by an Indian bullet.
In such cases the real murderer could not be
tracked down, and not inirequently unjustifia-
Bile revenge was taken by the friends or rela-
uyss OF the murdered person on some unfor-
tunate and innocent Siwash found struggling
away from his tribe. For years these repris-
ais have been INDUCED in. In few cases the
perpetrators of murders have been detected,
arrested and punished by the civil authorities
and, in not few cases, the Indian offender
has been dealt with summarily at the hands of
court presided over by Judge Lynch. Pr-
vate and personal revenge has been grat.fed
in numbers of cases on 10th sides, and 1.-THE
score has been wiped out in blood" During
the more recent wars--the Chief Joseph, and, |
later, the Bannock campaign-murders cruel |
ties, and nameless outrages were committed by |
the brutal aud lu=t!ul savages ON helpless and |
dclenscless women. Relatives and friends of |
these helpless victims survive, and With them |
the fires OF hatred and vengeance still glow |
with fierce heat. A few DAYS ago considera-
BILE excitement was caused in Asotin county, |
Washington territory, by the appeal ance Of |
two Indians who, 1t is asserted, came from
Umatilla reservation, in Oregon. These In
dams were said TO be horss thieves Both
were stopped, and their horses taken from
them and sent back to their owners. This it |
was thought, was the easier way out OF the
trouble. Along the Whitman county shores
Of the Snake river are numbers of Indians who
make their living by fishing in the river and
-aising horses upon the surrounding hills.
These Indians possess many horses and. as a
consequence, keep the range pretty well eaten
)ut to the disgust OF few white sc ,tlers in that
'icinity, who have no better right to the range
han have the Indians, yet desi.c to monopo-
ize 1t. Word has just been received that
number OF vii u men are now engaged in
-.NNih- iOuhN-Hp VI uOIStS. lOT the
purpose OF driving them off the range and
ver the line into British Columbia The au-
hort es of Whitman county are investigating
he matter. Retalat'o is expected from the
indians shoul this outrage be allowed t. con-
niue, and serious difficulties would inevitably |
ollow The Indians In southeastern Oregon,
bout Fort Bidwell, Stein mountain and War
er valley, are reported to be very restless and
lsolent, and trouble is apprehended. The au-
horites-state and military-are very vigi-
mt, and are taking every precaution TO pre-
ent an outbreak among them. 1t is thought,
oweyer, the Indians are too wisc-esI ecia;ly
! the light of their past experience with the
hites-to provoke another war