St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-06
IRVINE WANTS RELIEF.
The Sioux Stealing His Provisions, and
as He Is Short He Calls for
Help Soon.
Fifteen Hundred Men Needed to Dissi-
pate the Investment at Prince AL
bert-BOats to be Used.
Two Half-Breed Accounts of the Fight at
Duck Lake Who Say the Police
Began It.
Gen, Middleton Wants to Advance on the
Dash Plan-Artillery Battalion to Ar
rive This Morning at Winnipeg
Special to the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
WINNIPEG, April A dispatch in cipher
from Col. Irvine has come here and been
forwarded to the government at Ottawa. 1t
is understood that Irvine reports provisions
very scanty at that point and urges relief.
Qu'Appelle correspondent gives the fol-
lowing account of the Duck lake fight q
week ago as coming from the half-breeds
who were present: 'Information was OBJ
tanned by the rebels that a force of mounted
police was en- route to Duck lake to secure
supplies for Fort Carlton and band of
mounted half-breeds, about twenty in num-
Der, started to reconnoiter in that direc-
ton. They met force of 100 men, includ-
ing police and citizens travelling in sleighs.
On the appearance of the force the half-breeds
scattered. Major Crozier, who was iwcom-
mand of the police and civilians, on observ
ing the movement of the rebels apparently
thought an effort was being made
to surround his force and ordered
his men to fire. A volley was
directed towards the small band of half
breeds, and when the smoke had cleared
fallen dead a. the first fire. His fellows at
once returned the shots and with much exc
cution, the result being most disastrous for
their opponents. The fight was short but
hot, and, as previously announced, the police
were forced to retreat, although the rebel
force was by far the smallest. The half
breeds, who tell the story, counted thirteen
dead on the field when the police retreated on
the route to Fort Carlton. Whittier the police
fed was traced with blood. The half-breeds
lost four killed and one Indian, who was not
in the fight but was merely watching it. He
was accidently shot.
ANOTHER STORY OF THE FIGHT,
which emanates from the half side, was
told to Mr.. T. w. Jaenson, member
of the Northwest council for this dis
trict. According to this report Gabriel
Dumont, one of Riers ieutenants,
told the latter that Major Crozer was
coming to take the supplies from Duck lake.
Acting on Rel's orders Dumont started out
with thirty mounted men armed with Rem
ington rifles, and met Crozier's force few
miles from the lake, and at the spot where
the trail enters the coolie and bluffs from the
plains. Both parties stopped at once and
prepared for an attack. The half-breeds
that they might not be SO much exposed.
Crozier thought surround was being at
tempted and fired first. The half-breeds lost
four killed and two wounded, while Crozier's
loss was thirteen, and according to the last
story their bodies were left on the field. Both
half-breeds above interviewed assert posi-
lively that Riel's orders are never to fire first.
TO THE FRONT BY STEAMERS.
Sir A. T. Gait has offered to the govern
meDt the use of two steamers and twenty
barges, which are now at Medicine
Hat, being used by the Gait
Coal Mining company at that point.
These can be brought to a point opposite
Swift Current on the line of the Canadian
Pacific railway, from which point direct
water communication exists with Prince AL
bert. the ordinary time occupied for voyage
being about two days. Col Herchmer of the
mounted police left Calgary for Swift Cur
rent to-day to look after the embarkation at
that point. Orders were received from Gen.
Middleton last night by the Winnipeg &
Western Transportation company to send
out a crew at once to start the steamer
Northcote down the South Saskatchewan
Capts. Seeger and Russell left this morning
with crew and will go from Moose Jaw by
boat on Wednesday.
THE ARTILLERYMEN ACROSS THE GAP.
Forty men of A and B
batteries with four field guns
and horses arrived at Port Arthur early this
morning and were hurried through here to-
night. They were given hearty reception
and dinner at one of the hotels. The re-
mander of the batteries will arrive to-
morrow.
MIDDLETON WOULD MAKE DASH.
QU'APPLLE, April 4.-Gen. Middleton is
tired of waiting for troops and says if 1t were
not for orders he would make a dash with
those now here, and believes he could go
through all right He will advance as far as
he can without them and will probably move
those now here to Touchwood on Monday or
Tuesday and establish another supply depot.
The troops expected here Monday will then
be rushed to the front at once. 1t is reported
that twelve miles of telegraph line between
Duck lake and Clarke's crossing of
the Prince Albert branch has been
cut down so that it will be
impossible to repair it. Col. Mcdonald has
just returned from visiting the File Hills
Indians, of which there are four bands.
These reserves are twenty-five miles north
east of here, and he reports everything quiet
there. They are Cree IL dians. The half
breeds at the mission, four miles east of
here, are going to have another meeting ON
Sunday to decide If they will meet the Do
minion commissioners next Wednesday or
refer them to Riel, who is said to be at Dack
lake.
A telegram just received from Col. Irvine
OF Prince Albert, and who was with Crozier,
says that they must have $1,000 men at
once, with supplies: that the Teton Sioux
Indians are making trouble and stealing all
kinds of eatables and provisions to crafty
their hunger.
Premier Norqusy SAYS that Riel will be in
Montana soon and take refuge in the
states, but that he will be wanted just the
same ty the Dominion government.
Political Points.
Special to the Globe.
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