The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1886-11-24
Whole No. 100
INDIAN OUFRAGEs.
The Predatory ReGs stealing Horses IN
Montana and wyoming.


The Indians OF Montana are unusu-
ally devilish and annoying this fall, and
from all parts OF the country come re-
ports of depredations. One Of the latest
is from the Billings Gazette. which, 5e-
sides giving an account of q recees f0rsg
presents the causes for thee frequent
incursions, and the reIaedy to be ap-
piled. .a.a.re.4r
"On Nov. Sd party of Indians passed
norm rom the Yellowstone with band
of horses. Their performances ct Shan
mons ranch were duly chTonicled in the
Gazette, which also mentioned she prob
ability that they would SEQ p IN some OF
c. A. Wustum's horses, which range. ON
the MusseIshell, near Half breed creek.
Last SATURDAY. evening the man who had
charge of the horses of John H. Wilson,
near the same place, rode into town to
report to Mr. Wilson, who runs barber
shop here His report is that the lndi-
ans raided his section Tuesday night,
and secured Eixty-seven head of horses,
of which thirty belonged to 3. A. Wus-
tum, thirty to John H. Wilson, four 70
A. Edmiston and three to the Chicago
Cattle Co. This raid cleaned out al cf
Mr.. Wilson's stock except one saddle
horse, with which his man spent several
days hunting for the savages, and finally
rode into Billings to report. On recciV-
ing the news, Mr.. Wustum started out
for the ranch with the intention Of fol-
lowing the redskins, but the chase seems
hopeless, as thev have nearly weeks
start Several other outfits, farther up
the Musselshell. have suffered heavy
losses of late, and the ranchmen south
of the Yellowstone have not escaDed.
Gus Barth OF Billings, who has sheep on
Rock creek, says some Indians recently
killed SIX of his sheep and ran off
number of horses from that neighbor-
hood.
j. Hart, of Musselshell, says that three
cowboys last week encountered three
Indians with lot of horses near his
ranch, and fired several shots in hope Of
stampeding the horses and recovering
some of those which were stolen The
Indians promptly fred on the cowboys,
and one shot knocked revolver from .
cowboys hand. Nine more Indians
came down from the hills, und the cow
boys RETAINED from pressing hostilities.
1t seems that the Indians, encouraged
BY the protection of the government,
have determined to possess all the
horses between the Yellowstone and
the Missouri. 1t is about time for the
government to turn around and protect
the settlers for change. The govern
ment should certainly reimburse the
settlers for the stock stolen by its
wards when off the reservation, and, as
long as the reservations exist, make
some effort to keep the Indians at
home.
Notwithstanding the country is pa
troled by all the troops that can be
spared from Fl. Custer, Indian raids and
outrages continue. An anominable out
rage is just reported from Northern Wy
oming, just across the line from Mon
tana, south of here. At Oldham's ranch
the stables were burned ON Sunday
night and about seventy-five head of
good rancho horses were stolen and run
off, Some beeves were also killed and
the choicest portions of the carcasses
carried away. The trail leads away east
ward around Wolf mountains, and is
now being followed bv the fanehmen Of
that vicinity and their employees This
raid was undoubtedly made by Indians,
but whether Crows. Piegans, Cheyennes
or Sioux, cannot be determined. Ii was
probably the Tongue river Cheyennes,
| the Pine Ridge Indians or Standing
Rock Golix. A few days ago the troops
picked up a small band Of worn-out
horses on the Musselshell that had be.
longed to the Piegans, and been dropped
there by the Crows or some other corps
of Indian raiders, because they could
not be driven any farther in hurried
march. The aggregate of horses tina,
have been stolen from each other by the
Crows and Piegans this year win reach
into the thousands. Their love for pill.
lage is as strong as ever, and is kept in
restraint only by overawing power, and
that they occasionally shake off,