The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-04-26
The Kootenal Trouble.

In his report to Mai. Gen. Rucer on the
recent trouble between the kootenai In.
dians and the settlers near Ashley, Agent
Renan says:
1t is fact that the citizens OF that vi.
entity did execute two Kootenai Indians
some time last month, and that b third
one made his escape Or lie would hav6 fol.
lowed the iato OF the other Two; From
dams OF this Fascination, I
am afraid that the reported murder OF
threo white mon is true, and that no mis-
take is made by the citizens as to the iden:
tity OF the Indian murdefers. The white
men wers killed about the 18th OF last
juno, at a place called Wolf Creek, on the
trail leadin. to Tobacco plains: The In.
dams who committed tho crime, a1i. who
were lynched, are said to belong to the
bandit Chief Eneas, who have their homes
on the reservation, and live about six
miles north of the agency at Dayton creek,
confessed the crime to reliable Indians
OF this reserve: 1t seems that u
party of some ten kootenai indians, while
passing along the trail, noticed three white
men encampsd. One Indian proposed to
two Others to go to the camp md intimi.
date the whites. On nearing them the In
dians fired over their heads, but tho white
men only laughed; whereupon the Indians
decided to kill them. Two OF the white
party being seated eating in range, a bullet
fired by an Indian passed through both
men, killing them instantly. The third wee
fired upon and wounded, and was killed by
the blows OF an AK. No m6tive was given
for the crime: sent for Chief Eneas, OF the
reservation kootenais, and he told me
he had met party OF white men at Day.
ton creek. Their leader; one Ramsdale;
told him they had hung two OF his Indians,
and were there to find out what he was going
to do about it: 1t was explained to Eneas
that u white Traveller who had camped
near Dayton creek. on hearing OF the
hansin. OF the Indians, mounted horse
and rode into Ashley and stated that the
band OF Eneas' were In arms; that they
had attacked him, and he made HE ca.
cape while the Indians we're plundering his
wagon. This was easily refuted by Eneas.
The action OF tho white man who caused
the excitement at the reservation ia mex.
cusable. Chief Eneas, in his talk to me,
stated that il murder had been committed
by the Indians it was nothing more than
justice to hang the guilty ones, but was
sorry that the lake settlers took the law
into their own hands and lynched the
prisoners, as trial, conviction and exc.
cution by due process OF law would have q
more salutary effect upon the Indians and
prevent recourse to revenge. In regard to
the state OF things relative to the security
OF white settlers. cannot see what cause
they can have for excitement, especially
as the chief Of the band to which the cui.
prits belonged states that no trouble vii,
come from him or his people, as it is a con.
coded fact that they were unjustifable
murderers OF white people, and deserved
their fate, whether by lynch law or other.
wise. A move for the establishment of a
military post in that region has a great
tendency, think, to stimulate some OF
the people to keep up excitement and to
cxaggerate the real state OF affairs.