Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-12-19
INCIDENT OF THE INDIAN WAR.
How Indian Agent A. j. Bolan Met
His Death.

How Indian Agent A. ]. Bolan Met
His Death.
Hood River Glacier.
The following account OF the MUIR
der of A. J. Bolan, Indian agent at
Fort Simcoc, was given by an old In
dian, now a resident at White Salmon,
Wash, who had it direct from the lips
of Chief Gwhi's son just before his ex-
ecution, who, with his two companions,
was hung by Col. Wright at Simcoe
agency for this most unprovoked and
cold-blooded murder:
War and rumOrs of war were rife.
A vague uneasiness rested upon the is
olated families OF Eastern Oregon.
The government, with its usual stu
pidity and criminal negligence, had
failed to provide any adequate protec-
ton against the numerous hordes of
savages that roamed the Eastern
plains. The few struggling companies
OF blue-coats that were within reach
were as a rule poorly otlicered and to-
tally unacquainted with Indian tactics,
and were held in supreme contempt
by their dusky opponents.
Numerous murders had been COM
mitted on the frontier, and there were
ominous signs of an impending storm,
general uprising of the tribes of
Eastern Oregon and Washington that
the coming spring only too surely full
filled. Col. Wright in his helpless in
dignation uttered threats of direst ven
geance, should the red man persist in
his little game OF scalping, and the
certain result OF an Indian war, with
its usual accompaniment of rapine
and murder, was upon us i'll our help
lessness.
On the 18th day of September, 1855,
Indian Agent Bolan left The Dalles
on horseback for the agency at Simcoe.
lie was just returning from hurried
trip to the Willamette valley and was
hurrying back on account of the rest
less condition Of the Yakimas, some of
whom had been accused OF participant
ing in some of the recent murders.
At The Dallcs he was urged not to
undertake the trip alone, but fearing
no personal violence he started alone
and unarmed. On his way through
the Klickitat valley he overlook three
Yakima Indians, accompanied by three
squaws, all on their way to the agency,
and all rode on toward the destination.
The trail ran somewhere near where
the present wagon road does, on the
western slope of the Simcoe noun
tains. The distance, so miles, being
too great to make that day, camp was
struck on one Of the numerous stream
lets that run down the mountain side.
Mr.. Bolan dismounted, unsaddled
and staked his horse, and returning to
the fire divided his scanty store of bis
cults and butter with his dusky COM
panions, little dreaming oi the awful
fate SO close before him. The con-
versation turned upon the recent MUIR
ders, and very unwisely Bolan reitera-
ted Wright's pOnderous threats of VEN
geance and determination.
Then, and not till then, was Bolan's
death decided upon. Two Of the three
quietly stepped behind him and pin
ioned his arms, while the third seized
him around the legs and threw him
violently to the ground, where he was
securely tied hand and foot. When
this was accomplished his captors held
a consultation rs to the disposition to
be made of the captive. Bolan plead
piteously for his life, but to hearts
that knew no pity. One of the savages
seized him by the hair and drawing
his head across his knee, cut his throat
from ear to ear.
The body was then placed upon his
horse and carried some distance below
the trail, where the horse was also
killed, and both bodies covered with
brush and left. The remains were not
found until after the murderers were
caught by members of their own tribe
and handed over to the military for
punishment. Then one of the three
disclosed the location of the body,
which was taken to Vancouver for
burial. Bancroft's version states that
the murderers tried to destroy both
bodies by burning. This statement is
incorreet--the bodies were not burned.