The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-06-27

myself and Mr.. Aid erson started to improve
ranch WILT Lifting eha the work h out by
the contract was away some of
his employees, harum-scarum fell
| lows, tried to put a shot through the hat of
| Black Wolf. who was Watching them at
work, the Indian laughing while the man
| took aim. Unfortunately Black Wolf re-
ceiyed scalp wound. This angered the
Indians and that night they burned the
house. We had considerable trouble after
that with the Indians. but finally it all
quoted down, and since then have lived
spect, but having no particular intercourse
| with them. put my claim in to congress
and it was allowed for $500. Then an in
spector was sent out to investigate, but he
never got further than Fost Keogh, seventy
five miles distant, and he returned to Wash
the department sent the claim to the In
dams to be investigated, and they cut it
down to $3.50. Even this has never been
paid. Thirteen Cheyennes were arrested
for burning my house and four were con-
voted and given light sentences. Then
their pardon and it was granted. Does any
one wonder that the Cheyennes are bold and
aggressive, when they know that even
should they be convicted of a crime the gov
eminent officials will see them through; or
is it a matter of surprise that the
stockmen, feeling they cannot look to the
government for protection and redress have
| attempted to take the law in their own
hands! want no trouble; ask simply to
| be protec ed in my rights and that the gov
eminent deal with the Indians as it should
with the with the white man. Feed the In
dams, disarm them and keep them on the
reservation. If their reservation is not
good enough for them. take them some
where else; or if the original white settlers
crowd tho Indians, buy the whites out.''
There have been doubts expressed that
the Indians killed any number of cattle.
The following statement will settle the
question:
w. w. Alderson who has a ranch at the
head of Muddy creek, says he counted from
~ to % carcasses in Two Moon gulch. eight
from their bones At another place on the
east side of the Rosebud there we're Is or 20
carcasses. which from their condition proved
to be have been killed this spring. They
were all shot through the head or behind
the shoulders. Two years ago the Chey-
another not over two miles from his home
The carcasses Of cattle, said Mr.. Anderson,
are getting nearly as thick as those of the
buffalos. The cattIo are driven into the
coulees and then killed by the Indians.
Jules Seminole and Bill Rowland. inter.
any whit 9 man caught them killing cattle
they would kill the white man. They are
getting holder and holder, and know of
but one way to stop them-disarm and feed
them.
G. N. Lee. another ranchman, says he has
seen 100 carcasses this spring. Some time
ago he caught an Indian, Bull Head. skin
ming a COW he had just killed, and the buck
when discovered ran. The Indians cut out
! the brands and ear marks as rule when
they kill cattle. Il lose about half the cat
tie lost in the neighborhood,' y said Mr.. Lee;
| "the Indians drive them onto the reserva-
ton and into coulees and kill them. They
| offered to sell some beef to one of my men
| this spring. Of course the Indians should
be properly fed, but they can do no farming
Of consequence on the reservation. There
is not enough water. They do less and less
work each year. There is no harmony and
never can be between the whites and Indians.
There is good class of settlers here who
want better associates, and the best thing
to be done is to remove the Cheyennes.
Although we have been losing our cattle for
eight years, we have never molested the In
dians.''
Mr.. N. II. Pressy, of the firm of French d
Pressy, whose ranch is on the Rosebud. is,
perhaps, the most bitter in his denunciation
OF the Indians and also the military. In an
interview he said 'The military stand in
been in the field where one was
before; that the military told the Indians
they were there to protect them and that
they the military thought the Indians
were ill treated and right in their doings.
He had found eight cattle in Indian coulee,
killed by the Cheyennes, and Lieut.. Robert
son had found two. Brave Wolf offered to
sell me a quarter of beef" said Mr.. Pressy,
two months ago, saying he had three
other quarters. accused him of stealing
it, and he simply laughed at me: ! took a
horse away from Big Bear, who had burnt
the original brand out, and put his own
on it. Mr.. French told me- continued
Mr.. Pressy. 'that in riding in the hills he
has found more dead cattle since Fergu-
sons death than before. finding cattle now
big dance of the Cheyennes they used eight
head day: Mr.. French says 100 head will
not cover the number of cattle slain on the
little range near him last winter and this
spring. Disarm the Indians and feed them
and then you will stop the trouble. Take
of God in him by SO dong. Then men will
be safe while riding in the hills. Interpre-
ter Rowland told me-" said Mr., Pressy,
that the only use the Cheyennes had for
guns was to kill cattle. The best thing to
be done with the Cheyennes is to move
take them to New York City and board
them: The Cheyennes can never farm on
this land. because there is not enough
water to irrigate. The land is only
fit for grazing. Five years ago
the Cheyennes raised pretty fair crop, but
since they have done nothing. So far az
losses in cattle Co. hard winters cut but
a slight figure compared with the losses
from the Indians. I do not care particu-
larly whether the Indians stay or co. SO
they will leave my property alone. The
general government has not listened to our
reiterated appeals, and we call upon the
governor to aid U.S.
John Davidson, a sheep man on the Rose
bud. says he has found this season twenty
eight dead cattle, which he believed were
killed by the Indians. OF these, four we're
found in one bunch. Some of the carcasses
were completely stripped, while others had
only the choice parts taken. He says he
found four or five head shot and not a par
tlcle of meat taken. His sheep dogs, in
rowing around, discovered most of the car
casses.
| Some Conclusions
1t will be seen from the above that on
two points there is no difference of opinion
the Indians kill cattle because they are
hungry. and in order to prevent this they
must be fed, disarmed and kept on thei1
reservation. On the question as to whethe,
they had better be moved, there is differ.
ence. All the stockmen unite in the opin.
ion that this would be best for all parties
Major Carroll suggests it, while Agent
V1nahaw Inv ShOwinu tho LAND an ba ra,or