The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-16
THE HOSTILE REDSKINS.
What James Conley Learned About
Their Movements While
in Dakota.
They Are Being Forced to Fight
Whether They Want to
or Not.
He Says the Hawley Horse Thief Story Is a
CANADIAN Interesting In
terview.

James Conley, the stock detective and
terror of horse thieves and criminals of all
classes, returned last evening from Dakota
where he had been to testify in case
against notorious criminal whom he cap.
tured at Green River, Wyoming, last June
The case was postponed for several months
and Mr.. Conley had his trip for nothing
except mileage.
Mr.. Conley knows whenever horse OF
steer is stolen in Montana, and is therefore
good authority on horse thieves.
Eyes, read that article about Jack Haw-
ley, the most daring horse thief that Mon
tana ever produced but never heard OF
such person and I've been on the trails Of
these fellows for the past ten years in this
territory. You can safely put that down as
a canard. The story is very improbable in
| the first place. There are no such numbers
of horses in southeastern Montana. Why,
three or five years ago, you could not get a
white man to locate in that section. 1t was
! not safe for white man to be alone with
| the Indians.
THE story probably originated in re
porter's brain: The only big piece OF horse
Gently was case last May when 800 horses
were run off from Big Timber. Fifteen
men were implicated in that steal, and
none of them were ever captured. don't
take any stock in that story" said MIR.
Conley, and Hugh McQuaid, who is very
we'll posted on Montana history, cannot re-
call any such man as Jackk Hawley.
"How are the Indians in Dakota?' was
next asked Mr.. Conley.
From what could see and hear l have
no doubt but that we will hear something
drop before many days. talked with cow
boys along the road and they say the In
dians are acting more mysterious and pecu-
liar than ever before. Why, in m any
places the ranchers are leaving their no mes
and going to the towns. The Indians are
surely growing hostile. and they have been
forced to it. Their Messiah dance was a
simple, harmless spiritual demonstration.
which has been taken advantage of,
think, by some people to provoke an In
dian war, but for what reason cannot
imagine.
The Sioux on Grand river and Cannon
Ball creek have left the agency and are now
heading for Poplar river, in the northwest
corner of Montana. Sitting Bull is leading
herd of cattle. There is considerable
uneasiness among the settlers. At town
called Sims, and at another place west
of Dickinson, the people have built forts
in preparation for raid from the Indians.
At Sims the fort is built of barbed wire,
STRUNG closely tOGetner, anu IL make uEbt-
| class stronghold. 1t is up on hill just on
the edge Of the town and they keep men
on guard all the time.
"The Indians. believe, do not want to
fight, but they are going to be forced to it
and that is all there is about it. 1t is esti-
mated that O,O0O troops are now stationed
in Dakota, Wyoming and Montana, ready
for action upon moments notice. The
general opinion is that there is some big
scheme on hand, but nobody knows it,
it's nature. The troops have come
from Washington, Maryland, Ten
nessee and other places, and the rail
roads at least will make money
out of it. All the troops from Fort Keogh
including Indian soldiers, have been started
out toward Poplar river. Should the Sioux
give battle their treaty, of course, will be
broken, and q whole lot of good land will
| revert to the government.
1T is the opinion of many people in Da-
kota that have seen, that this forced In
dian uprising is nothing more than a
scheme to boom General Miles for the
presidency. It will bring him into promi
hence before the country, and with the
great number of troops at his command he
would make a record for which he would ex
pect the solid support of the northwest"