The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-11
0kanogan Mob Takes Him From
Jail and Hangs Him.
MINERS AFRAID or INDIANS.
Messenger Sent in Haste to Ask Gov.
Laughton for Assistance.
One OF the Spokane Cattle Thieves Dead
"A Drunken Indian Chief and Two
Companions Drowned From : Canoe
Near Vancouver.

OLYMPIA, Jan. 1o-fSpecial. 1.-The fols
lowing dispatch was received in Olympia
today:
CoscoNNuLLY, Wash, via Coulae City. Jan
i0.-To His Erce7racy Charles T. Laucktom.
GorGnor: An Indian, who was implicntcd III
the murder OF Colo In October. was last night
taken from Jail and hanged. Owing 70 the fact
that he had given himself up 10 the sheriff, and
the bitter feeling existing between citizens and
Indians at this time, serious trouble is feared.
The priest says the Indians have held four rneet-
ings lately, and the young bucks are anxious foe
an outbreak. They have manifested in different
ways that they are angered. The citizens Of tha
county are comparatively unarrnad, and the SIT
uation at this time demands that we ask of you
to do all In your power to have 500 rifles, with
sufficient ammunition, sent at once 20 Couiea
City, that our citizens may be armed and be pre-
pared as well as possible for an outbreak. Please
to telegraph at once II we may expect arms. Gus
messenger is at Coulee City awaiting reply.
d. q. McGILLvREY,
r. c. McDoSALD,
County Commissioners
NJ A. RUSH,
Sheriff 0kanogan County.
At the same time with the receipt Of this
dispatch, Representative Smith Of Okano~
gan received another, urging him to cali
upon the governor Immediately and confer
as to what action is advisable. Governor
Laughton summoned Adjutant- General
O'Brien, and prompt measures were decid.
ed upon. Messages were Immediately eent
to the camps of Sons of Veterans at Seat
tie, Tacoma and Goldendale. instrncting
them to forward in all 200 stands Of arr1u
to Brigadier-General Curry, at Spoka
Falls. Sufficient ammunition will also
sent. General Curry was instructed
proceed to Coulee City and learn personl
ly how serious the danger is, and also
detail two staff officers to take charge
the arms and ammunition. The adjutal
general likewise telegraphed to Manag1
Prescott, of the Northern Pacific, at Por|
land, asking him to authorize the tran
mission of the arms and ammunition
baggage, instead of freight. that there na
be no delay in their reaching Spokan
Falls, and thence over the Central Wash
ington 70 Coulee City. From the ver
prompt measures taken by Governed
Laughton and General O'Brien, 1t Il evil
dent that they regard the emergency 4
serious.
."Okanogann Smith, who Is q member 81
the lower house, in speaking Of tho matted
tonight, said:
''In October two Indians murdered m6r
named Cole, and one Of them was killed ~
sheriffs posse. The other gave himself IN n
mob lynched the other Indian last night, ana
now the Indians who have been dissatiedod|
about other things seriously threaten u 30 on|
the warpath. The 0kanogan Indians are war;
like race, though they have given no trouble iQ<|
many years. There are perhaps 200 bucks tn'
Okanogan county, most Of them well armed. In
case they decide TO 60 on the warpafh, Kindred
tribes across the line in British ColumbiA could
be doubtless induced to join them, IN h0pea ok
ample plumber. They may try to enlist chief
Moses with them, but they can hardly succeed.
There. are $500 people in the Okanogan country,
and about 800 able-bodied men. think tho
trouble will be settled all right, particularly II
the Indians think that there Is probability of
soldiery being sent to the scene. They are
afraid of soldiers, particularly OF cavalry, ana
would be 10th to fight them. judge that the
courier who went from Conconnully to Cou1ee
City must have had q hard and fast ride. ft N
ninety miles. The lynching occurred only Lass
night, and the settlers must surely have been In
great fear to have dispatched q messenger -
promptly and speedily.
Governor Laughton thinks the trouble
will be satisfactorily settled, though ha
will neglect no precautions. The militia
will not be called out unless the need ap-
pears urgent.
The trouble between the whites and indians
is caused by the liquor traffic, which. according
carried on to greater extent than people living
at distance from the reservation have any idea
of, and the result is disastrous in tbs extreme.
By severely Furnishing few Of the number who
TO Others and stop to Large extent this illegal
and degraded business.