The Helena independent., 1891-12-22
THE FLATHEAD TROUBLE.
Five Of the Jumpers Still Hold
the Land on Dayton
Creek.
They Send a Message to thu
United States Marshal at
Helena.

Tho Dispossessed Nineteen Kootenai Fam
lies Patiently waiting for the Gov
/ ernment to Act.
United States Marshal Furay received q
letter Yesterday from his deputy on the
Flathead reservation, who started week
ago last Saturday to order off the white
men who jumped lands on Dayton creek,
allotted to nineteen Kootenai families, in
the northern part OF the reservation. The
deputy found the twenty five jumpers ON
the land when he reached there. All but
| FIVE said they would obey the marshal's
orders. The five who would not leave sent
word by tho deputy to the
marshal thatI he would have to
come and put them off. Yesterday after
noon the marshal telegraphed to Attorney
General Miller for further instructions,
which he expects to receive to-day. Mean
while the Kootena1s who were driven off
are patiently waiting until the complica-
| tions Of red tapa are overcome, relying up
on the assurances of Ma inr Roman, of the
Flathead agency, that the Great Father
Will see justice is done them.
| The real origin OF most of the disturb
ances In this region is perhaps the posses
| sion by the Indians of coveted lands. The
valleys they occupy are we'll watered: there
| is good timber on the reservation and it ia
thought also to possess mineral wealth. Its
advantages are not wholly thrown away on
the Indians, as some of them are good
| farmers. and not only raise their own
wheat. but have it ground into -four at their
own mill. The Flatheads have always had
the reputation Of being friendly to the
government, especially those in the lake
region, although the Kootenais, Of Tobacco
Plains, further north, are said to be less
placable, and have been accused of various
murders. The Flatheads have for more
than thirty years had the advantage Of the
Catholic mission, which has labored
faithfully among them. As an Offset.
the Indians are sometimes supplied
with whisky, and troubles come from
that source. Still. the constant desire to
encroach upon these fertile lands is doubt
less at the bottom of the race feuds. When
| brawl occurs in which white man is CON
cerned, il he proves the victim there is
great outcry, and the sheriff and perhaps
the militia are called in, but the regulars
from tho nearest post generally quiet the
s Is d 4 Jos II z
In the summer of 1889 there was serious
fear of conflict. arising from the fact that
the sheriff of Missoula county was upon the
| reservation to arrest three Indians accused
of murder. He took posse of citizens with
him and killed one Indian on the reserva-
tion; but fortunately three companies of
the Twenty-6fth infantry were despatched
from Fort Missoula. and no outbreak oc-
CURED. The following Years there was
more trouble, arising from the killing of an
Indian and white, and again troops went
up from Fort Missoula. Now for a third
successive year come distut Dances.
That the authorities will protect the
rights of the Kootenal families whom they
established on the reservation may be taken
for granted. The government and the
people OF that region have profted of late
by the willingness of various bands of In
Washington, and elsewhere. and settle on
the Jocko reservation. An important ngres-
ment was made for that purpose not long
ago. And since the existing troubles NAV
call the attention of congress to that region
it would do we'll to supply some Legislation
needed to maintain the good faith of the
government. Under the provisions of the
act of March 2, 1889, the band of Flat
heads living in Bitter Root valley agreed to
give Ut tract including 1871 acres, and to
go upon the tJocko reservation. The
reason for this removal was the desire OF
blle AelSuboIiuk peDNi6 10 purchase Jle
lands. The Bitter Root valley, according
to description furnished by the interior
department, ''is one of the most attractive
and lovely in our country. The high noun-
tans on either hand supply it with the
clearest and coolest streams, and the soil
under ordinary irrigation bears grain.
grasses and fruits i'll abundance and per
fection. The climate is most hsalthful, |
ana here this tribe for many years lived in
peace and comparative comfort. The Jocko /
reservation is, however. also good |
land, and we'll watered. and as tho new
state. Montana. demands as much fertile
soil IA can be found available in it's borders
the retirement of the Indian seemed desir-
able" Congress at it's last session made
the necessary appropriation to remove
them, and their old lands were offered for
sale, under the law requiring that the /
amount SO received should be paid to them
in their new home or be expended for their
support,
Unfortunately. at the sale last October
only a very small portion of the land could I
be disposed of at the appraised value and
the prospect was of no fur ther sales for a
long time. Nevertheless, the Indians con-
sented to leave their home and trust to the
government to take care Of them. The
band was that of Charios, "a man of great
Intelligence and elevated character" who
had suffered wrongs as he thought, III pre-
vious dealings with the whites. but did not
allow this sentiment to influence him. His
people marched to the church carrying the
Stars and Stripes and held service there.
Then the removal was carried out. Con-
geess has accordingly been asked to make
an appropriation for their support during
the present winter, and this subject should |
receive due attention. That those Indians,
also, who removed from other homes at the
wish OF tho government and were placed by |
on lands of the k'lathead reserva-
tion should be protected from the attacks
of armed men cannot be doubted.
An Engineer and Two Miners Killed.
WALLACE, Idaho, Dec. 2l.-~[special. T.
Night Engineer McMackn, OF the Hunter
at Mullan, was caught in tho
ly wheel of the air compressor last night
and killed. One leg was torn from the
body.
Matt Quinn and Jake Quaokenhush. two
-. l.