St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-29
REDS MURDER EIGHT.
Navajo Indians Take the War
Path Against Colorado
Settlers.
Troops Asked by the Agent
to Prevent Further
Bloodshed.
Two Battles Already Fought,
in Which Eight Settlers
Perish.
The Party Which Committed
the Outrages Composed
Of ESQ Bucks.

DENVER, April 2S.-The long threat
ened war of the Navajo Indians against
the settlers of the country, in the vicin-
ity of their lands, has come off at last,
and with it the death of eight settlers.
Such was the startling news received
this morning by Adjt. Gen. Kennedy.
At 9:45 o'clock the adjutant general re-
ceived telegram from Lieut.. Plummer,
Indian agent of the Navajoes, i'll which
he stated that the white had been mur-
dered by the Indians, who are not at
war with the settlers. He declared that
the situation is very critical one, and
asked that troops be called out to pre-
vent further bloodshed. The telegram
was addressed to Gov. Waite, but he is
out of the city, and the matter was re-
ferred by Secretary LorentZ to the ad-
jutant general. l.. T. Plummer stated
that the people below Durango are in a
wild state of excitement, and grave
fears are entertained lest the Indians
continue their warfare along up the
valley. In his message, the agent states
that TWO battles have been fought al
ready. The first early yesterday, when
Five Men Were Killed,
all settlers; while at another encounter
three more whites lost their lives, and
further blOodshed is anticipated.
The adjutant general forwarded the
information to the war department at
Washington, and it is not unlikely that
orders will be issued from that source
for the removal of the troops now quar-
tered at Fort Logan. They can act out
side of the state, and would be more fit
for encounter than state troops with the
Indians. The adjutant general is in
clined to regard the situation with a
good deal of concern, although express
ing the belief that the trouble will not
extend very far north. He does not
know whether or not Gov. Waite will
order the state guard to the front, but
thought he would do so. He declined
to give copies of the telegIams received
by HIM and sent by him, or to allow any
one to see them, stating that it was con-
trary to orders. In speaking of the
affair he said that there are $50 bucks
who are raising the disturbance.
"They are all mounted and equipped"
said he, with the best repeating rifles,
and have ample supplies for a long war.
The are bad lot, and
ReVeI in PIunder and Murder.
''There has been iIl-feeling among
them for long time, and it has at last
come to a head. The settlers down in
that country and the Indians never
could get along i'll peace. The Indians
are continually plundering and stealing
from the whites. who have submitted to
the thefts until the past few days. The
trouble was precipitated by the resist
ance of the whites to the depredations
of band of warriors who raided the
stock of cattlemen. They drove off
large herd of cattle, which they took to
the mountains. This so incensed the
Stockmen that they organized
large posse of cowboys and went to
recover the cattle. The Indians fled on
the approach of the cowboys at first,
and the cattlemen were rejoicing at
what they took for a very easy victory,
and, after they had secured the cattle,
started to return to their ranches. They
had proceeded but a very short distance,
however, when they were attacked from
the flank as they were passing through
shallow canyon by the entire band of
25O. A desperate encounter followed in
which five cowboys were killed and it is
believed a number of Indians. The
red men, of course, had the advantage.
and from their vantage points above
their adverSaries fought with telling
effect upon the cattlemen, who were
finally repulSed. They took with them
a portion of the herd they had recovered
and retreated. Tie Indians by this
time were thoroughly aroused and
started on
A Marauding Expedition
across the country. The reservation of
the NavajoeS is a large one, covering
some $4,000 square miles in the north
western part of New Mexico and North
eastern Arizona, and extends up to the
southern part of Colorado. On this
there are thousands of Indians, who are
on the war path. The band of 25O
started from the reservation over in
Arizona, crossed the line into New
Mexico. going due east to a town called
Jennett. going thence on the San Juan
river, and are now in that vicinity"
A dispatch from Durango saws:
"Three hundred NayajOes have captured
Tom Whites trading post mission at
Hog Back, on the San Juan river, Hear
Welisa ranch. The homes of other set.
tiers are surrounded by Indians. who
are threatening to kill and burn. James
Handy arrived from the scene Of action,
which is about seventy miles south of
Durango, this morning at o'clock after
securing a supply of ammunition for the
settlers, changed teams and returned at
once. Agent Bartholomew wired the
Indian department regarding the situa-
ton this morning, but as the Navajoes
or hoyOnd bIc iuriSdiotinT ha oop do
nothing"
On advices received tonight from
Durango that the Navajo Indians were
moving rapidly north from Farming
ton, n. NJ, toward the Colorado line,
Gov. Waite ordered special train over
the Rio Grande to carry 200 stands of
arms and 5000 rounds of ammunition to
the military corps at Durango, which is
ordered out. The entire strength of the
Colorado national guard has been Or
dered to report for duty ready to move
at once to the scene of trouble. The
special left at l o'clock, and will reach
Durango early tomorrow.
Asked for Troops.
WASHINGTON, April 2S. Lieut..
Plummer, the acting Indian agent at
the Navajo agency in New Mexico, re-
ports to the Indian b1reau an uneasy,
excited feeling among the Indians,
especially along the northern border of
the reservation. One white man has
been murdered, and in the opinion of
the lieutenant, unless the attention of
the government to exert its authority is
made known, the valley will become
uninhabitable by Yhite settlers. He
asks that foUF troops Of cavalry and two
companies Of infantry be sent into that
Snnti0n The tnloOram hac hapn cant to