The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-29
HOT BATTLE IN TEXAS.
Blood Is Shed As a Result OF the
Long Standing Bitter Choc-
taw Feud.
A Shower Of Leaden Bullets Falls
for More Than Half an
Hour.
Tho House Of Ono of tho Lendsrs Made
to Resemble . sisve--Further
Trouble Feared.

PARIS. Tex, March 23.--'Tho Choctav
feud has resulted in bloodshed. A sharp
and most desperate encounter took place
at Antlera at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon
! and thirty minutes storm of leaden hail
! fell about the town. Al that hour sevsnty-
eight militiamen suddenly deployed from
the woods and charged on tho residence Of
Dick Locke. loader OF the national party,
and opened fire upon II. Locke saw them
coming and barely got into tho house when
the fusilade began. Locke, with five men,
returned the fire from the upper story.
Fully 1000 shots were fred. Every window
was shot out and the walls perforated like
sieve. Stray bullets flew far and wide.
and terror and CONSERVATION prevailed
thsouRhout the little town.
Everybody was uneasy and no ono knew
who was safe with four score of half
drunken Indians armed to the teeth. and
with the smell Of blood in their nostrils.
Minutes seemed hours. and every heart
went out to Locke, his wife and little chill
dren. who were cooped up in their home,
! which was being riddled with Winchester
balls. The attack was a surprise to every
| one, coming as II did. All believed and
| hoped the matter settled, or soon to be. At
daylight this morning the militia, under
command OF Capt. Key Durant, went to
Lockes house and insisted upon searching
it, He was not at home. but in the noun
tains in camp about three miles
from town. After remaining in town
| awhile they returned to camp. Word
| was conveyed to Locke. and in COMPANY
with his son and eight others be went home
Tn dnn hat hnH
| violence had been done his family. He
reached there about 10 O'Clock. This morn
ing United States Commissioner Kirk
patrick, Assistant United States Attorney
Lee and Judge Durant. q leading Jones
man, went to the militia camp at Dayen-
port, three miles north of Antlers and had
long consultation with Captains Durant
and Thompson and Judge Duke, Jones
leader.
The government officials explained to
them the position the United States ocou-
pied. II Locke attacked Durant, who was
United States deputy. Locke's entire
party would be held to answer in the
United States court for attacking him. and
II they attacked Locke they would
be 1n,a n.ea stasss 10 had served
guard. They wanted to know
il they had process for any man Locke
had. After much dickeripg they oaid they
had a process for Willis Jones, who had
been indicted for killing five OF JONES' men
at Wilburton last fall. They said they
wanted others. but had no papers for them,
and II he was delivered to them it would
all be we'll. Everybody seemed pleased,
and the militiamen were taking things
easy and no one suspected any spirit Of
war. The party returned to Antlers, arriv-
ing there at II O'Clock. A meeting was had
with Locke. at which the United States
commissioner at Antlers was present,
Locke prepared written proposition to
Capt. Durant. setting forth the same facts In
regard to the laws Of the Choctaw natio n as
announced in his ultimatum yesterday, and
saying that in the interest OF all con-
cerned and to prevent further trouble, il
the militia would have a warrant legally is
sued by proper process he would assist in
every way IN the arrest: OF suoh offenders.
The party started for the militia camp al
two p. m, accompanied by Judge Durant.
They had gone about 300 yards when they
met an advanced party of twenty who had
picked up two Of Locke's scouts and disarm.
ed them. This was headed by Judge Duke.
hardly had time to get out of the way.
The report of Winohesters sounded on the
air. Mrs. Locks went out of her house into
the street and denounced Duke and his fol-
lowers as cowardly. brutal murderers. and
crossed to the parsonage to assure Mr.. Hall
and his wife that they (ths Lookes) would
not FIRE upon their house, behind which the
attacking party had taken refuge.
Meanwhile Capt. Thompson came up.
and in company. with Comm issioner
esens he sie' .o STOP to s his rSsY sn and
Locke's house. while it was still receiving
tho leaden hail. and while Gibbons stood
outside and commanded peace. Thomp-
son assured them himself that no man
wanted by the militia was har bored by
Locke. His men then ceased firing. Kirk
patrick and Lee telegraphed to Marshal
Diokerson at Paris to send a strong force,
as they had warrants for the militia. After
the parley the militia left town and went
mile north of town into camp.
survey was then made of the field, In
Looke's house three men were found
wounded. Mack Hill was shot through the
shoulder, the wound being painful, but not
necessarily dangerous. John Worcester
and Solomon Homer we're shot in the head,
serious wounds. OF the militia solomon
Bayists was shot through the arm and
IN the side. mortally wounded. Three
Others had flesh wounds. Locke's little
daughter had her hair cut by a bullet
as she WAS going up stairs with
baby in her arms. A ball passed
through Locke's hat, and his sons arm was
graaed. 1t is said tho children were shot
ut as they endeavored to go from the resi-
dence to cabin i'll the yard. After look
ing over the place 1t seems almost miracu-
lous that one OF the family came out alive.
Warrants were issued at once for "a large
mum ber of the militia and late in the after
noon Gibbons, kirkpatrick and Judge Du-
rant went to the military camp and ar
rested q. w. Duke and eighteen
others and brought them here tonight.
Many of the militiamen refused to partici-
pate in the attack, saying they didn't un-
derstand it to be their duty TO make war on
women and children. Great uneasiness
prevails in Antlers tonight. and serious
trouble is feared. The savage blood OF the
Indians is thoroughly aroused, and years
will not see an end Of bloody feuds.
Illegal Ownership and Control.