Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-24
Over Two Hundred Men on the War
Path.
GEN. COPPINGER ORDERED AFTER THEM
Lives of Settlers and Their Prop
erty in Danger.
T HE RIGHT TO HUNT

pulled the north-bOund freight into Poca-
telio last night, confirmed the reports that
the Bannock Indians killed settler, his
wife and child in the Salt river valley, and
that the white men pursuing the Indians
killed six of them before they escaped to
the mountains. Mail Carrier Vail, who ar
rived at Montpelier from Star valley also
told the same story.
The Fight Begins.
CHEYENNE, Wyo., July 24-Gov Rich
ards has received the following dispatches
from Adjutant General Sitter, who is in
stigating the Indian troubles. The gov
ernor will at once take action to put state
troops in the field should advices make it
necessary:
"MARYsvILLE. wyo.. via Market Lake,
ldaho.-The Indians are in force at the
junction of Granite creek and Fall river.
All passes In the Jackson Hole are now
guarded by Indians. Capt Smith has Just
come in. wounded in the right breast by In
dians. Prospectors are driven from the
mountains. Pickets are guarding the va
rioIs passes. Horses are equipped, ready
to mount and everybody is armed to the
teeth.''
TETON BASIN. wyo.. July %, via Mar
ket Lake, Idaho.-Arrived here today on
the return trip. The settlers in the basin
are very uneasy. 1t is reported here that
many Indians are leaving Fort Hall to ioin
those In the mountains. Indians from other
reservations are also believed to be join
ing them. Letters and couriers have been
sent out from Jackson Hole to the various
settlements. asking for aid, and settlers
tight Indians tomorrow. The settlers have
given up all hope of saving their crops
and are preparing to move their children
and women out of jackson Hole
The various companies Of the National
Guard at different points in Wyoming have
been advised to hold themselves in readI-
ness for prompt movement.
Asks for Troops.
The Secretary of ,the Interior has re-
quested the Secretary of War to send
troops to the scene of the Iud!an disturb
ances in Wyoming, and it is understood
that the request will be granted as soon as
the official papers are received by the Sec
retary of War, and troops will be ordered
instantly to the vicinity of the trouble
The action Of the Interior Department
was taken up on receipt of the following
telegram this morning from Indian Agent
Teter. who was ordered to go from the
Fort Hall reservation in Idaho and investi-
gate the trouble between the whites AMI
Indians in Wyoming and to induce the In
dfans to return to their reservation: IT
have investigated the troubles between the
Indians and settlers in Wyoming and ad-
wise that troops be sent there Immediately
to protect the law-abiding settlers. The
lawless element among the settlers seem
determined to cause conflict with the In
dams. The settlers have killed four to
seven Indians, which has sncensed the In
dams, who have gathered to the number
Of two or three hundred near Fall River.
Uintah county, and refuse to return to
their reservation. find that the Indians
have killed game unlawfuily, according to
the laws of Wyoming, though not urlaw-
fully according to the treaty of the Indians
with the United States, thus usurping the
prerogatives of the settlers. which caused
hy1f ftYn inf ff.1v
of soldiers will settle the difficulty and save
the lives of innocent persons and the de-
struction Of property"
The Request Approved.
Commissioner Browning forwarded Agent
Teter's dispatch to Judge Reynolds, the
acting secretary of the interior, with
Recommendation that the War Department
be requested to send troops to the scene
Immediately. In the meantime two teie-
grams from Gov. Richards of Wyoming
were received by the Secretary. The first
was a copy of Adjutant Gen. STEERS report
above. The second was as follows: dis
patches from the adjutant general. who is
on the ground at Jackson Hole. repeated
to you today. Will the federal government
take the matter in hand of returning the
Bannocks to their reservation. or will Wyo-
ming be expected to do SO? Please wire me
reply
AS soon as possible letter was prepared
and sent by Acting Secretary Reynolds of
the Interior Department to the Secretary Of
War, which. after repea ting the dispatches
received, says: 1.-The danger of a conflict
between the Indians and settlers seems
imminent, and I fully approve the recon-
mendation of the commissioner Of Indian
affairs and respectfully request that you
troubles sufficient military force to pre-
vent conflict between settlers and Indians
and protect the lives of the settlers and re-
turn the Indians to their proper reserva-
tions."
The Troops Available.
Mr.. Browning, commissioner of Indian af-
fairs. called on Secretary Lamont at the
War Department this morning, and re-
4uested that troops be sent into the Jack
son Hole country, for the purpose of COM
peiling the Bannock Indians to return to
their reservation. While Mr.. Browning
was inclined to minimize the danger of the
situation. it is understood that he repre-
sented to the Secretary that he considered
it sufficiently grave to call for the presence
of a detachment of soldiers.
The commissioner said that while four or
five Indians had been killed, he had re-
ceived no official information of the killing
of any white people by the Indians. The
latter were off their reservation, however,
and in prohibited country, where a con-
hict was liable to occur at any time. The
commissioner said he had no exact informa-
ton as to the number of Indians now in the
Jackson Hole country. but was informed
that there were from 800 to 800 Of them.
He also said that the Indians had gone into
this region on hunting expedition, and
that they had q shadow Of right 10 do this
under their treaty with the United States,
which authorizes the Indians to hunt off
their reservation. The regulations Of the
Indian bureau, however, forbid their going
into a country frequented by whites for this
purpose; consequently, the Indians are in
the Jackson Hole country contrary to cr-
ders. Furthermore. the agent had found it
impossible to prevail on them to return.
Secretary Lamont promised to give the
matter immediate attention. but before act
ing he desired to confer with Gen. Ruger,
He sent for the latter. and the two were
closeted together for some time. They
were provided with maps of the tountry
where the Indians are supposed to be- and
went over the entire situation especially
with reference to the availability of troops
and the time necessary to get them to the
Jackson Hole country.
The nearest troops are at Fort Douglas,
UTAH. where there is a regiment of in
fantry, under the command of Col. Pen
rose. There is also a company Of infantry
stationed at Fort Wakochie, and company