The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-26
INDIANS WARNED
To Return to Their Reservation Be.
fore Troops Arrive.
BANNOCKs ARE GREAT FIGHTERS.
They Would Prove Difficult
to Subdue.

WASHINGTON, July 26.--Indian Com
missioner Browning telegraphed TO Agent
Teter az Fort Hall agency, Ida, instruct
Ing him to send message To tho Indians,
urging them TO return 20 the reservation
before the arrival Of troops at the scene Of
trouble. He told Agent Teter to say to
the Indians that he (Browning) sent this
message as a friend, and recommended
them TO comply with his request.
A reply was received from Agent Teter,
saying that he had sent prominent and re-
liable members OF the tribe 10 carry the
commissioners message TO the Indians in
Wyoming. and he hoped the desire of the
commissioners would be fulfilled re-
suit.
1t seems that the Bannocks were strictly
within their treaty rights In killing game,
although they violated the laws OF Wy
oming In doing SO, and SO gave oppor-
tunity to the lawless among tho settlers
TO cause conflict with them.
The following clause Of the treaty OF
July, 1865, whereby the Bannock Indians
were located upon their present reserya-
ton. shows the right of the Indians TO
hunt in Wyoming:
The iians herein named agree that they
manent home and they viii make no perma-
nent settlement elsewhere, but they shall
have the right TO hunt ON tho unoccupied
lands Of the United States 40 long az game
may be found therein. aud so long rs peace
subssts between the whites and Indians on
the borders OF the hunting districts.
Indians Warned.
To avoid conflict with the whites, the
Indian bureau hastolade regulations gov
q :. H..
which forbid the Indians hunting in dis
tricts frequented by the whites, and the
policy OF the Indian agents has been TO
persuade the Indians To Use the privilege
as little as possible. In the trouble be-
tween the Indians and settlers, the gov
ernment Of course, under the treaty, sus-
tains the Indians right TO hunt game, but
requires their return TO the reservation.
In 1866 the Bannocks broke away from
governmental restraint and massacred
many settlers before they were subjugated.
In 1878 they again brought up their an
nual grievance of bad rations and poor
hunting, and took the warpath. During
the greater part Of that year they robbed
and murdered and pillg ed, in spite Of all
efforts made to subdue them. 1t was not
until General Miles came down from Fort
Keogh with large force, and killed n
great many Of them, that they were sub
dued.
That war cost the government consider
ably over 100000, but the result seemed
to be salutary lesson for the Indians,
for since that tiino they have kept rather
quiet. There were about 1900 warriors In
the field In that uprising, but over half of
them belonged TO the Cheyenne and Arap-
ahoe tribes who secretly sympathize with
the outbreak.
At present it Is doubtful IL the entire
tribe can muster more than 800 warriors at
the outside But IL they have definitely
decided TO go on the warpath, 1t will be
an easy matter for them to muster re-
oruits from the various neighboring tribes.
There is always a discontented element
among the Crow and Sioux tribes ready to
fight.
General Howard and the Bannocks.
In their last war the Bannocks used
STEMS mountains for stronghold, and
under Chief Ten Days they made stand
against the government. From this point
they were ousted by General Howard.
Then they fought their way eastward
along the Blue mountains. between
Grand Ronde and Columbia valley.
When driven from this locality, as a last
RESORT tHcy tuFflcu ehstWaru into the
Salmon mountains, and thence along
Powder River mountains, to the crossing
OF Snake river. Here they killed herders.
isolated farmers and small parties with
out hindrancc.
From what can be learned, they are
again in their old haunts and plying their
old trade. The band probably does not
number over 5000. Although the Sho-
shones, as n tribe, have never made war 10
any extent on the government, there are
a great many young bucks who will un-
doubtcdly join the Bannocks in any move
ment Of consequence. The country is an
exceedingly difficult one for military opcr-
ations. 1t is heavily tlmbcred and very
mountainous.
In fact, u small force If well-provisioned
and with an unlimited supply of ammu-
milton, could hold off the available Rov-.
ernmcnt troops for six months without
much trouble. In past wars, the move.
ment of the hostile Indians has ALWAYS
been toward the Canadian border.
The present uprising will probably form
no exception To the rule. Failing 20 reach
the border, the Bannocks will accept de-
feat, as they have in the past, return % |
their reservations and be good Indians for |
another year.
To Direct Troops Movements.
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