The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-31
Report OF the District Attorney ana
Deputy Marshal on the Recent
"UprisiBs'' OF Bannocks.
REDMEN TRICKED AND SHOT
ONE OLD INDIAN KILLED AND AT
LEAST FIVE MORE WOUNDED.
An Outrage by ConstabIes-Anothe
Decision Against the Reasese9enA
Minister 10 Mexico.


ment OF Justice has received from the
United States district attorney and marshal
OF Wyoming the official reports OF their
investigation into the Bannock Indian
troubles made by the direction of tne At
torney-general- The reports dated
Aug. g. The district attorney for Wyoming
reports as follows:
II have no doubt whatever that the kill
ing OF the Indian Tanega. on or about the
18th OF July, was an atrocious; outrageous
and cold-blooded murder: and that ~ was q
murder perpetrated on the part OF Con-
stable Manning and his deputies In pursu-
ance OF a scheme and conspiracy on their
part to prevent the Indians from exercising
a right and privilege which is in my opin-
ion, very clearly guaranteed 10 them by the
treaty. Should the prosecution on the part
OF the United States be determined upon. IL
would be useless TO begin II before COM
missioner. AS the law now Is we are bound
TO bring prisoners before the Sn.ted states
and in this case II would be before Mr. Pet-
tigrew, the commissioner OF Marysvale.
am informed that he is thoroughly In SYM
pathy with the so-called settlers in that
region, and that he advised Constable Man.
ming and his posse that the provisions
of the treaty under which the Indians
claimed the right to hunt upon the unoccu-
pied lands of the United States had for
some reason ceased TO be operative. Hence.
think that 10 cause the arrest OF these
men and take them for hearing before this
commissioner would simply result In their
discharge. Ii seems 10 me 10 De q great
pity that there is no national law which can
certainly be invoked for the protection OF
these, our domestic subjects. weak and de-
fenseless as they are. In their right 20 en~
Joy those privileges guaranteed 70 them py
a solemn treaty, to the enforcement OF
which the honor of our country 10 pledged;
and that their only protection against iorci.
Bile resistance TO their enjoyment or thesG
rig hts must be found In the courts or the
State wherein the juries will unquestionably
look upon them as possessing no rights
n-l,ff man q hound Y8nDRCf.'
The district attorney has been advised
that the department concurs with him In
the opinion that there is no federal statute
under which the offenders can be punished
Accompanying the report OF the district
attorney, scathing arraignment OF the
Jackson's Hole settlers is made in re-
rort of the United States deputy marshal
who investigated the troubles. The deputy
marshars report says that careful N
yestigation OF the whole affair shows that
the reports made by settlers charging the
Indians with wholesale slaughter of game
for wantonness or 10 secure the hides of
the animcls killed have been very much ex-
aggerate During my stay in Jackson's
Hole" he says. II visited many portions
of the district and saw no evidence OF
such slaughter Lleutenants Gardner, PARK
er and jackson, OF the Ninth United STATES
Cavalry, who conducted scouting partes
Of troops through all portions OF JACK
sons Hole, also FOUND this 10 be the case
on Aug. u l visited camp OF bannock
Indians who had been on a hunting uip
in Jackson's Hole. The women OF tne pslsy
were preparing the meat OF seven or eight
elk for winter use, and every part or the
animals, even TO the brains. entrails and
news sine s,Ix %Ss of oeine nessSe source Of pro
"In connection with the trouDles De-
tween the Indians and the whites. ] spent
some time inquiring into the causes for
the unconcealed hostility of the Jackson's
Hole people against the Indians There
was little or no complaint among the set
tiers of offensive manners on the part or
the Indians. Except In rare Instances. they
have kept away from the houses OF the
settlers and have not been In the habit OF
begging. In. no instance has there ever
been a well-authenticated case where .
settler has been molested by an Indian.
The killing OF game by Indians and
by the increasing number OF tourist hunt
ers threatens to so deplete the region Of
big game-deer, elk. moose, etc.-as 70
jeopardize the occupation OF the present
at the close OF last season TO keep the In
dians out OF the region this year. and
the events OF this summer are the results
of carefully prepared plans. This was ad-
mitted by United States Commissioner Pet
tigrew, at Marysvale. and Constable Man.
ming said; owe ,sls hsew thine s that % we Would
bring matters TO a head. Someone was go
ing to be killed-perhaps some on both
done done the better, so we could get the mat
ter before the courts.
Continuing the deputy marshal says; III
affair should be had the fact viii be estab-
lished that when Constable Manning and
his posse of twenty-six setuers arreste9
a party OF Indians, July Is, ana started
with them for Marysvale. he and his men
did all they could TO tempt the Indians 10
try to escape in order that there might be
basis Of ss srSsb fSr kns of K. sos stte OF
can be reached II will be found that the
captors did not care parti,cui.rT pTn,s r., snont about
vale. where the same formality OF fning
them and then having 10 let them escape,
would result, but. on the contfsry' a t tempted s
| ing them believe they were TO be sent %
jail or hung. and then by leading them 70
horses, and not they. only would be shot.
From Mr.. Manning learned that
none of the horses Of the escaping party
81 r lndans ia sh~et wet their horsss but that At
least six Indians were hit by bullets. or
these. Timega. an. old man. wes killed:
Wounded Wounded so that be could not escape. and
| the others got away. Tfmega was an old
man. almost blind, and his gun was useless.
was found, after lying unburied In the
woods for about twenty days. Il was found
he had been shot four times In the back
through the body and arm He was left
on the ground where the shooting occurred
and remained there, living on some urea
meat for ten days. He crawled for three
nights TO reach a ranch OF settler VINO
was friendly to the Indians. and was seven
teen days without medical attention.
"The whole AFFAIR was. believe. pre-
meditated and prearranged plan 10 Kill
some Indians and thus stir up eumclent
trouble TO subsequently get United states
troops into the region and ultimately have
the Indians shut out from Jackson's Hole.
The plan was successfully carried out and
the desired results obtained. II would.
however be but an act OF simple Justice 10
bring the men who murdered the Indian.
Tlmega. u trial There are however. no
officials In Jackson's Hole-county. state
or nationai-who would hold any OF Man
ning's posse for trial. Either the anti-In-
dian prociivities OF these officials or the
fear of opposing the dominating sentiment
II the community on this question would
lead them 10 discharge all OF these men
should they be brought before them for .
hearing
The name of the district attorney n Gib-
son Clarke. but for prudential reasons the
name OF the deputy marshal Is not given