Connecticut western news., 1895-08-01
A Doomed Band of Settlers.

BOISE, Ida, July 26.-Word reached here last night that little band of set tiers about 20 miles from St. Anthony, at the edge of the Teton basin, were sur rounded by a band of hostile Bannocks who had made several unsuccessful at tempts by firing upon them to drive them from their positions.
 A messenger who made his way around the Indian lines to St. Anthony reports that their provisions were almost gone, and unless succor reached them soon they would be killed. It is alleged that some of the whites who murdered Indians for hunting elk are in this outfit near St. An thony, and it is the object of the Indians to wreak vengeance upon them.
 Indian Agent Toter, who has just re- turned from trip to the Jackson hole country, said when seen at Pocatello:
 'The settlers have congregated at sev- eral points to protect themselves. I urged them to prepare for an attack, but not to assume the aggressive toward the wards of the government. The settlers are anx- ious to go out after the Indians and wipe them out. Both sides are now very deter mined.
 ''The settlers decided a year ago that if the Indians returned this summer they would break up their custom of hunting in this locality. All the women are almost distracted with fear, and as there are not more than 200 settlers in the Jackson Hole valley I considered it necessary to send in tho call for troops, which I did inn mediately upon my arrival here. 1 don't think the settlers are in immediate dan- ger, but if the troops are not sent at once they will be-
 Agent Teter docs not believe that the troops will be of real assistance until they are stationed right in the Jackson Hole valley at Marysvale and in the country just south of the National park. Mir. Teter is inclined to criticise very severely the party of deputy constables who shot so hurriedly into the crowd of Indians who tried to escape arrest. He says they are responsible for all this trouble, and some of them are already leaving the country for fear of subsequent investigation by federal officers. MT. Teter also says that the Indians are not the only ones who break the game laws, but that the white settlers are equally as bad, and the white tourists and eastern hunters are much worse than the red men.
 Indians Warned of soldierx' Approach.
 He says that in this Jackson Hole valley it is estimated that there are at least 20,- 900 elks, many antelopes and some moose. IIt ilttSc OSthuOb DS from extinction in the Yellowstone park, and he firmly believes that the govern ment should without delay provide for making the wonderful Jackson Hole val ley part of the National park.
 As soon as Mir. Teter arrived at the agency trusted messengers were sent out to all the absent Bannocks and Shoshones, telling them that the soldiers were coming and urging them to peacefully return home by the time they arrived.
 There is considerable speculation as to whether this will have any effect, since the Indians have become so worked up, and as they must know that, located as they are, in probably the widest spot in this country, the handful of soldiers that | will be sent out could hardly find them before winter if they chose to keep out of | sight.
 Word has been received at the Bannock | agency that Jim Ballard, who is acknowl- | edged to be the most dangerous Indian on the reservation, is at the Salt River valley meeting of the Bannocks Shoshones and | Utes with about 50 of his followers. The authorities are very anxious that these disturbers shall not join the belligerents | congregated on Fall river. It is greatly | feared, however, that when the trading | and races are ended on Salt river these | Indians will go north and join the others. | If they do so, the combined force will probably number 600 at least.