The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1895-09-07
JACKSON HOLE AFFAIR.
Of the Rev. W. ]. Cleveland from
an Investigation Indian Women Aban-
don Their Babes in Flight from the
Civilized" Whites-Small Show
for Mercy-Oomprehensive Be-
view of the Situation with
Recomr. endations.

SoohsA ""heAS Nv A"N VIVA
by the Indian Rights association
Of Philadelphia to make an investigation
OF the recent Bannock Indian outbreak,
so-called. THE DAILY LEADER is per-
to give the following synopsis OF
Rev. Cleveland's report which will be
to be interesting and comprehen-
Rev. Cleveland's long years Of ex.
perlence among the Indians makes the
report particularly valuable, lnasmuch
as he incorporates the Indian version of
the affair, having obtained his informa-
ton from the Bannock Indians direct:
The Bannock Indians Of the Fort Hall
agency in Idaho went out last spring, &C.
cording to their custom from time i'm
memorial, for their annual hunt in the
mountains Of Wyoming, around the
Jackson Hole country. They did so
this year as they have done since 1868,
under a treaty with the United States
government granting them that privi-
lege, and with permits from the agent.
They we're clearly within their treaty
rights in dong SO, and having nom but
peaceful intentions they took with them
their wives and children. During July,
after some game had been secured, they
were suddenly, and without. warning,
followed up and several detached parties
OF them put uEder arrest by armed
white men from Jackson Hole. In every
case these parties were deprived of all
their possessions, including their guns,
game, extra horses, etc., and two parties
we're successfully brought before the
justice of the peace in Jackson Hole on
the charge Of violating the game laws Of
Wyoming, pronounced guilty and fined
beyond their ability to pay, and would
thus have been sent to Jail at Evinston
had not the payment of the fine in one
case by a friend and the escape Of the
other party during the night prevented.
In the third case, the party were being
marched in for trial under cover OF rifles
when, supposing the intention Of their
captors was to shoot them in cold blood,
they became alarmed and fled through
the thick timber. They were immedi-
ately fred upon with the result that one
old man, nearly blind, vas killed, another
seriously wounded, and two little chill
dren lost in the brush, falling from their
mothers hold in the sudden fight. One
of these, about two and a-half years old.
was afterwards found by the white SET
tiers, crying alone in the wood, but, by a
sad mistake, was sent off to a distant
reservation far from its own people. The
other must have persisted, it being a
mere babe.
The people Of Jackson Hole, on their
own admission, elected their present
justice of the peace and constable and
swore in about thirty additional deputy
marshals with the express intention of
keeping the Indians out of the noun
tains this year. They had a special
reason for wishing to do sc. Nine-tenths
of them, at least, SO their justice stated,
derive their support from game hunting
tourists for whom they act as guides,
ETC., at high rates. These tourists leave
thousands of dollars in the Hole each
year, and are increasing in numbers and
eagerness to kill a bull elk" and get bis
horns at any cost. The settlers evident
" acted on the advice and with the u
thority of the governor and other high
officials of Wyoming, but were grossly
mislnformed by these authorities, includ.
ing United States Commissioner Petit.
grew, a resident OF the Hole, as to what
it was lawful for them to do. The Jndi.
ans being under treaty with and wards
OF the general government, are not citi-
zens OF any state and the laws OF no state
can have jurisdiction over them. especi.
ally to the extent of su%perceding their
compact with the United States. Again
in no case can the depriving them OF
their property before trial, and especially
the shooting down Of prisoners under
such circumstances, be Justified.
With the escape Of the Indians and
the actual shooting of some of them by
their own party, the brave deputies also
became alarmed and fed the scene
abandoning all their plumber on the
spot. The people Of jackson Hole, now
in great fear Of their own safety, organ
lied an armed band composed of all the
able-todied men of the Hole and such
recruits as they could secure from The
Titon Bason, about seveoty-fve in all
and prepared to defend their lives anc
property against al expected attack
from the Indians. Some over advocated
as the best course to send parties IN al
directions through the mountains anC
shoot every Indian found. As there
were then about 200 Indians in the
mountains and plenty more at the agen'
cies to reinforce them, it is not hard te
imagine what would have been the re-
suit if such FOOLS counsel had prevailed
Then they cried aloud for the army OF