The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-06-01
BECK IS READY FOR TROUBLE
Two Thousand Rounds Of Ammu7
milton Received.
The Gallant Indian Agent Has Been
Keeping Up "a Warlike appearance
with Empty winchesters-
Loaded Now.

Omaha. May 27.-The fact that arms
and ammunition have arrived at Ban
croft consigned to Captain Beck of the
Winnebago Indian agency dissolVes Sc
crecy with respect to the equipment al
the agency before they reached Its
destination. Captain Beck now Is pre-
pared. In the past he has been abso-
lutely helpless.
Everybody readily recalls the war
cloud at Fender and the bristling atti-
tude of Captain Beck and his Indian po-
lice. Winchesters We're stackc around
| the agency and from all surface indica-
sions the captain was heeled to carry
the war into Africa" and annihilate amy
sheriff's posse that yer attempted TO
cross the little hills of the reservation.
The truth of the matter is that the
agency was practically defenseless; tha
Winchesters of the ndian police We're
empty.
When Captain Beck's Indian police-
men, Sam Elk and Jim Blackhawk, were
recently left behind in the house where
they were subsequently surrounded and
arrsted by Sheriff Mullin, those two po-
licemen had all the ammunition in their
possession, with the exception of five
cartridges that there was at the dis
pasal of the Indian police force. 1t is
true that many Winchesters. ominous
looking even when empty, We're at the
agency, but had there been a conflict
they would a been as worthless as
toy guns, because there We're only
thirty-eight cartridges all told at the
| agency as late as May ., and some of
these were borrowed. When this was
ascertained the commander of Fort
Winnebago" admitted that 1t was a stu
pendous bluff which had been so sue
cessful in arousing the Penderites to the
organization of a sheriff's posse armed
to the teeth. Furthermore, he said that
the scarcity of ammunition and made
quate facilities for a fight, if such
proved the sequel of his enforcement OF
orders from the interior department..
was the prime cause of the delay in evic-
lions, but that the ammunition would
soon arrive. The expected consign-
ment, consisting of 1900 rounds AMI
more guns is said to have reached Ban
croft the other day.
But during all the bristling, warlike
controversy of months Captain Beck
has been blutling with a fighting force
of twenty-five men and thirty-e'gllt
cartridges. not enough powder to burn
for two volleys if fired by the full nu.
merical strength of the indian police.
This and three revolvers carried by the
agency employees was the total avail
able war provision at Winnebago
agency.
Captain Beck also confirmed the sus-
picion that the great parade of Indian
guards at the agency When he paid Off
the Omahas was another instance of
empty guns. 1t will be remembered
that the captain and the lash box of
Uncle Sam. containing SOS, 900, was es7
corted to the paymasters office by aA
armed array of Indian police with
ugly looking winchesters. which was IN
Itself a sight calculated to inspire ter
ror in the hearts of any robber.
Now, upon that occasion among alb
the dozen Indian police which acted AZ
a guard only three cartridges were in
the crowd. The remainder of the rifles
We're as empty as a mans pocket after
attending a church fair.
When asked why he was so utterly
tncapacitated to repel an attack the In
dian agent said that he had been re-
luctant to stock up with too much am
munition. 1t was a re%gretable fact that
the Indians coul get all the whisky
they wanted in the surrounding towns
of Pender. Decatur. Bancroft and Ly-
ons. Bootleggers smuggled them liquor
in spite of all vigilance ito prevent it.
A loaded winchester in the hands of a
loaded ndian would have a tendency
to fatten cemeteries. The captain did
not care to assume the responsibility Of
creating an arsenal at the agency until
he received additional instructions from
Washington to do so. The result is uow;
acompfete equipment and an Indian po-
ice force to be increased ito fifty men if
necessary.