The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-06
WENT ON THE WAR PATH
An Indian On break On the Plathead
Reservation.
1T DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG
For An Hour or so Matters Looked
Very Serious For Agent Carter
and His Few Faithful Ser
wants at Jocko.

MIssoULA, March 5.-There was a min
iature war at the Flathead agency last
night, and for n time matters looked seri-
GUS for Agent Carter and the handful of
employees and Indian police that faced
crowd of angry Indians IN front of the
agency Jail. Revolvers and rifles cracked
and bullets whistied for time, but the
discharge of arms was a bluff and the res
olute firmness of the little force under the
agent won. Tho indictments finally dis
persed and three of their leaders are now
confined in the Mlssoula Jail. The dis
turbance was effectually quelled and it is
not believed that there Will be any fur
Their outbreak.
The trouble began about a week ago,
during Agent Carriers absence from the
agency on business. AT that time, the
tribe known as the Bitter Root Flatheads,
whose lands are nearest the agency at
Jocko, INDUCED in war dance. The
beating of tom-toms and the yels of the
dancers were the first intimation that the
agency people had OF the intention of the
Indians to perform this forbidden dance.
Chief Clerk Roman at once despatched an
Indian policeman to the dancers with the
command to stop the dance at once. The
command was obeyed, but, after the po-
as vigorously as ever and continued IN de-
fiance of the order from the agency.
Investigation showed that, after the po-
liceman had returned to the agency, Lou
ison, a medicine man of the Bitter Root
tribe, had told the Indians to go on with
the dance and pay no attention to the or
ders of the white man. Some of the
young bucks then proceeded with the
frenzied dance and there was consider
able ugliness manifested toward the
| agent and his employees.
When Mr.. Carter returned to the agency
| he promptly ordered the arrest of Louison
and the medicine man was locked in the
agency jail. This angered the young
| bucks of the tribe and they came to tho
agency Office with the dem md that their
medicine man be at once released. If he
was not allowed to go by the agent, they
| said that they would batter down the jail
and let him GO themselves.
| Mr.. Carriers reply to this was that I'M
| less they at once withdrew and made no
| further disturbance, they would be locked
up themselves. They paid no attention
| to this injunction, however, and at once
hurried to the jail, where they effected an
entrance and were hammering away at
the cell door behind which the medicine
| man was locked. The prisoner melted
them to use more force and his words
gave them superhuman strength. They
| fairly threw themselves at the strong in
ner door and it seemed as if their purpose
would be accomplished IN few moments.
| All this had taken but brief tiaae and
| Agent Carter had meanwhile collected
whatever men were available, white om-
| ployes of the agency and few Indian
| police. Aiming this little force. Mr.. Car
| ter led them on the run to the Jail, where
| the angry Indians were trying to release
| their medicine man. All of these Indians
were inside the Jail and to shut the outer
| door and cover them with the rifles was
the work of an ins ant. They were com
manded to desist and to surrender. This
| they did reluctantly and three of them who
| had been leaders of the crowd, were made
prisoners. These three were Swasah,
| Nicola and Louis Coull-Coullee. They
were handcuifed and bound and their
| companions sent away.
Agent Carter decided that, for safe
keeping, he would send these three bad
ones to the Missoula Jail, and prepara-
tions were at once made to get them to
Missoula quietly. They were placed in a
wagon and tho team left the agency with
out attracting attention.
| The bucks of the Bitter Root tribe were
| on the alert however, and before the OUT
| fit had driven two miles, it was sur
rounded by 30 armed and mounted In
| dams, who, at the point of the rifle,
demanded the release of the prisoners.
| This was done and the belligerent Indians
returned to the agency, flushed with VIC
tory and uglier than ever.
They became bosterous and the situa-
| ton, was so critical that Agent Carter
wired TO tho commandant at Fort Mis-
| soula for troops. The reply was that none
| could be sent without orders from depart
| ment headquarters and n request was
| made for further information as to the
| cause of the trouble aud the means of de-
| fence at the command of the agent.
Before replying, Agent Carter decided
/ to try the effect of a bluff on the Indians.
| With an interpreter, he talked to the IN al
contents and told them that that was their
last opportunity TO surrender their men
without getting themselves into trouble.
| If they did not turn over these three men,
they would all be arrested, as troops
| would be there in a short time, unless
| they submitted peaceably. They could
have their choice-surrender the men
without trouble or have them taken by
force.
The Indians took counsel among them
selves and the more conservative pre-
vailed. They decided to turn over tine
prisoners to the agent. THIS they did,
and Me-. Carter reached here this after
noon with the prisoners in charge. Swa-
sab. Nicola and Louis Coul-C nullee are
now safe in Sheriff McLaughiin's strong
hold, where they remain sullen and look
ing as mean as coyotes.
Mas ud