The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-01
BANNoCK INDIAN TROUBLES.
The District Attorney and Marshal of
Wyoming Make Official Reports,

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30.-The Depart
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
the Attorney General. The reports are
dated August %. The District Attorney
for Wyoming reports in substance as
follows:
81 have no doubt whatever that the
killing of the Indian Timego on or about
the 18th of July was an atrocious, out
rageous and cold blooded murder; and
that it was murder perpetrated on the
part of the Constable Manning and his
deputies in pursuance of a scheme and
conspiracy. on their part to prevent the
Indians from exercising a right and priv
ilege which is, in my opinion, very clearly
guaranteed to them by treaty.
Should the prosecution On the part of
the United States be determined upon,
it would be useless to commence it before
a Commissioner.
sAs the law is now, we are bound to
bring prisoners before United States
Commissioner nearest to the place of
the arrest, and in this case it would be
before Mr.. Pettigrew. the Commissioner
of Marysyale. am informed that he is
thoroughly in sympathy with the So
called settlers id that region, and that
he advised the Constable Manning and
his posse that the provisions Of the
treaty under which the Indians claimed
the right to hunt upon the unoccupied
lands of the United States had for some
reason, ceased to be operative. Hence,
| think that to cause the arrest of these
men and take them for hearing before
this commissioner would simply result in
their discharge. Itseems to me to be great
pity that there is no national law which
can certainly be invoked for the protec
ton of these, our domestic subjects,
weak and defenseless as they are, in
their right to enjoy these privileges
guaranteed them by solemn treaty to
the enforcement of which the honor Of
our country is pledged; and that their
only protection against forcible resist
anee to their enjoyment of these rights
must be found in the courts of the
States wherein the juries will unques-
tionably look upon them as possessing
no rights which white man is bound to
respect"
The District Attorney has been ad-
vised that the department concurs with
him in the opinion that there is no Fed
eral statute under which the offenders
can be punished.
Accompanying the report of the Dis
trict Attorney is scathing arraignment
of the Jackson Hole settlers made in a
report of the United States deputy mar
shall who investigated the troubles. The
deputy marshaI's report says that a care
ful investigation of the whole affair shows
that the reports made by settlers charg-
ing the Indians with wholesale slaugh-
ter of game for wantonness or to secure
the hides of the animals killed have
been very much exaggerated.
In conclusion the deputy says:
1.-THE whole affair was, | believe, a
premeditated and prearranged plan to
kill some Indians and thus stir up suffi-
Gent trouble to subsequently get United
States troops into the region and ulti.
mately have the Indians shut out from
| JacksOn's Hole.