The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-04
ABOUT THE CHEYENNEs.
Most Murderous Tribe of Indians on
American Soil.


American Soil.
Judge ]. w. Strevell of Miles City,
Mon, writes the Helena Independent
detailing the savage history of the
Cheyenne tribe OF Indians, who recently
created a disturbance in the northwest.
To those not informed, the question
will arise, Who are these Cheyenne IN
dams, and what was the provOeation
for this and the other like crimes?
To the first question, as to who these
Indians are, writes Judge Strevell the
answer is, that they are the most muir
derouS triOe on American soil today, the
Apaches not excepted. Along IN the
'70s these Indians were removed 10 the
SOUTH but became discontinued there,
and about $50 of them started in 1876
or 1877 on a murderous raid for their
old stamping grounds at the north
They passed through three states. leaV-
ing a trail of fire and blood behind them
the like of which had not been known
in this country before; and, tho gh they
crossed at least four railroads with
telegraph lines and every appliance for
rapid action known to civilized life,
with tine United States army at is
back, this great government of ours
was not able to arrest them. Bands CT
settlers, organized to resist their prog
ress, were swept away like chan, and
TODAY and ever since that time these
Indians have been set down in Custer
county in the state of Montana so
much for the perpetrators. AS 20 the
matter of provocation, there was aoso-
lutely no provocatiOn.
Citizens have been killed, as have
said, and for years these Indians have
been depredating and destroying the
propert yof settlers. They roam at will
over the country, they Kill stock AT
will; they kill an animal wherever they
camp at night, cut out the tongue ana
loin, and at the next camping place go
through the same process, leaving the
remainder of the animals to rot where
thew killed them.
In addition to this. the people have
fed these outlaws as no other IMAM
western people would feed them. One
of the most reliable men in this state
informs me that his own ranch has fed
them not less than 1900 meals, al
moderate estimate. Often and often
they terrorize families when women are
alone, and yet in the midst of all this,
I defy any living man TO point 10 any
single act of violence which any settler
has offered to these Indians. AT this
time there is a perfect reign of terror
in that portion CT our county. A gen
tleman who recently passed through
that section says that the condition is
most deplorable. Homes are wholly de-
serted. COWS for days unmilked are low
ing about the premises, While other do
nestle animals and fowls are starving
for want of some one TO feed them.
Time and again the general govern /
ment has been appealed TO, to protect 7
the settlers and grant them relief
against this distressing state of affairs, /
but so far without the least avail. !
Some high and mighty first or second /
assistant in some of the departments
informs the complainants that the set 1
tiers had better get OUT, but the set !
tiers cannot get out. Many of them /
were there before the Indians. the gov
eminent invited them TO take up land I
and make homes. took the money of |
these settlers for their homes.
And more serious than all. our own +
state legislature refuses to give any re- /
lief Last winter the writer of this. at
the request of these settlers, prepared a (
Dill designed to keep these Indians on
their reservation. a matter which the
supreme court of the United States, in
an opinion delivered by that tribunal,
said it was perfectly competent for the
state authorities to do. but it could not
De passed, for the reason that some
gentlemen thought it was a blow al
abor, yet these people are driven from
heir homes, the labor of their lives de-
'troyed as though they were the most
lbject slaves. Such is the condition
lere today and the people are abso-
utelv without protection.