The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-02
SHARP ORDERS SENT TO CAPT. STOUCH.
Directed by Secretary Bliss to ASss the Civil authorities
in Taking Indian Mdrderers.

Cheyenne Indians in Montana reached
the Indian bureau today from Capt.
Stouch, in charge of the Tongue River
agency. 1t confirms the Washington
dispatches of the Associated Press yes
terday, which attributed the trouble to
the murder of a sheep herder and indi-
cate that the motive Of the murder
was to prevent the herder from giving
testimony as to an illegal slaughter of
beef which he had witnessed. An in
VestigatiOn will be made Immediately.
The agent reports that intense excite
ment exists among the settlers, and
that there is liability of further trouble.
He says there are a great many blood
thirsty yOui g. men among these Indians,
and that if the settlers and the young
Indians should meet, trouble would be
the result. For the peace and safety
of all concerned, he advises the station
ing of two troops of cavalry in the
neighborhood. A request was made to
the adjutant general of the military
department at st. Paul for a troop of
cavalry to be stationed at Camp Mer-
fitt all the tin.~a@...-..-,1 of a detach-
nent of infantry as now. If a mounted
party could be seen frequently on diff
ferent parts of the reservation, it would
be of great benefit in the opinion of
the agent.
The report says that on May 6 the
agent was informed of the disappear
ance of sheep herder in the employ of
Mr.. 'Barringer, whose ranch is on the
Tongue river. A search party was or
ganized by a cousin of the herder on
May %, and agency help asked. Troops
from Fort Keough and Camp Merritt
and the settlers on the Rosebud and
Tongue rivers constituted the search
party. On the oath of May Indian police
f1n
found ree-quarters Of a mile from
the camp of the herder and about three
miles north of the reservation. The
murder undoubtedly was committed
by Indians, and it has eXasperated the
settlers throughout the country and
they are crying for justice and retribu-
ton. The man was an inoffenSive
hunchback and he has been an object Of
sport for the Indians. The carcaSSes of
the slaughtered beeves were discovered
near by In this connection it is stated
that only a few cattle belonging to the
settlers have been killed by the Indians
during the past winter and spring, two
near the agency, a few on Tongue river
and two near Stebbins cAeek; a total not
nearly so large as heretofore. The in
terror department will make a formal
request to the war department. to sta
tion cavalry at the camp, and the agent
will be instructed to use every effort
to secure the punishment Of the perpe-
traitors of the crime.
Senator Carter has been appealed to
in behalf of the settlers alleged rights,
but he has replied counseling moder-
alton among the whites County Attor-
ney T. j. Porter wired the senator from
Miles City that Agent Stouch ought
to be suspended Immediately for re-
sisting state officers serving process in
driving off the sheriff from the agency.
He claimed that the situation was
serious, and that bloodshed would re-
suit. If the agent is instructed not to
resist the sheriff's posse, he added, con-
fiict will be avoided though the county
attorney regarded an outbreak as GER
tainly imminent.