Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1897-06-25
PIONEER SKETCHES
.......ter Indians and q Dog that
. War. a Mysterious "Preacher."
m NEWTON HIBBS.

Filling of Jim Ralnes at the forks
-fco,mon river Raines was
tanner and trader and was &C.
oraiu,ed with the leaders of the
sheepeaters. These Indians &C.
.,r;ed Chamberlain basin rugged
mountain expanse on the upper
salmon river. They were perhaps
,be 6ercest red men of the west.
they were not nation or tribe
,roner but were an assembly of
outlaws from several tribes united
bv q common fear of justice. The
chief of the tribe was a shrewd
old man by the name Of Boo-Tah.
His secretary of war was a fierce
and cunning man known as Chuck
In the cabinet was also mys-
terious character called the preach
e. who manager the affairs Of state.
He is believed TO have been a
white man. He possessed great
influence over the Sheepeaters.
He is believed to have planned
their plundering expeditions and
various murders which were per-
petrated for robbery.
The incident which opened the
war Of 1873, the killing of Jim
Raines, was brought about by a
spirit of revenge. Jim Raines had
sometime before k lied one or more
favorite dogs belonging to the
Indians. These dogs, a distinctive
breed of mongrcl wolves, were
highly priced by the Indians
They were trained for the chase,
the capture OF the game, which
afforded almost the exclusive ration
Of these people, depended upon
these trained dogs. The mountain
sheep, the chief food of then atives,
were rounded up and brought to
hey by these specially bred and
trained dogs, and this game es-
pecially was as much subject to
the will Of the Indians with the
aid Of their dogs as the domestic
herds of the shepherds are to them.
These dogs were almost sacred to
the Indians, but they were maraud-
ers of the worst kind. They raided
the store rooms, chicken houses,
hog pens and the corrals of the
Raines' r:nch. The owner of the
ranch waged war upon the dogs.
10 avengc the loss the Indians shot
Jim Raines from ambush. He was
working in his hay field in COM
pany with other men when he was
shot down in their midst. His
associates were not molested.
Thus the shooting of an Indian
dog may be said to have caused
the Sheepeater war.
Tie Sheepeaters were in bad re-
pute before the state Of open war
fare existed. A score Of murders
were charged to them. The mur-
der of Dan Crooks and his associ-
ates was charged to them. These
men were working placer mine
In the Sheepeater country and it is
believed had accumulated a large
amount Of dust. They were at
tackled at night and shot in their
beds. They were discovered by
with evidences of rob-
berry by Indians. "Bobtail' john
SON and Pete Dorsey were killed
by these Indians. A scouting
party sent out by the citizens Of
The Payette country was annil Hated
by them, only one escaping,
''Three.finger" Smith the leader.
Alter some very daring acts of war
fare under the leadership Of Chuck
the Sheepeaters became formid-
able foe for the government forces
70 contend with. They were in an
'mpregnable mountain retreat,
with herds of game for rations.
They could harrass the settlements
at will and even ambush the sold
lers without material danger. Col.
Steele Of the regular army was de-
tailed to conduct the campaign
against this enemy. After the
had exhausted almost