The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-06-14

the Tongue River. Mon. agency. de-
failed re7,o.,t Of The recent trouble there
arising IRON the murder of settler john
Hoover by David Stanley. a cheyenne
brave
After much Diplomacy the part of
the agent Stanley and his two accom-
plices, Sam Crow and Yellow Hair. are
now lodged in jail at Miles City, and VIII
be tried by the civil courts. Captain
teresting, IN that II shows the constant
conflict between the federal officers and
the state authorities in arrests of Indians.
In this case the presence OF the sherln
and large posse came near causing
conflict with the Indians.
The report states that soon after Hoov-
err : body was found on May 23rd. Captain
Stouch sest for White Bull and sonae of
his head men, being satisfied that IL was
his band which committed the murder.
The old chief came in response to the
summons and expressed his regret at the
occurrence Captain Stouch told him TO
tell the head men that the band would
be held responsible for the murder, unless
they discovered the real eulprit and
brought him TO the post This they
promised to do.
This conference took place on the 9th
of Ma. ana that same day Sheriff Glib
of Custer county and a band of p armed
men rode up to the agency and informed
Captain Stouch that they wanted the
murderers. The agent replied that he was
doing everything possible 10 discover and
terfered with. was confident that he
would succeed. The sheriff left four
deputies and departed.
That evening Captain Read. with two
troops of cavalry, also arrived. Soon
, after this, White Bull came into the
agency and told Captain Stouch that
Stanley had confessed to the murder. but
would not surrender. having sent word
that he would fight at 3 o'clock. To this
the agent replied that he,would not allow
the fight, but that the chief must COM
pei Stanley 10 give himself IN. a courier
was sent to recall the cavalry, which had
started for the scene of the killing BY
this time the news to fight was spread
and the Indians became very restless; the
souaws and children took to the hills
away from the agency while the bucks
rode in ard stationed themselves on the
hill tops near the post building. They
We're all heavily armed and had their
horses They informed the agent that
they had come TO see Stanley fight,
Captain Stouch then says: Captain
Read returned 10 the agency with his
command about $50 in the afternoon. At
this time Stanley was on a high hill in
the rear of the agency and not q great
distance from it; he had his horse and
sQuaw with him. and was in his war
dress aid paint and was heavily armed.
He was all ready 10 fight. IL was the
desire of CAPTAIN Read TO charge and
capture or kill him. 1t was at this juncture
a greatly excited Indian on horseback ap-
preached with the information that STAN
ley did not want to fight the soldiers. but
did want to fight the citizens meaning
the deputy sheriffs who We're here. | told
him to go back and tell Stanley l would
not allow any one to fight him, and for
him to come in and surrender. Deputy
Sheriff Smith told me he would attempt
his capture If ] would guarantee him
safety from the other Indians | told
him l would not so guarantee. and. more
over; there would be 10 fight and that
STANLEY must be captured without any
bleodshed.
4 wanted this done as an example for
those amongst the Indians who con-
template wronE-doing, and / knew per-
tect,y well that if he were permitted TO
night and was killed he would be a hero
and brave in the eyes of the tribe whose
example should be emulated by the
young men.
STANLEY followed in the footsteps of
Head Chief and Crazy Mule, of whose
heroic deaths stories are told around the
nres. making every young man anxious
for similar death. | believe ii was in
1871 tsat these two young men killed d
w.:te boy and hid the body in the hills
Were II was found after a search of
several days.
The murderers were discovered
through their boosting of the deed. so
their surrender was demanded. but it was
refu I'd: though they were willing to be
kill i. and would die fighting Their pro-
posa. vas accepted and the five troops of
cavalry stationed here were ordered to
prepare for the ARRAY. At the appointed
tine the troops took their station in the
rea- of the agency buildings and each
young man took his position on a hill on
either side of the troops: the young men
charged down the hills on their horses
upon the troops singing their death songs
( ana at the soldiers. They were
hnaily killed. they only shooting few of
tie horses of the soldiers Stones mark
the footsteps of the horses on the hill
sides and the bodies of the braves were
BURIED in a grave prepared for them be-
fore hand. The Squaws watched the fight
ard at its close sang the death songs
and urged the bucks to avenge the death
of the young men. The men became very
much excited. and. Notwithstanding the
presence OF the five troops of cavalry. a
hight was narrowly aVerted. Thus these
Two young men became heroes and to
prevent the repetition of these incidents. 1
forbade any fighting.
Il did not think ii wise and prudent to
make the attempt with but two troops
OF cavalry here; while / believe the
Indians were not disposed TO resist the
ca-sture of Stanley still there was no
telling what they would do when one of
their people was being fired uDon. Had
they made resistance there is no telling
whe-e it would have ended. They can
muster almost 800 warriors, and. knowing
of their disposition to resist in 1891. when
muck weaker than now. ! thought two
troops of cavalry would not stand much
show of overcoming these warriors whose
fierceueSS was noted
About this time from remarks made
II me by the Indians and by their
tons. became convinced that the
Indians We're afraid of the deputy
sheriffs, because they could not under
stand why. they were here, they not
knowing the difference. between the repre-
sentat.ves of the law and cowboys. This
: ndQ rendered them very clOSt-tHOulNSQ
and l was unable TO get any information
FROM them that would answer for evil
dence against Stanley when he was
brought to trial.
As the presence of the deputy sheriffs
interfered with investigation Captain
Stouch asserted his authority and ordered
the deputies off the reservation.
BY this time Stanley had disappeared.
After much trouble. he was located at
BLACK Eagles camp. Captain Stouch i'm
mediately started for the camp and there
found the brave fully armed, and still
disincincd to surrender without night.
Finally he consented to accompany the
agent back TO the post, still refusing to
give up his arms. He was then per-
suaded to give UP his rifle and when the
agency was reached was promptly locked
uc In the meantime Sheriff Glib re-
turned and presented Captain Stouch with
a Warrant for his Arrest for violating the
state laws in interfering with the sheriff
in his attempt to arrest the Indians.
Then the sheriff demanded the person
of Stanley. but the agent positively re-
fused 20 deliver him up. feeling that it
would defeat the ends of Justice. as he
hoped to secure from the prisoner evil
derce which would lead TO the ;ipDrehen-
parted but again left his deputies. Finally
after much parleying Captain StOuch
became convinced that It was useless to
hold the murderer longer and turned him
over to the sHerif. sending an escort OF
cavalry with him to the railroad.
IKE report deals with the difficulties
thrown around him by the interference OF
the state officials at length and con-
ci,i6es by recommending that III view. of
! the disturbed condition of the settlers
two troops of cavalry be stationed at
Tongue river.
Yeiiow Hair and Sam Crow were ar
rested by Captain Stouch after his re-
port had been mailed.