The Portland daily press., 1897-06-14

Washington, June 13.-The Indian
office has received from Capt. Stouch of
the Tongue River, Montana, agency,
a detailed report of the recent trouble
there arising from the murder of settler
John Hoover, by David Stanley,
Cheyenne brave. After much diplomacy
on the part of the agent Stanley and his
two accomplices Sam Crow and Yellow
Hair are now lodged in Jail at Miles City
and will be tried by the civil courts.
Capt. Stouch's description of the
trouble is interesting in that it shows
the constant conflict between the federal
officers and the state authorities in ar
rests of Indians. The report states that
soon after Hoover's body was found on
May 23, Capt. Stouch sent for White Bull
and some of the head men, being satisfied
that it was his bad which committed the
murder. The old chief came in response
to the summons and expressed his regret
at the occurrence. Capt Stouch told him
to tell the head men that the band would
be held responsible for the murder un-
less they discovered the real culprit and
brought him to the post. This they
promised to do. ~
1t turned out to be the son of the old
brave who killed Hoover. This confer
ence took place on the 27th of May and
that same day Sheriff Gibb Of Custer
county and a band of 25 armed men rode
up to the agency and informed Capt.
Stouch that they wanted the murderers.
Soon after this White Bull came into
the agency and told Capt. Stouch that
Stanley had confessed to the murder but
would not surrender, having sent word
that he would fight at o'clock.
Capt. Read returned to the agency at
$50 with his command. At this time
Stanley was on high hill in the rear of
the agency and not at great distance
from it. He had his horse and squaw
with him, was in war dress and paint
and was heavily armed. He was all ready
for the fight. 1t was the desire of Capt.
Read to charge and capture or kill him.
At this point greatly excited Indian
on horse back appeared with the informa-
ton that Stanley did not want to fight
with the soldiers, but did want to fight
the citizens, meaning the deputy sheriffs
who were there.
81 told him." the captain says in his
report, "to go back and tell Stanley
that would not allow any one to fight
him and for him to come in and surren-
der. Stanley followed in the footsteps of
Head Chief and Crazy Mule, of whose
heroic death stories are told around the
fires, making every young man anxious
for similar death. About this time from
remarks made to me by the Indians and
by their actions I became convinced that
the Indians were afraid of the deputy
sheriffs because they could not under
stand why they were here"
BY this time Stanley had disappeared.
After much trouble he was located in
Black Eagles camp. Capt. Stouch start
ed for the camp and found the braves
fully armed and disinclined to surrender
without fight. He was persuaded to
give up his rifle and when the agency
was reached he was promptly locked up.
In the meantime Sheriff Gibbs returned
and presented Capt. Stouch with war
rant for his arrest for violating the state
laws for interfering with the sheriff in
his attempt to arrest the Indian. Then
the sheriff demanded the person of Stan
icy, but the agent positively refused to de-
liver him up. Finally after much parley-
ing Capt. Stouch became convinced that
it would be useless to hold the murderer
and turned him over to the sheriff.
Yellow Hair and Sam Crow were ar
rested by Capt. Stouch after his report
had been mailed.