The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1897-06-14
INDIAN MURDTRERS.
Captain Stouoh Reports the Arrest
Of Three Braves.
THE CONFLICT OF AUTHORITY.

The Presence OF the Sheriff and
Large Posse Camc Near Causing IA
Conflict with the Indians-Nurderer
Wanted to Fight.
Washington, June 14-The Indian
flee has received from Captain Stouch
nf the Tongue River, Mont, agency, a
detailed report on the recent trouble
there arising from the murder of set
tier John Hoover by David Stanley a
Cheyenne brave. After much dplo-
macy 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 viii be tried by
the civil courts. Captain Stouch's de-
scription of the trouble is interesting,
in that 1t shows the constant conflict
between the federal officers and the
state authorities in arrests of Indians.
In this case the presence of the sheriff
and a large posse came near causing
a conflict with the Indians.
The report states that soon after
Hoover's body was found, on May 49,
Captain Stouch sent for White Bull
and some of the head men, being satis-
/ fed that it was his band which COM
/ mitted the murder. The old chief came
in response to the summons, and ex
| pressed his regret at the occurrence.
| Captain Stouch told him to tell the
head men that he band would be held
responsible for the murder unless they
discovered the real culprlt and brought
him to the post. This they promised
to do, and an old Indian named Bad
i ger made the prophetic remark: Il
! ha find
and 1 will try to find out, will tell
him if it is my own SON" 1t turned
out to be the son of the old brave who
killed Hoover. This conference took
place on the 9th of May, and that
same day Sheriff Glib, of Custer coun-
ty, and a band of 25 armed men, rode
up to the agency and informed Captain
Stouch that they wanted the murder
ers. The agent replied that he was
| doing everything possible to discover
and arrest the guilty Indians, and if
not interfered 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 MUIR
der, but would not surrender, having
sent word that he would fight at 9
o'clock. The agent replied that he
would not allow the fight, but that the
chiefs must compel Stanley to give
himself up. A courier was sent to re-
call the cavalry which had started for
the scene of the killing. BY this time
the news that Stanley was to fight had
spread, and the Indians became very
restless. The sauaYs and children
took to the hills away from the agency,
while the bucks rode in and stationed
themselves on the hill tops near the
post buildings. They were all heavily
armed, and had their horses. They in
formed the agent that they had come
to see Stanley fight.
Captain Stouch then says:
Captain Read returned to the agency
with his command about $3.50 IN the
afternoon At this time Stanley was
on a high hill in the rear Of the agency
, and not at a great distance from it
He had his horse and squaw with him
was in his war dress and paint, and
was heavily armed. He was all ready
for the fight. 1t was the desire OF Cap,
tain Read to charge and capture OF
kill him. At this juncture a greatly
ed with the information that Stanley
did not want to fight the soldiers, but
; did want to fight the citizens, mean
in the deputy sheriffs who were here
told him to go back and tell Stan
ley I would not allow anyone to fight
him, and for him to come in and sur.
render. Deputy Sheriff Smith told ms
he would attempt his capture II
would guarantee his safety from tn,
other Indians. told him | could no
/. so guarantee, and moreover ther,
would be no fight, and that Stanle!
must be captured without any blood
shed I wanted this done as an eX
ample for those amongst the Indian,
who contemplate wrongdoing, and
knew perfectly well that if he wer,
permitted to fight and was killed, h'
would be hero and brave in the eyei
of the tribe, whose example should b'
emulated by the young men,
STANLEY followed in the footsteps o
Head Chief and Crazy Mule, Of whosl
heroic deaths stories are told arounC
, the fires, making every young maI
anxious for a similar death, l believe
= it was in 1891 that these two younl
s men killed white boy and hid th
body in the hills, where it was foun,
after a search of several days, Th
n murderers We're discovered through
their boasting of the deed. Their sur
I, render was demanded, but It was re
fused, though they were willing to b.
/, killed and would die fighting. Thei
proposal was accepted, end the fiv
- troops of cavalry stationed here Wer
ordered to prepare for the affray A
the appointed time the troops tool
their station in the rear Of the agenc.
buildings, and each young man tool
his position on hill on either side o
the troops, The young men oharge
- down the hills on their horses upoI
the troops, singing their death song
:. and firing at the soldiers They wer
finally killed, they only shooting
few of the horses of the soldiers.
Had the Indians made a resistanc
e there is no telling where 1t would hay
ended. They can muster almost 80
l. warriors, and knowing OF their dis
position to resist in 1891, when muc
- weaker than now, / thought two troop
of cavalry would not stand much shoN
Of overcoming the warriors, who's
r herceness was noted"
As the presence Of the deputy sheriff
r interfered with the investigation, Cap
tain stouch asserted his authority an
ordered the deputies off the reseryN
t3.. n,v thJs tfu1a Stanley had dis