Omaha daily bee., 1897-06-14
Indians Had No Desire to Fight the Federal
Soldiers.
OFFICIAL REPORT FROM TONGUE RiV;
Captain stouch. the Agent, shows II
Constant Conflict with the State
uthOritics-Hoovcr's Sluy-
ers Are Arrested.

diplomacy on the part of the agent, Stanley
and his two accomplices, Sam Grow and
Yellow Hair, are now lodged in Jail at Miles
City and will be tried by the civil courts
Captain StouIh's description of the trouble
is interesting in that it shows the constant
conflict between the federal officers and the
state authorities in arrests of Indians. In
this case the presence of the sherif and
large posse came near causing conflict
with the Indians. The report states that
soon after Hoovers body was found, on May
%, Captain Stouch sent for White Bull and
some of the head men, being satisfied that
1t was his band which committed the muir
der. 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 dis
covered the real culprit and brought him
to the p st. This they agreed to do. and an
old Indian named Badger made the pro-
phetic remark, II promise the agent, l find
out and try to find out 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 eth of
May and that same day Sheriff Gibb of
Custer county and a band of twenty-five
armed men rode up to the agency and in
formed Captain Stouch that they wanted
the murderers. 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.
CHALLENGE TO FIGHT.
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 con-
fesSsed to the murder, but would not sur
render, having sent word that he would fight
at 3 o'clock. To this the agent replied thai
he would not allow the fight, but that the
chiefs must compel Stanley to give himself
up. \ courier was sent to recall 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 be
came very restless. The squaws and chill
dren took to the hills, away from the agency.
while the bucks rode in and stationed them
selves on the hilltops near the post buildings.
They were all heavily armed and had their
horses. They Informed the agent that they
had come to see Stanley light. Captain
Stouch then says:
Captain Read returned to the agency
with his command at about $3.50 in the after
noon. 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 his war dreGi
and paint and was heavily armed. He wac
all ready for the fight. 1t was the desire of
Captain Read to charge and capture or kill
him. At this juncture a greatly excited
Indian on horseback approached with the
information that Stanley did not want to
fight the soldiers. but did want 10 fight the
citizens meaning the deputy sherffs who
were here. | told him to go back and tell
Stanley ! would not allow anyone to fight
him and for him to come in and surrender.
Deputy Sheriff Smith told me he would at
tempt his capture if l would guarantee his
safety from the other Indians. | told him
| could not so guarantee, and moreover there
would be no fight and that Stanley must be
captured without any bloodshed. | wanted
this done as an emample for those amongst
the Indians who contemplate wrong doing,
and knew perfectly well that If he were
permitted to fight and killed he would
be hero and brave in the eyes of the tribe
whose example should be emulated by the
young men.
FEAR TO MAKE a HERO.
Stanley followed in the footsteps of Head
Chief and Crazy Mule, of whose heroic deaths
stories are told around the fires making
every young man anxious for similar death.
believe it was in 1891 that these two young
men killed a white boy and hid the body
in the hills, where 1t was found after a
search of several days. The murderers were
discovered through their boasting of the
deed their surrender was demanded, but it
was refused, though they were willing TO
be killed and would die fighting. Their
proposal was accepted and the five troops
of cavalry stationed here were ordered to
prepare for the affray. At the appointed
time the troops took their station in the
rear of the agency buildings, and each young
man took his position on hill on either
side of the troops the young men charged
down the hills on their horses upon the
troops, singing their death songs, and firing
at the soldiers. They were finally killed,
they only shooting a few of the horses of
the soldiers. Stones mark the footsteps of
the horses on the hillsides and the bodies
OF the BRAVES" we're buried in a grave pre-
pared for them beforehand. The suuaws
watched the fight and at its close sang the
death songs and urged the bucks to avenge
tho death of the young men. The men be-
came very much excited and Notwithstanding
the presence of the five troops of cavalry a
fight WIS narrowly averted. Thus these two
young men became heroes and to prevent
the repetition of these incidents / forbade
any fighting
make the attempt with but two troops OF
cavalry here. While | believe the Indians
We're not disposed to resist the capture Of
Stanley. still there was no telling what
they would do when one of their people was
being fired upon. Had they made a resist
ance there is no telling where it would
have ended They can muster almost 500
warriors and knowing of their disposition to
resist in 1891, when much weaker than now,
thought two troops OF cavalry would not
stand much show Of overcoming these war
riors, whose ferceness Is noted.
about this time, from remarks made TO
me by the Indians and by their actions. /
became convinced that the Indians were
afraid of the deputy sherifs because they
could not understand why they were here
they not knowing the difference between the
representatives of the law and the COWBOYS
This rendered them very close mouthed ana
| was unable to get any information from
them that would answer for evidence against
Stanley when he was brought to trial"
As the presence of the deputy sheriffs in
terfered with his investigation Captain
Stouch asserted his authority and ordered
the deputies off the reservation.
STANLEY'S SURRENDER.
By this time Stanley had disappearel !. After
much trouble he was located at Black EAGLES
camp. Captain Stouch Immediately started
for the camp and there found the brave fully
armed, and still disncined to surrender
without a fight. Finally he consented to
accompany the agent back to the post, still
refusing TO give up his arms. He was there
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 Captain Stouch with a warrant
for his arrest for violating the state laws
in interfering with the sheriff In his attempt
to arrest the Indian. Then the sherf de-
manded the person OF Stanley but the agent
positively refused to deliver him up, feeling
that il would defeat the ends of Justice as
he hoped to secure from the prisoner evil
dencc which would lead 10 the APPREHENSION