New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-14
BAD INDIANS IN MONTANA.
AN INTERESTING STORY TOLD BY CAP
TAIN STOUCH.


MURDERED A SETTLER WAS EFFECTED
CLASH BETWEEN STATE AND
FEDERAL OFFICIALS.
Washington June ls-The Indian ONCE has re-
ceived from Captain Stouch. OF the TONGUE HNei
(Mont) Agency a detailed report on 'he 'ee.'i'
trouble there. arising from the moroer VI 'o..
Hoover, settler. by David Stanley, |hesei"o
brave After much diplomacy on the part Oh ''io
agent Stanley and his two accomplices' sam onv"
and Yellow HAIR are now lodged In jail az 'n".'
CITY, and will be tried by the civil courts c"p'al"
Stouch's description Of the trouble SHOWS '"e 'o"
slant conflict between the Federal o1icers anu INV
State authorities arrests of Indians In TINS case
the presence Of the Sheriff and large posse came
near causing conflict with the lncians.
The report says that soon after hoover oou! "'
been found on May 3 Captain stouch sent LOT
Vbi,e Rur and some OF the head men, being satis-
fed that IL was his band which committed the
murder The old chief came In response 10 'ie
summons and expressed his regret al the occur
renee Captain stouch told him to tell the head
men that the band would be held Responsible ioV
the murder unless they discovered the real cuprt
and brought him to the post This they prom'seo
TO do and an old Indian named Badger maze inc
prophetic remark: II promise the agent that' Il
find out and will try 10 find out. VIII tell MN
II IL is my own SON." IT turned out to be the son
OF the old brave who killed Hoover. This confer
ence took place on May p. and that same ia!
Sheriff GLIB Of Custer County and paho o,
twenty-five armed men rode up 10 tne aseiic! al"
Informed Captain Stouch that they wanted inc
murderers. The agent replied that he was oolhs
everything possible TO discover and arrest the
guilty Indians, and If not nterfered win was con-
fdent that he would succeed. The Sheriff lelt TOUR
deputies and departed.
That evening Captain Read and two troops OF
cavalry also arrived. Soon after this Whte b"ii
came into the agency and told Captain Stouch that
Stanley had confessed TO the murder Out "ouiu
not surrender having sent word 'hat ne "ouit
fight at 8 o'clock To this the agent rephed 'iia'
he would not allow the fight but that the chiels
must compel Stanley 10 give himself up. courier
was sent 10 recall the cavalry, which had started
for the scene of the killing. BY this time 'e new"
that Stanley 70 fight had spread and the ma
fans became restless The squaws ana cii'u'o"
took 70 the hills away from the agency. whiie .ne
men rode In and stationed themselves on me NIL
tops near the post buildings. They were all heav-
Fly armed and had their horses They informed 'he
agent that they had come 10 see Stanley hght'
Captain Stouch then says; captain heau re-
turned TO the agency with his command at about
$50 in the afternoon. At this time Stanley was on
a high hill in the rear OF the agency and not at
great from 1t; he had his horse and sqaaw
with him. in his war dress and paint ana was
heavily armed. He all ready for the fight 1t
was the desire of Captain Read to charge and capt
ure or kill him. At this juncture greatly excited
Indian on horseback approached with the informd-
ton that Stanley did not want TO fight the soldiers
but did 10 fight the citizens, meaning the
back and tell Stanley would not allow any one TO
fight him. and tor him to come in and surrender:
deputy Sheriff Smith, told me he would atte eroDi
the other Indians. told him could not so guar,
antee, and moreover. there would he no ngnt, ana
that Stanley must be captured without any blood
shed. wanted this done as an example loi iiiose
and knew perfectly well that If he were permit,
Ted fight ana was killed, he would be hero ana
brave in the eyes OF the tribe, whose example would
DC sianiey fooWed in the footsteps of Head Chief
told around the rres. making every young man
1881 that these TWO young men killed white boy
snd hid s 99d Of in G n a Wne the
were discovered through their b9aSung OF rne
refused. though they were willing 10 be killed ana
would die snng Their wS hSTe %ef
time the troops TOOK their station in the rear OF the
agency buildings ana each young man took M, his
position on h on Sher side n Nl the ,ps oTs ne
upon tire troops. singing their deqths0nss an an
shooting few of the horses of the soldiers stones
mark the footsteps OF the horses on the hiisdes.
grave prepared for them beforehand. The squaws
watched the fight and at its close sang the nf
songs and urged the bucks 10 aVcnge me death VI
the young men the msn became nGfh , fsc'f y
and Of caTary neR vas narrowly avered
Thus these TWO young men became heroes ana, ana 10
prevent the repetition of this incident FORBADE
Il did moi think it wise and prudent to make the
j believe the Indians We're not disposed TO resist
what they would do when one OF their people t Waa
being fired upon; had they made resist anGt there
muster almost i've hundred warriors. and. knowing
of their disposition TO resist In 1871, when HuCu
weaker than now thought TWO tloops a. ,heee
would stand much show OF overcoming THESE
warriors, whose tierc.ncss was noted - -,
- bout this time. from remarks made 10 me by
the Indians and by their actions, became coi
WINGED that the Indians were AFRAID OF the deputy
sheriffs because they could not understand why
betwccn the rerrsscntatiyes Of the law and the
cowboys This rendered them very close inoutnen
mai, IA, al
them that would answer for evidence against Stan
10y when he brought TO trial
As the presence OF the deputy aherns intertsreG
authority and ordered the deputies Off the reserva-
ZION ~ this tire Stanley mad disappeared After
camp Captain StouCh Immediately started LOT IN;
camp and there found the braves fully armed ana
dsnclned 10 surrender without hSns man, ma oG ~
consented accompany the agent back 10 ,he pos,
still refusing TO give up his arms lie w"s mn
persuaded 10 give up his rifle. and when me agenSE
near time sheriff Gibb returned and presented TO
Captain Stouch warrant for his arrest Tor yioa
ing the State laws in interfering WIN me nS
in hts sttemCt TO arrest the Indian Then the Sher
in dems noed The person of Stanley. put the agen,
positivey refused TO deliver him up feelinS that IT
Would defeat the ends Of justice, as he hoped 70
secure from the prisoner evidence which "o T,
load 10 the apprehension Of his accomplces. the
Shsr,T drpartcd but again left his deputies
Finally after much parlcying. captain Stouch Pc
came convinced that IT was useless 10 hoi1 St ,me
i'll sending an escort of cavalry with him TO the
railroad. ,., 49,, ,,a,,,,,o oo,sad Nv,
The Indifference OF the State officials AZ great
isny:h and closes by recommending that, In view
OF the disturbed condition OF ne re se'RS Ser '"o
Yellow Hair and Sam Crow were arresIeu ~
Captain Stouch after his report had been fnalieq
was the presence OF the Sherins posse that aroused
the Indians. They were unable 10 distinguish tnS men
hereditary enemy the cowboy from the same indi-
,,sdua; clothed with a Sherirs powers ana IL was