The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-10-06
Reports of Serious Fighting at LeeCh Lake in Min-
 nesOta.
CONSIDERABLE BLOOD SHED
TROOPS HERE dTTA ACKED WHILE
 'PREPARING FOR DINNER.

They Were 100 Strong and Charged the
 Indians-Last Night an Indian From
 Bear Island Reported That All the
 Men Out of Uniform Had Been Killed
 An Order from Washington Order-
 ing Achievements to the Scene ofthe
 Trouble.
 Walker, Minn, Oct. 5.-A hard fight with the Indians occurred to-day, and the reports from the scene on the other side of the Leech lake are somewhat conflicting, although all reports agree that the result has been considerable shedding of blood and some loss of life on both sides. No word has come from the front for several hours, which fact is considered somewhat ominous. The most serious report Is that the detach- ment of troops with General Bacon was massacred, the general himself being said to be among the dead Three newspaper correspondents, Brill of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Beaton of the Minneapolis Tribune and Knappen of the Minneapolis Times, are known to have been in the fight, and one report is that they were killed, while another says they are now prisoners in the hands of the Indians.
 This little town has been full of ex- from the other side of the lake came in the people became frantic and efforts were made to get up a force to go to the help of the troops. This will be sent in few hours, endorsements coming on special train from Brain ard. However, additional soldiers are most needed and the feeling is general that they cannot come too soon.
 To-days fight occurred thirty miles from Walker on a point jutting out into the lake near Bear Island. The soldiers, one hundred strong, under command of General John M. Bacon and Major Wilkinson, had arrived there last evening and at half-past four this morning they went on board boats and were carried to the point, where land ing was made with considerable diffi- culty, gale of wind having stirred up a pretty lively sea. The landing was effected at about 8 o'clock. Scouts were hurried through the bushes in every direction, and for three hours no trace of the Indians could be found. Every precaution against ambush had been taken Finally at ha1f-past eleven the soldiers were drawn up in an open space near the shore of the lake and preparations were about to begin for dinner The soldiers were still in line, though the coffee-making had com- menced Suddenly a shot was fired from the house of Bog-Ah- -Mah-Ge- Shig, the Indian who has been the head and center of this whole difficulty Ex- Marshal Harris, a Walker half-breed, was struck, his arm being broken. This shot seemed to be a signal, for immedi- ately shots came from every direction and three men dropped and were car ried to the rear. The soldiers, who are veterans, not alone of the Santiago battlefield, but of many an Indian skir- mish, knew what to do and at the first shot all found shelter and awaited an- other volley to tell them where to shoot. General Bacon and Major Wilkinson steadied their men with encouraging words, and at second volley the h. dians attempted rush on the soldiers. The rattling volley from the regiments that met the oncoming reds stopped the rush and drove back the Indians, al though half dozen of them were drop ped by the soldiers fire. The fires from the Pillagers then became more scat tering, and the soldiers made fine charge and drove them back, though the firing continued. The steamers on which the soldiers had come, as well as those used by the newspaper correspon- dents. were fired on by the Indians with effect.
 Inspector Tinker received a shot in the leg and had his sleeve riddled. Brill of the Pioneer-P Press, Beaton of the Tribune, and the Times correspond ent had landed prior to the arrival Of the soldiers, previous experience hay ing made them believe the danger was slight. They were thus brought into the thick of the fight and fought with the soldiers. The men on the steamers saw them in the fight, taking vigorous mart with their revolvers until they were compelled to fly. closely pursued bv the savages. Tonight an Indian who arrived from Bear Island states that all the men out of uniform had been killed, but that he could not tell how many soldiers had been shot.
 No direct word has come from either of the correspondents who are with the : troops or from the soldiers. This is looked on as additinal cause for ap- snrehension as it is believed that Gen eral Bacon would have sent back some official communication had it been pos sible to do so. No word whatever has come from him. Neither has it been possible to confirm the report that they
 ave all been massacred.