The record-union., 1898-10-07
Reports Heretofore Published Said
to Be Exaggerated.
General Bacon's Adjutant Gives Sum
mary Of the Conditions.
Major Wilkinson, Five Soldiers
and Two Indian Police Killed
No Need of Further Reinforce
ments Besides Those Which
Arrived Last Night.


Arrived Last Night.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 6.-During the
day there were a number of confer
ences at the Interior Department re-
garding the situation at Leech Lake,
Mimi, between Secretary Bliss, Com
missioner of Indian Affairs Jones, and
Chief White of the Indian Division of
the department. Secretary Bliss said
that the dispatch of additional troops
might have an immediate effect in
bringing about peace among the In
dians, and that as General bacon had
authority to avail himself of as maiIy
troops as he believed necessary ne did
not believe the trouble wou:1 last long.
The fact that the War Department
has received no information concern
ing the outbreak of the Piilager In
dians inclines the officials TO the be-
lief that the reports have been eXag-
gerated. In the absence of official in
formation General Miles would not COM
ment on conditions at Leech Lake.
Up to 10 o'clock tonight there had
been no information received by the
War Department officials erOm General
Bacon. During the evening, however,
the department received from the Ger
erals Adjutant now at St. Pau, the
following telegram, giving a summary
of conditions as far as that officer was
able to obtain them:
st. Paul, Oct. 6.-Adjutant General,
Washington: In answer to a tele-
gram to United States Marshal at
Walker, Mimi, 1 have received reply
giving location of General Bacon on
mainland southwest corner Leech Lake.
and saying:
Commenced fighting at 11:30 yes
terday. Indians seem to have best po-
sition. Not moving. Major Wilkin-
son, five soldiers and two Indian police
killed; awaiting reinforcements'
Press dispatches and private West
ern Union dispatches seem to support
these statements about killed Rein
forcements will doubtless reach the
command this evening Reliable in
formation indicates Indians quiet in
vicinity of Engineer dams to northwest.
No report yet from General Bacon.
Only one of the Captains, Gerlach, for
duty at Smelling, and $50 men, APP
prehend no need for further reinforce
ments, unless to send to vicinity of
Leech Lake dam to cut off escape of
Indians. Would suggest authority 10
be given to utilize one battalion Min
nesota volunteers in case of need. Re-
port just received of arrival of Colonel
Horbach's command at Walker, about
o'clock. STURGIS,
Assistant Adjutant General in the alb
sence of department commander"
The request to use a battalion of the
Minnesota volunteers was promptly
granted, and the Department Comman-
der can have his pick from either the
Twelfth or Fourteenth State regiments.
One is at New Ulm and the other at
st. Paul awaiting their muster out
General Corbin feels that there viii
not be any necessity to use the men of
these regiments, however, as the reg
ulars viii be sufficient for all purposes.
During the evening Secretary Bliss
received the following telegram from
Inspector Tinker, which indicates that
reinforcements have reached Walker,
which is thirty miles or less from the
scene Of the fighting:
Walker (Minn). Oct. 6 Via Brain
erd)-Two hundred and fifteen officers
and men have just arrived with one
Gatling gun. Have heard nothing
from the battle-ground since morning.
Two boats left to go to General Ba-
cons assistance. and have not re-
turned. VIII wire full particulars
later. TINKER, Inspector"
INDIAN AGENT SUTHERLAND'S S
ACCOUNT OF THE TROUBLE.
WALKER (NIinn). Oct. 6.-Indian
Agent Sutherland, who was in the bat
tie at Sugar Point, gives the following
account of the conflict up to the time
of his leaving for supplies
when the arrest of the two fugitives
had been accomplished, the Indians.
with q. profession of friendship, showed
the soldiers their tepees and called at
tention to their neatness, all the time
stating Me good Indian
General Bacon, who has had great
exuerience with the Sioux and other
savages. did not take much stock in
these professions of friendship. and or
dered a part of his company to search
the adjoining timber for any lurking
savages. but none were to be seen.
They must have been hidden in thick
underbrush, and those unaccustomed
to searching timber could have easily
been deceived. for ii was not ten min
utes after this before the firing had
commenced. Had the Indians not con-
templated a general massacre, they
would have fired on the men who We're
searching the timbers 1T was in ac-
cordance with their treacherous nature
to wait until they had our men at a
disadvantage before they opened fire
upon them, perhaps hoping TO kill the
whole number at the first volley.
These Pillagers are we'll armed. and
are good marksmen, therefore. it is
easy TO see where they had the advan-
tage of the situation at the start. II
our men are not all killed. ii is sur
missed that they have gone some dis
tance into the woods. where they
would be safe from a night attack from
another band of Indians who could
have come upon them on the lake shore
IF it is true that the Cass Lake In
dians have gone to assist the Bear ISL
anders, the fate of Bacon can be under
stood"
A NEWSPAPER CORRESPOND
ENT'S STORY.
MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 6.-Arthur
Pehler, the staff correspondent of the
Journal" wires this morning from
Walker. Mimi, that force of eighty
men under General Bacon had been
+a1 ri