Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-02-25
in PIONEER DAYS
y How I Came to Morrison
County,"
BY o. A. COE
Continued from February 11.)

IIOIl FcDIudIy LII
: How we came to hear of thu Chippe-
was intentions to massacre the whites
in this part of thecountry was through
Dan Mooers. He was taken prisoner by
the Indians and would not have escaped
if it had not been for friendly indian.
When he got away he sent word to
everyone to prepare to fight the Indians.
& as they were planning a raid on the
i country. His advice was given none too
soon. He sent word to St. Paul anu
company OF soldiers were sent mp
here at once. Fields of ripe grain
were left to die, cattle we're turned
lose to take care OF themselves.
i Every one went to the forts except
Rev. Ayers family and my own. My
wife and I talked it over and as we
HWer. SO we'll acquainted with most
sOf the Indians we decided We would
snot go to the fort yet while. The
Sioux had sent tobacco and pipes to
She Mile Laos Indians and tried to
get them to Join them, but the chief
sent back word tlat if they joined
anyone they would join the whites.
The Chippewa Indians at Bare
Island, Leech Lake, were the most
Rs'tter against the whites. I never
e ftmy home except three times that
fall. A company of soldiers from
Fort Smelling came up and wanted
me to take my team and take part
OF them to Fort Ripley. l took
i thirteen. Lew Wheeler and John
johnson, with their teams, took the
rest.
After Mr.. Aver and Mr.. Kimball
south, took their families to
the Little Falls court house. My
family went with me. When the
Indians saw how the whites were
prepared for them and how the
government was sending out COM
I panies, Hole-ln-the-Dav held coun-
Gil with his men and decided to give
% up fighting in this part OF the
country if the state would pay what
they asked.
The Sioux and Chippewas had set
day when they should begin their
bloody work. They were to appear
friendly up to this time so the whites
would be unarmed. But Dan
Mooers' finding out their plans and
escaping overthrew their plans.
The next morning after Hole-in-
the-Day and the tribe had decided
to give up the warfare with the
whites, they started for Crow Wing
to confer with the whites. just as
they came arohnd the hill at the
bend in Crow Wing river they sud-
denly came upon company Of
ssoldiers getting breakfast. If the
Indians had not been on a peaceable
gerrand they could have shot every
one OF the soldiers before they could
have reached gun, as they had
tae1 1r guns stacked yet, This pro-
n vq'led Hole-in-the-Day. He said to
them: "You are fi2e warriors; not
. one sentinel and all your guns
stacked, and yet you think you are
going to kill Indians.'' Hole-in-the
Day then made his aims known.
Five prominent men from St. Paul
at once brought tobacco, pipes,
pork, -four and other things for the
Indians. They held a councll'and at
las t came to an understanding. The
Indians signed a treaty, taking
what was brought and agreed TO
4 give up what horses and wagons
they had stolen.
s@ So it seemed peace was soon to
4 come to this part of the country
without much bloodshed. But the
troops remained here sometime after.
Families slowly began to come back
to their deserted farms, and desolate
DOCKING places they were, too
Crops destroyed, fences down and
every thing sadly in need 4nof repair.
Early that fall the terrible news
came to us that Mr.. Austin. a former
stage driver for years between st.
Paul and Crow Wing, had been
killed by the Sioux Indians west OF
st. Cloud. He was stage driver from
st. CLOUD to some western point
when heswas killed. Everyone re-
gretted to hear OF his death as he
was g popular young man. Another
[[Sgikctim that was well known here