The Saint Paul globe., 1899-03-19

made up for the preceding uninteresting
period of the term. The fight with the
Indians at Sugar point, growing out of
the attempt to arrest "Old Bug and his
followers and the killing of Maj. Will
kinson and six members of the Third in
fantry, have been often told and retold.
Marshal O'Connor was in charge of the
expedition which consisted of a COM
pany of the Third infantry, under COM
mand of Gen. Bacon and a score of dep
uty marshalS and Indian police.
Marshal O'Connor, accompanied by In
dian Inspector Tinker had visited the
"Old Bug" the day preceding the battle
at Sugar point, and had been Informed
that the Indians would kill any soldiers
who attempted to arrest him. The troops
arrived on the evening of the day on
which this threat had been made, and
early the next morning the expedition
started. After the battle the situation
was practically the same as before.
The prisoners wanted by the marshal
were still at large. More troops were
sent to the scene, and the war depart
ment was about to step in and clean out
the portion of the tribe that had killed
the soldiers when Commissioner of In
dian Affairs Jones arrived from Wash
ington.
Then commenced a series of talks be-
tween the Indians and the several gov
ernment departments represented by
Marshal O'Connor, Gen. Bacon and Com
missioner Jones. The upshot of the pow
vows was that the majority of the In
dians for whom warrants were issued
surrendered themselves and were taken
by Marshal O'Connor to Duluth for trial.
The agreement made by Commissioner
Jones and the Indians was to the effect
that If those wanted would give them
selves up to the marshal no harm should
On this condition all surrendered with
the exception of "Old Bug who is stifl
at large.
With this exception the term of Mar
shall O'COnnor was not marked with any
particularly eventful or interesting cases.
The affairs of the office were we'll and
ably taken care of and the retiring Of
fetal has received the commendation of
his superior officers at Washington, not
only for his actions during the Indian
trouble, but during the balance of his
term.
Dick O'Connor, as the former marshal
is more familiary known, has been
prominent in local as we'll as state poll
tics for the past fifteen years. Born in
st. Paul, he graduated from Notre Dame
college and in 1881 took a position in the
city clerks office under Thomas A. Prem
dergast the then city clerk. In January,
1882, he was elected deputy city clerk,
which position he held for over a year.
! In January, 1883, he was unanimously
elected by the council to fill the vacancy
In the board of aldermen caused by the
death of his father, John OConnor, who,
at that time, represented the Second
ward. He was reelected to the council
at the election in May, 1883, and again
chosen as member of the council in
May, 1885, In the fall of the same year
he was candidate for clerk of the dis
trict court and was elected He was re-
elected for second term as clerk of the
court in 1880, and served In that posi-,
ton to Jan. l, 1895. His name was sent
to the senate by President Cleveland as
United States marshal for Minnesota,
Feb. z, 1885, and his appointment was
confirmed March following
In politics Mr.. O'Connor has always
been Democrat and his shrewdness and
skill in directing affairs has been of ma
terial benefit to the party with which he
affiliated and has made him one of its
prominent lea.lers.