Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-10-01
KILLED BY INDIANS IN DAKOTA.

MlLe0 By INDIANS IN DAKOTA.
"e's Johnson Of Lake Lillian Meet. Nj,
Death at tho Hands Of an Indian
Near Park River, n. D,
Inc daily papers of Monday con.
ta1ned accounts of the shooting bv
indians near Park River, N. D, OF
Nels Johnson, whose home was given
as Wlllmar, MINI. An investig alton
dlscloses the fact that the man killed
was Nels Johnson, son of Mrs. Soren
johnson, who resides in the town al
Lake Lillian. He had been up in tina,
country among other harvest hands
and the sad news of his tragic death
reached his relatives in the southern
part OF the county early in the week.
The particulars of the unfortunate oc-
currence are best given in the follow
Ing special to the Minneapolis Times,
Grand F FrOrks, N. d., Sept. 29-A
desperate battle was fought at Park
Rlver this afternoon between a band
o1 Indian horse traders and a mum her
OF harvest hands.
Nels Johnson, one of the latter. was
shot and instantly killed in the fight.
that occurred on the outskirts of this
village. '
After the killing of johnson and the
defeat OF the harvest hands, the In
dams donned their war paint.
They threw out pickets from their
camp along the roadside, and several
persons driving along the road were
hred on by the hostile reds, and onlv
escaped by whipping up their horses
or hurrying outside the range of the
attacking rifles.
A band of ten indians, with their
squaws and papooses, camped on the
outskirts of Park River Saturday
afternoon.
This afternoon the camp was visited
by number of harvest hands, who
brought quaint ty ofliquor with them
and OF which the Iudians drank
freely.
Both the Indians and harvesters
were armed. A fight ensued, and the
battle began.
After the killing Of johnson, a citi-
zens' posse, heavily armed, threw
double guard about the Indians
camp.
Another battle less disastrous in
its results, but in which many shots
were exchanged, took place before
the Indians we're subdued and sur rend-
cred to the posse, which greatly out
numbered the braves.
Thegreatestexcitement prev ails here.
All of the Indians are in Jail, and
threats are made of lynchiDg.
The Indians refuse to talk. They
are angry. and their only answers to
the que stiOns Ct the officials is a
grunt in their native tongue.
Tie Indians including men, women
and children, numbered twenty. They
Outnumbered the harvest hands. The
women and larger children took q
hand in the battle with the harvest
hands and again with the posse OF
Nothing is known Of the Indians
now in jail, and little is known OF
Johnson, the dead man. His COM
paniOns say his home is in Wil]mar,
MINI.
An inquest is being held tonight.
Crowds are coming from neighbOrlng
sections, and the Indians are being
closely guarded.
A later dispatch to the St. Paul
Globe gives the following particulars
regarding the inquest:
Grand Forks, N. D., Sept. 29-At
the inquest to ascertain the cause OF
the death of Nels Johnson, the cor
oner's jury returned q virdict that
Johnson was shot by Martin, an
Indian, while the latter was defending
his wife and family from indecent ad-
vances.
The testimony tended to show that
Johnson was the aggressor. Wit
nesses stated that he had gone to the
Indian camp with the avowed purpose
of having fun with the Indians; that
he was iptrx Gated, aud had whiskey
with him. and that he had acted in q
boisterous manner toward the women
of Martins family, Martin warned
and threatened, but without result,
and shot as last resource.
In response to a message announc'
ing the tragic death, brother of the
dead man left for Dakota on Monday.
The remains were shipped to the old
home in Lake Lillian for burial,
and passed through Willmar this
morning.
The sad ending of a life in this
manner will be hard blow to the rel.
atives, and to the widowed mother
especially the sad news comes as q
burden hard to bear. The family has
the sympathy of the entire community
In this terrible affliction.