Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-11-07
BATTLES WITH INDIANS
A Sheriff and His Deputy Killed In
Ambuscade.
TEN OF THE REDSKINS ALSO KILLED.
Five Hundred Men in Hot Pursuit of the Saw.
ages. Who Are Said to Be Seventy.five
Strong and Are Supposed to Be Sioux
From Pine Ridge and Rosebud Agencies.
In South Dakota.

Denver, Col. (SpcciaD.-Five hun
dred men, including sheriff posses, aug
mented by volunteers from the ranches
adjacent. are searching the country III
the vicinity Of Lightning creek, i'll East
ern Wyoming, for the band OF Indians
which Saturday afternoon fought bat
tie with Sheriff Millcr's posse, killing
the sheriff and one deputy named Eos
senburg. The latest adviccs arc to the
effect that a second battle has been
fought and 10 Indians killed and II
Others captured, but these have not as
yet been verified.
News from the scene OF the trouble,
which is IS miles from Geographic COM
munication, is very meagrc. The In
dams, Is in number, are said to be
under the leadership OF Charlie Car
ries Elk, and are supposed to be Sioux
from the Pine Ridge and Rosebud
agencies. in South Dakota. They have
been hunting in Converse county,
Wyo., in violation of the game laws OF
the State. Sheriff Miller, with a posse,
went to the scene of their depreda-
tions last Saturday to arrest them. he
Indians had received warning OF the
coming of the whites and prepared an
ambuscade for them. The posse would
have been entirely annihilated but for
the fact that they we're proceeding cau-
tiously and were prepared for some
trick of the kind on the part of the In
dams. At the first volley from the In
dams Sheriff Miller and his deputies
ran to cover, and then cnsued genuine
Indian fight The whites found refuge
behind trees and bowldcr3.
1t is thought that at least six Indians
ed. among the latter being Eagle
Feather, a subordinate chief. The bat
tie lasted almost an hour, when the III
dams began to make their escape by
ones and twos on horseback. They car
sied their dead and wounded with them.
and are now believed to. be well on their
way to the bad Lands" i'll Nebraska.
The officers did not attempt to follow,
but sent courier 10 Lusk, the nearest
telegraph office, with I message to Gov
ernor Chatterton, apprising him OF
what had occurred
The news OF the battle spread rapid
and every ranchman for miles around
armed himself and joined one of the
numerous posses. The Governor wired
the Interior Department at Washing
ton that the Indians must be immcdi-
ately arrested.
For the past two weeks the Indians
have been i'll Northeastern Wyoming
slaughtering game i'll violation OF the
game laws In addition the settlers
have been complaining that the Indians
have been killing and stealing their cat
tie. Settlers warned the leaders OF the
band to leave the country. but the red
skins only laughted at them.
They claimed that the government
had SO reduced the amount of their ra-
tions that they were forced to kill game
20 keep from starving. Charlie Car
,yies Elk openly declared that if he and
his followers were driven too far they
would fight. When Sheriff Miller, OF
Weston county. was notified of the re-
fusal of the Iidians to get out OF the
State he organized 4 small posse, i'll
GLIDING r. D. Hackner, ID. Johnson.
Fred Howell, Lieut.. B. +. Hilton and
James Davis, and started for Beaver
creek, along which the redskins were
encamped.
On Friday the Indian camp was
srezched. 1t was deserted by all except
The squaws, children and few old men,
who were busy skinning wild animals
and preparing the meat for winter use.
The entire camp was placed under ar
rest and sent to Newcastle in charge
of Lieutenant Hilton.
The posse then started search for
the braves. They were located Satur-
day and during the afternoon Sheriff
Miller and his deputies started to close
in on them. When the whites got with
in rifle range OF the Indian camp they
were suddenly fired on and the battle
followed.