The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-04
indian WAR IN COLORADO.
Five Hundred Whites after Seventy.
Five Indians.
The Trouble Grew Out of the Vio-
Iation of the Game Laws of the
State by the Indians.

Denver, Colo, Nov. 2.-Five hun
dred men, including sheriff's posses,
augmented by volunteers from the
ranches adjacent, are searching the
country in the vicinity of Lighting
Creek, in Eastern Wyoming, for the
band Of Indians, which, on Saturday
afternoon, fought a battle with Sheriff
Miller's posse, killing the sheriff and
one deputy named Fossenburg. The
latest advices are to the effect that a
second battle has been fought and ten
Indians killed and eleven others cap
tured, but these have not yet been
verified.
News from the scene of the trouble,
which is Is miles from telegraphic
communication, is very meagre. The
Indias, Is in number, are said to be
under the leadership of Charles 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,
Wyoming, in violation of the game
laws of the State. Sheriff Miller with
posse, went to the scene of their de-
predations last Saturday to arrest
them. The Indians had received warn
ing of the coming of the whites and
prepared an abuscade for them. The
posse would have been entirely annihi-
lated but for the fact that they were
proceeding cautiously, and were pre-
pared for some trick of the kind on
the part of the Indians. At the first
volley from the Indians Sheriff Miller
and his deputies ran to cover, and then
ensued a genuine Indian fight. The
whites found refuge behind trees and
It is thought that at least six In
dians were killed and several others
wounded, among the latter being eagle
Feather, a subordinate chief. The
battle lasted almost an hour, when the
Indians began to make their escape by
ones and twos, on horseback. They
carried their dead and wounded with
them, and are now believed to be well
on their way to the bad lands, in Ne
braska. The officers did not attempt to
follow, but sent a courier to Lusk,
the nearest telegraph Office, with a
message to Governor Chatterton ap-
prising him of what had occurred.
For the past two weeks the Indians
have been in Northeastern Wyoming
slaughtering game in violation of the
game laws. In addition the settlers
have been complaining that the Indians
have been killing and stealing their
cattle. The Indians claimed that the
Government had so reduced the
amount of their rations that they were
forced to kill game to keep from sta-v-
ing. Charlie Carries 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 refusal of
the Indians to get out of the, State he
organized small posse and started for
Beaver Creek, along which the red
skins were encamped. On Friday the
Indian camp was reached. 1t was
deserted by all except the squaws,
children and few old men, who were
busy skinning wild animals and pre-
pearing the meat for winter use. The
entire camp was placed under arrest.
The posse then started search for the
braves. They were located Saturday
and during the afternoon Sheriff Mil
ler and his deputies started to close in
on them. When the whites got with
in rife range of the Indian camp they
were suddenly fred on and the battle
followed