The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-29

UPRISING PUT DOWN
John Saterlee, Fearless Northern
Minnesota Trapper, Did It All
by His Lonesome.
Bad Indian Who Was Ready tt
Slaughter Palefaces Defeated
and Inundated.
Special to The journal.

Special to The journal.
Benidji, Mimi, July 2e.-From the
north woods comes well authenticated
story Of how John Saterlee, a trapper
who operates in the region along the
course of the Big Fork river, subdued a
recent Indian uprising all by himself In a
decidedly original manner.
The uprising was not large enough TO
be of a very dangerous character. There
was only one Indian involved, in fact, and
he frightened his brother red skins as
much as any one else. but, nevertheless,
II took strenuous measures to subdue the
offending buck.
Saterlee makes his headquarters in a
log cabin in Itasca county. not far from
an Indian reserva tion A few nights ago
he was awakened by the sound of some
one knocking at the door and as he
slipped from his bunk he heard low and
excited conversation from without. Peer
ing out the window he beheld six In
dams. They were grouped closely to-
gether and kept glancing In a frightened
way towards the trail behind them, as tho
expecting danger from that quarter
Saterlee fearless1y opened the door and
admitted them. The spokesman briefly
stated their case. 1t appeared that one OF
their tribe, John Joe by name, had taken
1T into his head that his people were be-
Ing badly misused by the whites, so he
decided to urge the northern Minnesota
Indians to rise up and throw off the yoke
OF the invaders Of their hunting grounds,
which could be done, he said, by simply
Killing or the settlers and then slaugh-
~tering any other paleface who might ven
fure into the region. He had been work
Ing on his self-appointed task, Saterlee
was informed, for several days, and was
even then executing a lone war dance
only half a mile down the trail as a pre-
linainary step to scalptng a few whites on
the morrow inst TO ShnU hjc hrpthrap
how easily 1t was done
The trapper waited to hear no more.
Dressing and taking his gun he started
down the trail followed at a safe dis
lance by his midnight callers. Soon he
saw small fire ahead. Around it big
Indian, war paint and feathers complete,
with a Winchester in one hand and a big
hunting knife in the other, was dancing.
Saterlee signed for the Indians behind
to remain quiet. He threw down his gun,
and, unarmed. ran swiftly forward in a
STOPPING posture. till almost within the
circle Of light then leaped to one side of
the trail and threw himself flat in the
protecting ferns. In this position he
crawled forward, silently as a snake, only
the slightly moving fern tops marking his
progress. and they were quiet except when
the dancers back was turned. He came
within few feet Of John Joe without be-
Ing detected. Saterlee then shot up and
out like great panther, landing on the
bare shoulders. There was a frightened
whoop and in a twinkling John Joe's knife
and rifle were lying on the ground. "A
brief struggle followed: The Indian is a
powerful man but Saterlee's strength was
not to be resisted. He grabbed the war
rior by the shoulders and rushed him at a
trot down the trail, at every jump kicking
him good and hard where it would do the
most good. A full quarter of a mile, tc
The hanks IF largo
wretch was rushed, and then, with a last
terrible kick he sent sailing in a
horizontal position far out into the center
OF a deep pool. He climbed out on the
opposite bank and plunged into the forest
He has not been seen since by either In.
dian white man and it is thought thai
in his great humiliation he has left the
country for good. Saterlee says the ras
cal will give no more trouble in any
event, and Saterlea knows Indians