The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1903-04-23


1WW/NGl the absence nj any dc tailed
fNTF5ffsIl and definite information
NWllgNL ON the subject OF the mas
TffSf4rMl sacTe of BOuycoB ranch
Hz.NyIkOj Students OF the history Of
that section OF the republic have long
suspected that at the time Of writing
their works on the Western country,
Mark Twain and other writer's were uH-
able to secure sufficient Information In
regard to this event. to give II more
than passing mention. and this cOnClu-
sion Is borne ort In more ways than
one. by certain things that have &c
CURED of late years. aud which have
tended TO throw some light on the sub
jcct.
"You are quite right In what you say
about the lack uf historical infOrnla-
ton on the subject OF the massacre OF
Bouvoe's Ranch" said an old frontiers
man to a Post reporter. 1T was an
event fully as important as that OF the
Custer massacre. yet for some reason
which students of American history
have never been able 10 divide, not one
of the authorities on Western history
has ever been able to tell the cause OF
the trouble, or to state whether the In
dians or the whites were In the wrong.
However. | have been more fortunate
in this respect than the general run of
Amricans for. In 1858. | had the good
fortune TO learn the full and complete
details Of the massacre, what caused II.
together with all other facts as to when
and how II originated.
In 1855 | WAS stationed at Fort
Brldgcr. Wyoming. where ! was mem
bar of The Tenth Infantry, forming part
s.f lao. ..f oh
Johnston. scut by the government to
chastise the MOrmnns, for the part they
played In the Mountain Meadow mas
sacre Of 1856. While there formed the
acquaintance OF an old French Canadian
half-brood, a trapper, Of the name OF
Pinto, and In the course of time be-
came quite friendly with him. One day
| happened to mention the Bouvee's
ranch massacre, which took place In
1884. the locality In question lying at
no great distance from Fort Laramie
Hc replied that lie was on the spot at
the time. that he knew all the facts In
regard to the matter, and that II cared
to listen TO bin, he would relate the
story Ot the massacre Just as II oC-
Cured.
Indians Were Hungry.
Early In 1854, he said the Sioux,
Cheycnnes. and Arapahoes encamped at
Bouvee's awaiting the arrival of COM
missioners from Washington to pay
them their annuities and distribute ra-
tons. The winter preceding had been
unusually severe, and the Indians were
hungry and on short ratlons. While
they were thus waiting, a Mormon ap-
pssred Un the scene In a wagon drawn
by three oxen, which In the West we
used To call spiked team. and the In
dinns crowded about him eager to trade
ponies for the extra OK. by means OF
their Sign language they offered him
flrst one, then two, and then as many
ponies rs he liked, for the OK, but the
Mormon was obduratc and refused TO
part with the animal at any price.
Whereupon the Indians took the OK by
force, giving him to understand that
they would repay him several times
over, AZ soon as they received their
money from the commissioners, and
were able to buy whatever they liked
But the Mormon was not only un-
usually stupid. but unnecessarily pig
headed as well, and instead OF relying
on the honesty OF the redskins, who
most assuredly would have repaid the
value of the OK several times over, he
went to Fort Laramie and there laid
the matter before Lieut.. Grattan, who
was then In command of the small gar
rlson at the fort. consisting of some
thirty men under arms, together with
about twenty others employed in divers
capacities other than that of soldiers.
Stupid and Drunk.
Now, II anything, Grattan was twice
as stupid as the Mormon, and worse
still. was confirmed sot, one OF a
class OF officers who In the history OF
American and English colonization
piece OF the powers that be.
The traveller In Russia soon becomes
have been the cause OF more wars with
the savage and aboriginal races than all
other things combined. With that Dutch
courage which n man feels when under
the influence OF liquor. he ordered out
his small garrison. and taking the two
f2.pounders. the only artillery at the
fort. marced down to Bouvee's ranch TO
bring The Indians TO terms.
HE had as an Interpreter half
breed, and through him called upon the
chief OF the Sioux a very old and gray
haired man, for an explanation OF the
affair with the Mormon. Mind you,
this was going on In a camp OF 5000
Indians. The chief told him that the
Indians were very much distressed for
want OF food; that they offered the Nor
mon all the ponies he could drive away
for the one OK, and that on his having
refused to trade, they had taken the
animal by force, they stood ready to
make good the loss as soon as they re-
ceived their money from the commits
sioners. He had barely finished when
Grattan, between hiCa1ughs, said:
All Were Killed.
= ""Thc:s. thatll do. We've heard
enough out OF you. Now, old man, you
trot that OK out here purity d-d quick,
or I'll turn my artillery loose on you"
THE chief replied that such thing
was impossible. as the OK had been
killed. cooked and eaten some time be-
fore, but his reply made no effect on
Grattan. Finally, the matter became
so ridiculous that the chief laughed In
Grattan's face, whereupon the latter
drew his pistol and shot him dead. Then
he gave the order TO fire. but before the
report OF the thirty rifles had disd away
the thirty rifles died away the 5000 In
dians were upon Grattan and his com
mand. and In a few moments all had
been killed.
THE Interpreter made his escape, but
was captured. brought back. and fayed
alive. The Indians had aa idea that he
was responsible for the whole trouble,
as they we're unable to believe that any