The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-03-31
Crazy Snake Is a Prisoner in
Hands of Militia.
He Is Said to Re Severely
Wounded in the Thigh.
GAVEUPVOLUNTARILY
Sent a Courier to Lead Troops
to His Hiding Place.
An Attempt to Capture Remain
der of Band Will Be Made.

Muskogee. Ok, March 31.-Chiet
Crazy Snakes uprising has collapsed.
1t ended with his capture by. or rather
surrender to, militiamen last night, af-
ter keeping him during the night at the
Thompson farm. west of Checotah, his
guards expected to bring him to Mus
kogee today and place him in the fed
eral Jail. He was said to be severely
wounded in the thigh. No hour for the
transfer was fixed, as the officials de-
sired to make it as quietly as posi-
BILE. so in1amed is public sentiment.
The militiamen were fully able to
protect their prisoner but did not wish
to parade that fact as the locality has
had excitement enough during the past
six days. Many of his leading aids had
been captured before him and the chief
himself had been ready for two days to
surrender, but feared for his personal
safety.
Crazy Snake became a prisoner as a
result of his negotiations with the mill
tiamen. He sent in courier and offer
ed to surrender If some of the soldiers
would accompany his messenger to his
hiding place and guarantee him pro-
lection.
them" was asked. He has had abund-
ant opportunity"
He is afraid of the scouts and depu-
ties and would not surrender to them
because he thought they would kill
him." said the courier. But come with
me and will take you to him.
Capture Kept Secret.
The soldiers accepted the offer and
the capture was made. This fact was
kept secret several hours, for reasons
best known to the officers.
A dispatch from Henryetta~ expressed
the fear that the capture of Crazy Snake
would incite the Indians throughout the
state to an uprising and make stern
measures necessary on the part of the
state authorities. 1t generally was
agreed, however. that the surrender of
the leader would end the long reign of
the Snake band. An alarming rumor
was circulated that the Creeks were
planning to attack the town of Checotah
field scouting. Morgan ID. Upton came
TO Muskogee and arranged for arms
and a special train ready to rush a
posse to Checotah. The attack did not
materialize, of course: 1t would have
been folly for the Indians to have at
tempted it, as there is a stretch of five
miles of open prairie west of town.
Captain ]. ]. Davis. of the Chandler
militia company, is authority for the
statement that the troops are under or
ders to capture the entire band of
Snakes, variously estimated at from
500 to 900. Most of these would soon be
released. but the authorities regard the
wholesale arrest plan as the most eff
fective method of getting the leaders.
Adjutant General Frank Canton ex-
pressed himself as satisfied that the
troops have the situation we'll in hand,
but admits that conditions may get
worse.
I'm the event they do" he said, 81
shall call out the remainder of the reg
iment and lead the men myself The
trouble does not seem to be of a serious
nature and 1 do not apprehend that it
will grow more serious. While great
many sensational reports have been
sent out regarding the Snake uprising,
the fact is not altered that the Snakes
are a dangerous lot and should at this
time be suppressed once and for all.''
Dangerous to the Community.
w. M Duffy. mayor of Checotah, was
emphatic in his assertion that the Snake
band must be scattered.
"Once there was sympathy for Crazy
Snake" he said. because people gave
him credit for being at least half square
but they no longer have any confidence
an him. His people are dangerous to
the community. 1t is necessary that
they be cleaned up or else they will
eventually depopulate this part of the
critical. The reports sent out have not
been exaggerated. They are true in the
main, the correspondents having beer
wrong in some of the minor details.
Next to Crazy Snake. the most dan
gerous Indian in the Creek nation Is
Abe Grayson, the half negro who was
captured near Pierce He Is the cap
tain of the negro element of the OUTLAW
band"
Grayson was discovered in a hay field
by Deputy Sheriff Sam Baker. He hat
deserted his home and taken his bed Il
the field. Rather than approach hin
Baker set fire to the hay and drov,
him from his bed. The militia thel
captured him without a fight.
Negroes Indignant.
The negroes are reported as being
highly indignant over the capture o
some men of their race by the militia
This is regarded as adding danger to tn
situation. Discussing this point Mayo
Barclay Morgan of Henryetta said to
day:
81 do not hesitate to say that man,
of the Snake Indians and negroes af
filiated with them are a menace to tn
country and should be captured. TIL
people of this community are in sym
pathy with any movement that wi
suppress the Snake band. In my opin
ion the negroes are the most dangerou
class. During the past few years fror
$50 to $50 blacks have drifted here fror
Texas and other southern states. The
are worthless and have caused a grea
deal of trouble. Many Indians of thi
country are peaceable and some of thos
arrested are innocent A final strok
should be made If il takes bloodsheC
Harjo is dangerous man himself. w
care nothing for what the world ma
mink; we want protection and India
suppression"