Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-25

There is suspicion that there may have
been BULLET holes in the house and that
1t may have been fired upon by the depu-
ties without warning to its inmates. The
fire destroyed any evidence of this.
After this there could. of course, no
longer be any doubt that the Snake In
dians were ION the warpath, scalping de-
fenceless settlers and pillaging the coun-
try" Dozens of men. "highly respected In
their communities were said to have been
eye witnesses of such atrocities and the
yellow newspapers were filled with thrill
ing accounts of what was taking place.
An appeal was made to Governor Haskell
for state troops and on March % Colonel
Roy Hoffman, with five companies of state
militia. was sent into the field.
The timid Snake Indians, as well as the
Creek negroes, had deserted their homes
and hidden themselves in the hills, most Of
them in terror of the swarms of deputy
sheriffs and constables now riding the
country
Hoffman Promised Protection.
The constant endeavor Of the troops was
to capture Crazy Snake. His kinsmen and
friends were told that Colonel Hoffman
would give him the utmost protection.
Crazy Snake was known to be accompanied
by a stanch ally named Pin Harjo. The
latter is a dwarf. In the Green Peach
war, a Creek tribal rebellion Of many years
ago. he was credited with having killed
thirty-two of his tribesmen.
To look after the full blood Indians the
federal government sent a number of it's
agents into the field, among them Thomp-
son Tiger, official interpreter and son of
Moty Tiger, chief Of the Creek Nation.
The troops had a number of perilous ad-
ventures. Late one night news came that
Crazy Snake was at the home of an Indian
woman on the north bank of the North
Canadian river below weleetka. He was
reported to have ten or twelve armed men
secreted in the timber around the house to
resist attack. A squad of deputy shcriffa
had surrounded the house pending the ar
rival of the troops, the deputies not wish
ing to risk a night battle in the timber.
Sam Cook. one of the Cook brothers
noted outlaws, most of whom were shot
or hanged during the early days of out.
lawry in Indian Territory, was employed tc
guide the troops to the spot. When they
arrived the deputies reported positively
that late that afternoon more than twenty
heavily armed negroes had jumped from .
freight train about a mile up the road anc
gone to the assistance of the men at the
home Of the Indian woman.
Uhder the circumstances the soldiers ad.
varced cautiously on the house. Fred Cook
district Indian agent. proposed that he
should go ahead with Legus Jones, son Of
Crazy Snake. and Thompson Tiger, tn,
interpreter, TO hold a parley, not believing
that Crazy Snake would allow his men t
fire upon his son.
Grim HumOr of It. Tiger.
Here's where ar indian gets into trouble
for knowing too damncd much by under
standing the English language and the way
o. the white man" said Thompson Tiger
Tiger has a fine sense Of humor. II haven
lost any Snake Indians nor anything else il
this God forsaken country continue,
Tiger. II am drawing my salary for tn
sole and exclusive duty of talking, no
fighting. but l guess my hand has beef
called, so here goes Tiger was unarme,
and went against the game with his teetl
set.
With his two companions Cook move,
quickly to the first house in sight an,
called TO those within. No reply. Tearing
a board from the side he peered in an,
found his face squarely against that Of al
indian woman paralyzed will fright. Sew
= eral women and a man came from tn
house. when told that they would not b
harmed. They said that Crazy Snake wa
{ not there. Tiger knew them and believe.
them.
Half a mile away was another house.
i That's the place where these STRAINS
men have been staying" said a settler VIII
d lived in the neighbOrhood. They've bee
y sending the women down here to sleep a
night, 10 have them out of the way,
7 suppose, II there should be a fight"
e Orders were given to advance and sur
round the house. The advance was mad
e with extreme caution. the shelter OF tree
not being overlooked. The house was SUI
e rounded al a distance OF about $50 yards.
% A newspaper correspondent. armed wit
two battered. but sure-shooting camera
had planted himself at the base OF a whit
oak tree OF ample girth, and was congratu