The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1909-03-26
POSSE AND BLACKS
IN BLOODY BATTLE
Negroes and Snake Indians Resist Off
eers-Three Killed in Struggle
Which Followed.

Muskogee, Okla Mar. 26-ln a
pitched battle which waged Thursday
morning at Old Hickory stomping
grounds of the Snake Indians, located
six miles southwest of Henryetta be-
tween officers and negroes and Indians
the later forces combined, three ne
groes were killed, five wounded and
one white man fatally injured.
The battle resulted when A. Y Pat
ty, a Mcintosh county deputy sheriff,
visited Old Hickory in search of stol-
en- property believed to have been con-
cealed in some of the negro huts and
tents in that vicinity. Arriving on the
scene Wednesday afternoon the de-
putty found the Hickory grounds alive
with negroes and a fraction of the
Snake Indians, and many tents erected
for the use of the crowd which ap-
parently was holding a big pow-wow.
Deputy Patty, according to G. W..
Chappell who was in the fight, was
| met ny biS CiONu VI dAlnSO HcSlOCS
who in no uncertain language told him
to move on at the same time display
ing q hostility of manner in handling
their weapons One negro declared
he would brain him with an ak if their
demands were not complied with. I'm
able to cope with such large armed
party alone, Patty returned to Henry
eta and secured the services of sew
eral officers and citizens, the posse,
all told numbering fourteen men, and
returning to the stomping ground
where the negroes and Indians were
making medicine, in the darkness of
the night, approached close to the
camp and completely surrounded it,
meantime intrenching themselves as
best they could for the trouble which
was anticipated when arrests We're at
tempted on the morrow
Several of the posse shortly after
arrival at the ground. visited small
store kept by negro named Edwards
and upon leaving the store were fired
upon from ambush This word carri-
ed to the force surrounding the camp,
the intrenchments were made more
secure and the long wait for morning
began.
At daybreak the negro camp was
astir and apparently none within knew
the whereabouts of the officers. The
crowd viewed in the light of day, prov
ed much larger than was first expect
ed and Joe Ferguson, posseman, was
sent to Eufala for reinforcements, but
before he cleared the camp was dis
covered. Tim Fowler interested in
observing Ferguson, in his retreat
from camp raised his head above
the intrenehments and Immediately
fell with a steel bullet in his breast.
The negroes opened fire and the battle
was waged so vigorously that the pos
semen were forced to do all their
shooting from their stomachs. A red
hot fire on both sides was continued
from early morning until nine o'clock |
when the negroes were routed and
their capture effected
During the fight over four hundred |
shots were fired and when the forty
prisoners we're captured sixteen steel |
ball rifles were captured, also mum
erous arms, knives and other weapons
Conveying the captured men to Hen |
ryetta they were placed on the NJ. O.
e. G. passenger train, under heavy |
guard. brought to Muskogee and later
taken to Eufaula, where their prelim-
mary hearing will take place today.
The officers guarding the prisoners
numbered among them men who had
in the battle and we're
greatly fatigued from the strain they
had endured as none of the en-
battled guards had tasted food since
Wednesday noon.
The battle, it is conceded is a prob
able result of the trouble in the same
section last July when the Snake In
iians defied the state officials There
we're but a half dozen Indians in the
gang brought here last night but these
were full bloods and unable to speak
English The negroes are a part of
The Snake faction which has been cred
ted with many depredations in Okmul-
gee and Mcintosh counties during the
past six months.
It is noticeable that most all the
negroes were old men or rather past
middle age and there was only three
'r four young men in the entire crowd.