River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1909-04-01
TROOPS ON MARCH
To FIGHT INDIANS
BLOODY BATTLE IN OKLAHOMA
SEEMS TO BE CERTAIN.
CRAZY SNAKE is DEFIANT
Sends Word to Militia He Will Fight
to Death-SoIdiers Ordered
to Shoot to
Kill.

Oklahoma City, Okla, Mar. 29-Five
companies of Oklahoma militia began
marching last night against Crazy
| Snakes band of Creek Indians, half
breeds and negroes, intrenched in the
Hickory hills, seven miles from Hen
ryetta. A bloody battle is regarded as
| inevitable.
! When the troops reached Crazy
Snakes camp at nine o'clock last
night they found it deserted and every
| tepee hut and tent in flames. The In.
dams had fed to a stronger position
to the north.
The heavily armed troops set out
either to capture or exterminate the
murderous band which, since Thurs
| day, has caused the death of six men,
| the wounding of many others and
brought about a condition of terror in
Henryetta, Pierce and all the surround
ing country.
Both to Fight to Death.
Crazy Snakes men number 200, all
armed with modern rifles AMI plentiful
ly supplied with ammunition. They had
been preparing for two months for this,
their final stand against lawful author
ity. They have defiantly sent out word
that they fight to the death. The mill
tia officers have declared that they will
shoot to kill from the first.
Crazy Snakes band strongly in
trenched itself yesterday and was rein
forced from time to time by rowing
companies which were scared away
from Henryetta by the coming of the
state troops at three o'clock. Crazy
Snake is in personal command. This
was established by the testimony
choked out of his college-bred son by
means of a nice new inch-rope. Young
Harjo was strung up by the deter
mined deputies until nearly dead Then
he gasped out that his father was in
command; named the Indian who
killed the deputies; told the officials
how to trail the band, and did every
thing which a stoical red man is sup
posed not to do when in the hands of
his enemies.
First Uprising in Years.
THIS first real Indian uprising of
years broke out last Thursday when
some deputy sheriffs went to Henry
eta to arrest negro cattle thieves.
They were fired on by negro and half
| breed friends of the criminals and
forced to beat a hasty retreat. A few
hours later they returned with addi-
tional forces and were fired on by the
band, then augmented by a number of
Crazy Snakes Indians. In this fight
three were killed and five wounded,
according to the official reports, al
though it is thought many more Indi-
ans were wounded, as scores of shots
were fired at close quarters. This clash
resulted in Al arrests.
Marshal and Deputy Slain.
Saturday night part of Crazy Snakes
band was run to cover by deputies in
search for leaders in Thursday
| fight Marshal Baum of Checotah and
Deputy Odom of Eufaula paid their
lives as a price. They were shot down,
according to Crazy Snakes son, by
Charles Cocker, a Seminole Indian. This
event aroused the state authorities.
GOV. Haskell OrQ0roQ out the militia
and the word was passed out that the
band must be captured or killed.
Not till yesterday did the people of
Henryetta realize the serious condi-
ton. Threatened by raids by some of
Crazy Snakes men, they hurriedly
armed, patroled the roads leading to
the town, sent to surrounding towns for
arms and ammunition, and sent urgent
appeals to Gov Haskell to hurry the
militia to the scene. Not till the sol
diers arrived at three o'clock yester.
| day afternoon was the peoples appre-
hension relieved. Then the Indian
bands scurried away to avoid clash
with the military, preferring to cast
their lot with the larger band in
! trenched under Crazy Snakes com
mand in Hickory hills and to take part
| in the larger fight which was regarded
at that time as inevitable.
During one of the engagements yes
| terday morning Grant Johnson, former
United States marshal, killed an. In,
] dian.
TWENTY LOST IN SHIPWRECk.