Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-04-02
CRAZY SNAKE
OFFERS TOLAY
DOWN HIS ARMS
CHIEF OF OKLAHOMA INDIANS ON
WARPATH WILL SUR
RENDER.
KEEP MILITIA ON GROUND,
Soldiers Will Prevent Rioting When Red
skins Are Brought in from
Their Stronghold.
SITUATION IS NOT SERIOUS.

GUTHRIE, Ok, March 3O-Crazy
Snake, or Chitto Harjo, the chief Of
the Snake Indians, offered today to sur
render. The proffer of the willy old chief,
who had been sought by five companies
of state militia since Sunday, was made
TO officers of the militia this morning.
He sent word that he desired to come in,
but feared surrendering to the local au-
fhorities.
The chief states that he never desired
q fight. Adjt.-Gen. Canton, to whom the
news of Crazy Snakes wish to lay down
his arms was brought shortly before
noon today, expressed the belief that
the report was reliable. Such action he
said, was just what he expected from
the old Indian, whom he knows we'll and
Whom he does not think dangerous.
Keep Militia on Ground
Shortly after receiving the news Gen.
Canton said:
The militia will be kept on the
ground for the protection of Indians who
will be brought in. The whites are sure
~ able to meet any emergency. Be
cause Of the excitement there is a posi-
the Indians are brought in and for the
prevention of this we will keep the
troops on the ground, the local authori-
ties must and can now control the situa
tion it proper judgment is used.
|'rhe Situation in the district surround
Ing old Hickory camp has never been
serious enough for us to declare martial
law and it is unfortunate that such SEN
gatiOnal stories have been sent out l
have no word from Col. Hoffman up to
10 o'clock and consequently must sup
pose that all is quiet"
With Crazy Snake and a large portion
Of his band of Indians, halfbreeds, and
negroes apparently trapped in the north
Canadian bottoms, more than 800 Okla
aCma militiamen, deputies, cowboys and
farmers hurried forward at dawn today
30 join those already on guard. 1t
was believed that the chieftain. outgen-
eraled by his pursuers, could by no pos
sibiity break the Gordon which com
passed him.
In Timbered Stronghold.
The Indians We're in timbered strong
hold. On all sides ranged dense growth
of underbrush thanked by great trees.
Into this fortress Crazy Snake and a
portion of his band crept last night
when Col. Hoffman's pursuing sol
diers got too near for comfort.
Here they prepared to make their
stand. Whether this would be dlplo-
matte contest over terms of surrender
or an argument with bullets, the young
soldiers did not know as they took UP
the march, but they and their officers
were prepart5i f0I 10th
Crazy Snake had every reason to light,
from his point of view. The situation
was not nearly SO unfay0rable for him
as the soldiers tried to make themselves
believe They had him and then they
did not He was we'll protected in his
EI,D INEIa
OF leaves, forming a beautiful enough
ambuscade to suit almost any Indian.
All Heavily Armed
His followers all were heavily armed
and desperate Such were the possibili-
Ties of the situation that none of the
states representatives cared to risk an
enlargement in the darkness and in
Mace where behind every tree there
might Turk an enemy ready to fire.
So, when 1t was estabhshed dennltely
through the scouts that it really was
the Snake himself in the beleaguered
company, cOurers were sent to Camp
Hickory with the news to the militia
commander. From that moment the
night became one of concentrated actv-
jrv, Fighters, under both civilian and
military rule, were sent to the scene,
mounted and afoot. Ammunition and
supply sagons already loaded soon were
rumbling on their way to the front.
White Families Flee.
While all this was in progress scores
of white families had fed from their
homes. fearing attack by the lawless
ones, Throughout the night they went
10 Henryetta, Pierce, and some even to
Chacotah Their apprehension was not
without cause, for to the south and east
Of Pierce small scattered Snake bands
were. hidden in the hills, while still 9TH
ars had gone to the northeast affected
nv the uprising. For hours many
farmer fearfully waited for the coming
of outlaws who might burn his bullQ-
ings and perhaps kill him.
Thrills were added to the situation
shortly after midnight by the urgent call
of Col. Hoffman for relntorcements.
Can't. Frank King of the engineering
corps hurried with his men from Guthrie
on orders from the adjutant-general. He
expected to reach Henryetta at ( O'Clock
this morning and meet Il detachment OF
the signal corps from Blackwell These
he was to lead to the Indians wooded
valley and to join in the general forward
march
Chief Crafty One.
1t was the craftiness of Crazy Snake
that made the authorities fear early
today. that they would have a long
guerilla warfare ahead of them. Had
the Snake massed his forces and given
the whites open battle one thing would
have happened-he would have been an
initiated. He knew this. So he divided
his companies into groups, sending some
here. some there. With their savage in
stincts, they made full use of the natural
1efenses in which Oklahoma abounds,
and condition of uneasiness, even ter
sor, among the whites was the result.
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OkIahoma,s Oil Production