The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-04-27
INDIAN CAPTIVE
Tells OF TRAGEDY

The following interesting interview
with the young squaw captured in the
battle with Indian Mike and his gang
in Humboldt county, some months ago
is taken from yesterdays Reno Jour
nal The story was told to c. II.
Asbury, superintendent of the Indian
school, Mary Austin, young Sho-
shone woman, acting as interpreter:
In the first place the young cap.
tive stated that her name was not
Snake. That happened to be the name
of sister who was killed. Her name
is Heeney. The 7-year-old boy with
her is named Cleve, while the next
youngest girl is Hattie. The baby,
about a year and half old, has not
been named
The statement as translated by the
interpreter was as follows:
"We had never stolen cattle or
horses until last summer. The first
trouble started when one of my broth
ers was shot by gang of white cat
tie rustlers. He was shot in the leg
and died shortly afterwards. In order
to be revenged two of my brothers
shot white boy afterwards His
body was buried and we stole horses
and left the place.
The white boy referred to was
Frank Dopp.
Continuing, Heeney said: "Our
party moved westward until we came
to big body of water (Sacramento
river). We could see the mountains
on the other side. We stayed there
during the fruit season, and in the
fall started back to our home grounds.
We were caught in the snow crossing
the main range of mountains and lost
nearly all our horses.'
The squaw then described the trip
over the mountains until the party ar.
rived at Big Little Rock canyon. A
camp was made there and the party
rustled several cattle which were
killed. While the carcasses were be-
ing dressed one of the stockmen, who
was later killed, arrived on the scene.
He was driven away, but returned
later with his three comrades The
four were murdered and the bodies
stripped of clothing
Heeney did not witness the killing,
as she was at the camp. A day or two
before the party had discovered the
camp OF Chinaman near by and stole
several articles from the. owner. The
Chinaman was on his way to the In
dian camp when he met one of the
young bucks. He explained that he
was going over to kill the bunch.
That was as far as the Chinaman trav-
eled, for he was killed in his tracks.
The body was covered with earth.
After the stockmen had been mur-
dered the party started on. The Jour
ney was made in easy stages, as no
thought was entertained that posse
was trailing them.
Then came the battle that resulted
in the death of the family. Heeney
said that the only relative she knew
of was sister of her mother, who
lives at Tecoma, a small station on
the main line in the eastern part of
the state.
1T has been rported to me that
you are revengeful and would take ad-
vantage of any opportunity to kill
white people, should you be released
said Mr.. Asbury through the inter
prefer.
~ have no desire to kill any per-
son, relied Heeney. 81 don't like to
see dead people,
"Would it please you if I sent you
away from here-away from your
brothers and sisterss' inquired Mr..
Asbury.
A violent protest was made and
Heeney stated that she did not want
to be separated from the children. She
has mothered them since the death of
their parents and her actions indicate
that her love for them is equal, if not
superior, to the love of a woman Of
the white race for her offspring. While |
she desires freedom, she has no desire |
to be separated Heeney further in.
dicated that she was perfectly salts |
fed with the treatment afforded her |
at the county Jail.
Like all her race, she was stoical |
when conversing about the death of |
her father, mother, brothers and Sis |
ters, and during the majority of the |
time she was talking she was smiling |
Superintendent Asbury wrote to the |
department of the interior on March |
8 asking what disposition he would |
make of the cases, and since that date |
he has received several letters and |
kilograms, but none have urged def
mite conclusion. A short time ago he |
received a dispatch authorizing him
to take the oldest boy, who is 7 years
of age, and place him in the school at |
Carson, but this idea was not carried |
out on account of the protestations Of |
Heeney. Mr.. Asbury stated that he was
wiling to fix up separate room at the |
Indian institution for the captives,
but thought it best if they could be |
taken out of the state and placed in |
some sort of an institution He has
corresponded with an Indian orphan
age in the Indian territory, but no def |
mite arrangements have yet been made |
rrL., af ....ah I.