The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-08-06
OLD AGENCY NOW MASONIC RETREAT
DARLINGTON POST HAS HISTORY

, The agency was Officially named
Darlington in honor ot its founder
who suffered the fate of All men
! who serve their country in silence.
No sooner was the hard work of ,--
/ tabhshing the station complete and
/ the Indian tribes at peace "i,h the
agents and the gc.ernment than
Agent Darlington was relieved of his
charge, and John ID. Miles arrived
from Washington to succeed him.
From the day Of his arrival until he
was forced to resign by the Indian
Rights association and othel kindred
organizations, Miles was a horn in
the flesh of the Indians Who had
learned 10 love the mildmannered
Quaker who founded the agency,
There were frequent quarels be-
tween the Indians and the agent,
which finally resulted in the Indians
mnpmg the reservation and taking
TO The warpath. This was lu 1873,
and the indians continued To Kill
and plunder until the spring of lH1i,
When they were captured and taken
under strong guard back to the
A2en.y, where they surrendered TO
the GOV erument and new treaty
was made under the trees John Sc
ger had planted.
4 message purporting 70 come from
Washington that ordered all Indians
should be dismounted and disarmed.
came near precipitating another out
break had not the council of the
older men prevailed. Cloud chief, Lit
tie Cnief and Red CLOUD of the Chey-
ennes. Lett Hand, Powder Face, Lit
tie Raven ana others of the Npaches,
counseled the young men 10 remain
quiet and told them that everything
would be made right For had not
the agent promised that the Indian
should be mis- brother?
Their trust was misplaced, for no
sooner had they complied with the
demand for disarmament than Miles
tod them there was message for
the principal men of both tribes TO
go TO Washington and tell their
story to The president. The chiefs
were satisfied and at once agreed to
90. hut When the preparations were
made their hearts We're sdddcned
bv the announcement that they were
10 he shacl,led and chained together
as prisoners. At this they rebelled,
ana two companies OF the Fifth Unit
ed states infantry were called from
Fort Reno to subdue them and bind
their limbs with iron
Breaks Away
As the iron bands We're being riv-
eted one cG he Indians complained
that they were too light and asked
that they be loosened. Captain Ben
nit. who was in command of the
troops. ordered the blacksmith who
was Welding the manaclos TO cut the
riyets and while in the act Of doing
50 the Indian broke loOs ard ran
through the crowd. Captain Bcnnit
started after him, but seeing that
he could moi Oyertake the fleeing
redskin he lay down and ordered the
troops 10 shoot the fugitive. \ vol
lev was fired, but the Indian re-
ceiyed only a slight wound and made
his escape in the tail grass of the
arrayos, and wended his way to the
lake at Camp Welcome. Others of
the tribe ioined him. and the war be
tween the Indians and the troops was
renewed within sight of the agency
buildings
They fought around the lakes and
into the sand hills where the Indians,
although armed only with bows and
arrows and other crude implements
OF Wal, Hldut I U'lblN S'dlIu 4llNl'
finally beaten bv reinforcements thas
came to Captain Bennit's aid with
field guns and dislodscd the Indians
with shrapnel One soldier was killed
in the battle and eighteen wounded.
This was the last stand Of the
Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians and
since that time they have lived at
peace a. the Darlington agency until
removed by the government. Miles
was soon relieved as agent for these
Indians and has since been succeed
ed by Charles F. Ashley. General A
+. WoodSon, Colonel George w.
Slough and Charles T.. Schell. who
had charge at the time the buildings
were sod to the Nasons.
Removal Notice.
Halls Texas Wonder will remove