Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1890 — PLOT OF A MASSACRE. [ARTICLE]

PLOT OF A MASSACRE.

Bow Braoki «ad HU Troop* Wore to B« X.MI Into Ambush and Slaughtered, The first knowledge that the ghost dsn eeis had commenced plotting to entrap thi soldiers was brought to Indian A gen Royer at Pine Ridge Agency, Sunday, bj William McGaa, formerly an Indian scout and now a wealthy ranchman living in th< vicinity of Buffalo Gap. : McGaa was trav cling overland on horseback and alone He enjoys a wide friendship among thi Indians generally, and Saturday night staid at one of the tedges about midwaj between Pine Ridge and Buffalo Gap. Hi bad placed very little dependence in ttu reported scare, and therefore felt ne feai in laying down and going to sleet in a tepee full of bronze-faced In. dians, notwithstanding he noticed that they were all fully armed. A little curiosity, however, prompted him tO feign sleep and keep his ears open during the early part of the night. The result was that he secured information as startling as it was valuable and that removes every vestige of doubt as to the blood-thirsty villainy which has taken possession of the ghost-dancers. After he had been in bed some little time, a couple of hours or more, one of the redskins bent over him to discover whether he was asleep. To all appearances hewas. Then he heard them gel up and begin a whispered consultation. For the first time in his life, McGaa says, he almost doubted his own ears. The Indians vfith whom he had lain down to sleep with the feeling of the utmost security were deliberately plotting to lead General Brooke and his soldiers into an ambush and shoot them down. Their plan, as McGaa heard from their own lips, is to continue the ghost-dance till the troops try to stop it. The place selected to carry out their murderous design is a place,sixteen miles and a half north of Pine Uidge, and a more advantageous locality for so devilfish a dead probably does not exist anywhere else on the face of tho entire continent. It is where the White Horse creek empties into the Wounded Knots, and lies in something of an amphitheater shape. The only practical wa.y of leading up to it is by a road that follows along the bank of White Horse creek. Upon either side of this road and creek are dense clumps of trees, so many a&to almost form a wall on either side of the approach. The plot is to have a ghost dance ib the center of this amphitheater and have-the woods on either side of the road full of Indians when the militia comes up to stop the dance, and they will be easily shot down by the Indians in ambusli on either side. By lining the road with their Winchesters for the distance of a mile and letting the troops get well into the amphitheater, they were calculating Ihey could wipe out every spldier that enr-.e, and the calculation was a perfect j ono

TJrtr following somewhat improbable special has been received from Pine Ridge: “It is reported that a band of Indian war' riors, mostly Sioux, numbering about 0,000, has cut loose from the reservation below and is heading westward.” General Merritt,commander of the de» partment of the Missouri, received in*. Btruotions from tho headquarters of the j nrmv iu Washington to send troops at once jto Pice Ridgo agency. Gen. Merrit ac^ , cordiDglv ordered n regiment of the | Seventh cavalry, consisting of eight companies of about (100 men under command of Got. Forsythe, and a company ot artillery with a battery of four guus. commanded by Capt. Capron, from Ft. Riley, to the scene of the troublo. Tho troops left Sunday by special train. Gen. Merritt said: *T do not know bow serious the trouble is. and of course can not now say whether more troops will bo sent or not. Of course they will be If necessary. I have really no information to give further than that the orders were received from headquarters at Washington and 1 have acted accordingly.” it is learned that every soldier in the depertment of M ssouri is in perfect readiness 10 start for Dakota at a moment’s uotice. Excitement at Blunt, S. D., In reference to the Indian trouble is at its height. Gen. Bowers and members of the Midland Pacific survey at work eight miles west of Pierre have reached Blunt. They say that the Indians are in a frenzied condition and are liable to commit murder at anytimeFriday night, at tl o’clock, fifty Indians surrounded their camp, burst into the tent and took possession. They were all well I armed and could have massacred the whole outfit, but after a pow-wow the reds left, telling them to be many miles away before the sun rose. The people will ask the Governor for arms and ammunitionIt is feared that much damage will bedone if proper precautions are not taken. The Indians on the Winnebago south of town have left for the ghost dance at Rosebud. James Terrell was killed {by John FelU ner, known as “General” Feltner, at Huron, Lawrence county, at 5 o'clock, Saturday evening. Both were residents of that village. They had had a quarrel during the campaign, and had been enemies ever since. The murdered man was a Republican, the other a Democrat. They had a fight Saturday afternoon In George Felt ner’s saloon, but were separated. Terrell went out in town, but soon returned and renewed the quarrell. He -hot at Feltner bub failed to hit him. He then began beating him over the head with the revol ver. James VVotford, a frieud of Feltner, then interfered, and while he held Terrell down Feltner stabbed him, Terrell died In ten minutes. Feltner is under arrest Terreli was about forty years of age, and leaves a wife and four children in destitute circumstances. More trouble may follow, as very bitter feeling has engendered. The Lawrence county Farmers’ Institute was held at Mitchell Friday and Saturday last. Thb President declared that tho farmers ought either avail themselves of the liberal provisions of the laws made for them or stop complaining. The papers and addresses were practical, and the exercises in general were interesting and Jaeueflcial. -