The State Herald

INDIAN SITUATION VERY CONTRADICTORY REPORTS.

Many Indians Have Come In Professing to be Friendly, but Their Motives Are Impugned.

Walker, Minn., Oct. 9. - When the troops reached the agency they found that the friendly Indians had themselves made a picket line covering the whole line of woods which surrounded the settlement, as many as fifty of the Indians having done picket duty. Now that the troops are on the grounds these formal preparations for defense will probably be abandoned but there will be Indian scouts out all the time, ready to bring prompt warning of anything that even looks dangerous. It is said by those who know them that these agency Indians would not hesitate to kill a hostile as quickly as would a soldier.

Last night Mah-Ge-Gay-Bow, one of the head men of the Bear Island Indians, arrived on the agency point with twenty-seven canoe loads of the Bear Islanders, comprising those of them who are for peace. There are 75 or 100 in the party, men, women and children. They went into camp about five miles from the agency and Mah-Ge-Gay-Bow called on General Bacon at once. He said that he had told the hostiles on the islands that he could not go with them, that he and his friends were for peace with the white men, and that they were going to the agency.

Minneapolis, Minn., Oct. 9. - A special to the Tribune from its staff correspondent at Walker says:

The situation to-night is more ominous than ever. At the agency to-day a council was held between the Indians, General Bacon, Colonel Herbach, Indian Agent Sutherland and Marshal O'Connor. The result of the conference was not in any way like that of those previously held, except in the fact that not one of the leading men of the different bands was present.

There were, however, representatives present from Bear Island, Cass Lake, Otter Tail Point, and Pine Point, but none of these has any influence with the tribesmen.

The only conclusion to be drawn is that the leaders of the different bands sent men there merely as stool pigeons and that others of their number are now preparing for the war path.

A most significant fact is this: Saturday thirty canoe loads of Bear Island Indians and their families, professing to be peaceful, arrived at the agency. To-day every one of the bucks in the party left, but where they have gone is only to be surmised. There is little doubt, however, that they have left for Bear Island to join those who are already prepared to fight. There must be by this time several hundred armed men on the island and from what can be learned to-day many more are on the road. Two or three of the Bear Island men who are still on the agency have been questioned in regard to last Wednesday's battle, but they positively stated that they knew nothing whatever in regard to the dead and wounded among the Indians and had seen none of those who were in the fight.

General Bacon announced that the last council would be held Monday and the Indians dispersed.