Dangers US Indian Police Faced
Before he became Oklahoma's first United States senator, Robert L. Owen served as an Indian Agent in Muskogee. During his tenure as Indian Agent, he constantly strove to improve working conditions for the Indian Police who worked for the agency.
The mid-1880's was a trying time in Indian Territory. Deputy Marshals and U. S. Army patrols provided some protection to Indian and non-Indian residents alike. In many cases, however, the Indian Police was important to successful police work in the territory.
In 1886, Owen reported having forty-three members of the Indian Police operating out of the Muskogee office. There were forty privates, two lieutenants and a captain. The police operated from their homes in order to provide service to their neighborhoods. Consequently, they knew their neighbors and the terrain nearby. This local knowledge frequently came in handy when tracking down a criminal.
However, there was an uncommon threat to service as a police officer in Indian Territory. Owen reported that some young Cherokees rode into Muskogee. Suffering from their consumption of alcohol, they began firing revolvers indiscriminately. Captain Samuel Sixkiller was shot and slightly wounded in one arm.
When the offenders were disarmed and arrested, they protested. They thought they were only shooting at the Indian Police. The intoxicated shooters were unaware that there were two Deputy Marshals nearby. At that time, there was no legal protection for the Indian Police except what local laws provided.
In another case, an Indian Police Lt. Thomas R. Knight killed Albert St. John in the process of arresting him. Members of St. John's wealthy family brought charges against Lt. Knight forcing the latter to make numerous trips to Fort Smith to defend himself.
One police officer was sentenced to hang by a tribal court for killing a desperado in self-defense. About the same time, the Federal Court in Fort Smith acquitted a Deputy Marshal, who was a US citizen, of the same charge.
Months after making his report for 1886, Agent Owen reported the killing of Captain Sixkiller the day before Christmas. Two young Cherokee half-breeds shot down the unarmed Sixkiller as he walked out of a Muskogee store. The drunks who committed the murder were never tried. One was captured and place in the custody of the Creek Lighthorse (tribal police) because the crime was committed in the Creek Nation. However, he was lightly guarded and soon escaped.
Thus were the variances of protection for lawmen. Owen advocated in his annual reports for passage federal legislation protecting the Indian Police. Then, no federal law protected Captain Sixkiller. Congress shortly afterwards passed such legislation.
For the risk they took, the Indian Police privates received eight dollars a month. Officers received a little more. Out of this salary, the police supplied their own provisions and a horse.
Lt. William Fields was promoted to captain following Sixkiller's death. A desperado murdered Lt. Fields about three months later while being arrested. His death on April 10th, 1887 led to the promotion of Lieutenant Knight, mentioned above.
Lt. Knight experienced a similar situation. While making arrest, the criminal resisted. Knight's killing of the offender was justified by Agent Owen who said he believed "it necessary to save his own life."
The passage of federal legislation to protect the US Indian Police began the process of reducing the threats these peacekeepers faced.
The mid-1880's was a trying time in Indian Territory. Deputy Marshals and U. S. Army patrols provided some protection to Indian and non-Indian residents alike. In many cases, however, the Indian Police was important to successful police work in the territory.
In 1886, Owen reported having forty-three members of the Indian Police operating out of the Muskogee office. There were forty privates, two lieutenants and a captain. The police operated from their homes in order to provide service to their neighborhoods. Consequently, they knew their neighbors and the terrain nearby. This local knowledge frequently came in handy when tracking down a criminal.
However, there was an uncommon threat to service as a police officer in Indian Territory. Owen reported that some young Cherokees rode into Muskogee. Suffering from their consumption of alcohol, they began firing revolvers indiscriminately. Captain Samuel Sixkiller was shot and slightly wounded in one arm.
When the offenders were disarmed and arrested, they protested. They thought they were only shooting at the Indian Police. The intoxicated shooters were unaware that there were two Deputy Marshals nearby. At that time, there was no legal protection for the Indian Police except what local laws provided.
In another case, an Indian Police Lt. Thomas R. Knight killed Albert St. John in the process of arresting him. Members of St. John's wealthy family brought charges against Lt. Knight forcing the latter to make numerous trips to Fort Smith to defend himself.
One police officer was sentenced to hang by a tribal court for killing a desperado in self-defense. About the same time, the Federal Court in Fort Smith acquitted a Deputy Marshal, who was a US citizen, of the same charge.
Months after making his report for 1886, Agent Owen reported the killing of Captain Sixkiller the day before Christmas. Two young Cherokee half-breeds shot down the unarmed Sixkiller as he walked out of a Muskogee store. The drunks who committed the murder were never tried. One was captured and place in the custody of the Creek Lighthorse (tribal police) because the crime was committed in the Creek Nation. However, he was lightly guarded and soon escaped.
Thus were the variances of protection for lawmen. Owen advocated in his annual reports for passage federal legislation protecting the Indian Police. Then, no federal law protected Captain Sixkiller. Congress shortly afterwards passed such legislation.
For the risk they took, the Indian Police privates received eight dollars a month. Officers received a little more. Out of this salary, the police supplied their own provisions and a horse.
Lt. William Fields was promoted to captain following Sixkiller's death. A desperado murdered Lt. Fields about three months later while being arrested. His death on April 10th, 1887 led to the promotion of Lieutenant Knight, mentioned above.
Lt. Knight experienced a similar situation. While making arrest, the criminal resisted. Knight's killing of the offender was justified by Agent Owen who said he believed "it necessary to save his own life."
The passage of federal legislation to protect the US Indian Police began the process of reducing the threats these peacekeepers faced.
Labels: Albert St. John, Capt. Samuel Sixkiller, Lt. Thomas R. Knight, Lt. William Fields, Robert L. Owen, US Indian Police
posted by Wally Waits at
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