No. 307.
Mr. West to Mr. Frelinghuysen.
Washington, July 30, 1883.
(Received July 31.)
Sir: With reference to previous correspondence
I have the honor to inclose to you herewith a copy of an approved report
of a committee of the privy council for Canada, having reference to the
stealing by Canadian Cree Indians from an American citizen on the Teton
Eiver of a number of horses, which formed the subject of a minute of
council, copy of which was inclosed in my note of the 21st ultimo.
I have, &c.,
[Inclosure.]
Report of a committee of the privy council for
Canada, approved by the Governor-General on the 24th day of July, 1883.
[July 24,
1883]
The committee of the privy council advise your excellency to be
pleased to transmit to Her Majesty’s minister at Washington a copy
of a letter herewith attached, from Lieut. -Col. A. G. Irvine, the
commissioner of the northwest ‘mounted police, reporting that he and
Lieut.-Col. J. F. Macleod, stipendiary magistrate, had tried and
sentenced to two years’ imprisonment eleven Indians for
horse-stealing south of the boundary line, in conjunction with an
order of your excellency in council, dated 14th June, 1883, upon a
dispatch (No. 52) dated 10th May, 1883, from the British minister at
Washington, having reference to the stealing by Canadian Cree
Indians, from an American citizen on the Teton River, in the
Territory of Montana, of a number of horses.
JOHN J. McGEE,
Clerk Privy Council
for Canada.
Colonel Irvine
to Mr. Whitee.
Northwest Mounted Police Headquarters,
Regina, June 1, 1883.
Sir: Referring to my letter of the 25th May
last (report No. 360), with which was inclosed a communication from
Superintendent Shurtleff, relating to a raid made by our Indians on
the herd of J. G. Baker & Co., Montana, United States, you will
observe from that officer’s report that Sergeant Patterson arrested
ten Cree Indians who belonged to the war party which ran off J. G.
Baker & Co.’s horses.
[Page 527]
These Indians were tried a few days ago at Maple Creek by Colonel
Macleod and myself on a charge of bringing stolen property into the
country. They pleaded guilty and were sentenced to two years’
imprisonment with hard labor in the Manitoba penitentiary. At the
same time Colonel Macleod and I also tried another Cree Indian on a
similar charge. He also pleaded guilty, and received a similar
sentence. This Indian was one of the war party who stole and ran off
the man Kipp’s horses on the Marias River, Fort Benton, Montana. His
confederates in the raid were, as reported to you by Superintendent
Cotton in his letter of the 7th May (report No. 345), tried by me at
Fort Walsh on the 3d May last, and duly sent to the Manitoba
penitentiary.
I have, &c.,
A. G. IRVINE,
Commissioner.
