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Show COPY.' TELEGRAM. Chicago, I l l i n o i s , Aug. 23rd, 1887. Adjutant General of the Army, V/ashington, D. C. Your dispa tch of yesterday reached me t h i s morriing and I have sent it to Gpneral Crook for his information and guidance. But as I understood the situa t i on from the information, perhaps im-perfect, that I have, the present trouble is e n t i r e l y within the boundaries of the State of Colorado and ha s a r i s e n from an attempt to execute the process of a c i v i l court of that State. The Sher-i f f has called out a posse and a detachment of m i l i t i a has been sent to him or is on i t s way to him. Under the se c ircumstances and in view of section fifteen of the Army appropria t ion a c t, approved June 18th, 1878, I do not see that the troops of the United States can be lawfully used in aid of the Sheriff unless the l e g i s l a t u r e or Governor of Colorado shall represent to th; P r e s i de nt that an insurrection exists and s h a l l call upcn him for aid in suppressing i t ; nor does there s eem to be any other action that military officers can take. So long as the. Sheriff v/ith his posse and the m i l i t i a are pressing the Indians and threatening an irrrr.e-d i a t e attack, - e ff o r t s to indu ce Colorow and his follov/ers to return to the i r reservation would in a l i p r o b a b i l i t y be u s e l e s s. The only course of action that appears to me to be feasible is to induce the State a u t h o r i t i e s to suspend the execution of their process u n t i l an effort can be made by U. S. authority to induce the Indians to return to their homes. As yet no troops have been sent to the scene of action though they are held ready to march. In view of the severe ponalties imposed by the act of 1878 on m i l i t a ry o f f i c e r s who shall unlawfully use troops in aid of the c i v i l aut h o r i t i e s , I ask for more e x p l i c i t instructions formy guidance. ALERED. H. TERRY, Maj . Genl.Comdg. |