| The people of Madison County have had but little trouble on account of Indians. The settlement on the North Fork had, perhaps, most difficulty with them in the spring of 1867. The winter had been exceptionally severe, snow lying on the level to the depth of three feet, and the cold being intense. It was next to impossible for the Indians to find food. Provisions were not plenty with the settlers, and for their own supplies they had to travel to the Logan Creek, a distance of sixty-five miles, the trip frequently requiring a whole week. Under these circumstances, it was no easy task to feed themselves and the Indians too. Still, the best possible was done, notwithstanding which the Indians were always hungry, and, in consequence, committed some acts of depredation. They poisoned one cow for Herman Braasch, and ate the flesh, killed and ate five dogs belonging to the settlement, and upon discovering the carcasses of seven timber wolves which had been killed by the settlers three weeks previously, eagerly dressed them as well as they could and devoured the flesh. It is probable that hunger tamed the savage nature of the Indian in this case. The settlements on Shell Creek were visited in 1869 by a party of Sioux Indians, who killed some stock belonging to Lewis Warren and others, and shot Mrs. Nelson, but not fatally.
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