Commander of the posse involved in the Battle of Kelley Creek, one of the last battles in the “indian wars”. Superintendent, Nevada State Police.

Battler of Kelly Creek as told by J. P. Donnelley Leader of the Posse involved

Superintendent Donnelley of the State Police Tells of Desperate Contest DEATH OF SHOSHONE MIKE
Asks Legislature to Appropriate Reward Promised Members of Posse Special to The Journal CARSON
CITY, Jan. 25 1913.--Superintendent Donnelley of the state police has filed his official report In
which he talks of the last Indian war in this state and asks that the legislature appropriate the
$5,000 reward due his men for their part in the campaign. The report says: In January, 1911,
four stockmen operating in northern Washoe county were reported missing. Search was Instigated
for the missing men and on February 11th, news was received that their bodies had been found
and that the men undoubtedly had been murdered.
This department was called upon to assist in the pursuit of the murderers. A posse was formed,
comprised of members of this department. peace officers and stockmen. I assumed command of the
posse. We found the bodies, stripped of the greater part of their clothing! concealed from view
by willows In Little Rock canyon. Carcasses of cattle and horses and a deserted Indian camp were
found near the murdered stockmen. The bodies of the men were taken to Camp Denlo. where an
Inquest was held over the remains and a verdict found to the effect that the four men had come to
their deaths from gunshot wounds inflicted by persons unknown but believed to be Indians.
We picked up the trail of the Indians where they had left the deserted camp, later it developed
that the trail was about a month old. Under very unfavorable conditions, during the coldest month
of the most severe winter known to Nevada, we followed the trail about 450 miles before the
Indians were overtaken. At several points along the trail conclusive evidence was obtained that
the posse was following the same band of Indians that had camped near tha scene of the murder.
Fifteen davs from the time the bodies of the stockmen were found the Indians evidenced considerable
concern at the approach of the posse and they were commanded to surrender. They Immediately fired
upon our force. Through an interpreter they were again told to submit to arrest. Their only reply
was another volley from their rifles.
A sharp engagement lasting about three hours, resulted. One member of the pose, Ed. Hogle, four
buck Indians, two squaws and two Indian boys were killed during the engagement.
"Shoshone Mike," the leader of the band, had eight bullet wounds in his body. One squaw, one boy,
and two small Indian children were captured. None of the band escaped. The killing of the squaws
and boys was unavoidable, as they fought as fiercely as the bucks, using firearms, arrows and
spears. Also the squaws, realizing that we were endeavoring to avoid hurting them, tried to
protect the bucks from our fire. The Indians known as "Shoshone Mike's" band, who had been
committing depredations In eastern and northern Nevada and northern California over a period
of eighteen months. They were suspected of having committed several murders prior to the
killing of the stockmen. The captured squaw confessed that the band had killed seventeen
human beings. The coroner's jury returned a verdict "that the Indians came to their deaths by
gunshot wounds inflicted by Captain J. P. Donnelley's posse; that their deaths were unavoidable,
and further, that Captain J. P. Donnelley and posse were justified in their actions." I wish to
highly commend the individual members of my posse for the courage, endurance and perseverance
displayed during the pursuit and engagment that resulted in the extermination of "Shoshone Mike's"
band.