The Carbon County chronicle. [volume], August 13, 1924, Page Page Five, Image 5

About The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
FERSOML ENCOUNTER!
CAMPBELL ASSUMES OOPiPiY 5
RESPONSIBILITY 0Fi URff8¥
IMPORTANT POST
NOTED STATE AGRICU LTUR1KT
WILL, ASSIST IN THE LAND
SETTLEMENT PROGRAM
Appointment At Till* Time is in Une
With The Elaborate Flans of The
Recently Organized Montana I .an it
(Settlement Congre«»
Louis A. Campbell, county agri
cultural agent in Hill ami Ravalli
counties since 1020, became bead
of the division of labor and publi
city of the Montana department
of agriculture on Augast 1.
Under Mr. Campbell It Is expected
that the activities of the state as re
lated to land settlement will be de
veloped as outlined at the Montana
land settlement congress held at
Helena last March.
"Need for -actlcal work on the
part of the state land settlement on
Permanent lines led to the selection
ui a man whose training and exper
ience fit him to take lead in that
4
WM
Louis A. Campbell, Ftormer County
Agent for Hill and Ravalli coun
ties, Who Has Recently been Ap
pointed Head of Labor and Public
ity for the Montana Department of
Agrlcuturc.
work. The object is to develop a
functioning system by which the
state makes early contract with the
prospective settler, and helps him as
far as possible in becoming estab
lished under conditions that offer a
maximum chance to succeed," said
Commissioner Davis in announcing
Mr. Campbell's appointment.
Mr. Campbell Is a native of Wiscon
sin, a graduate of the University of
Minnesota agricultural college, who
from 1916 to 1920 operated a farm
of which he was owner in Hill coun
ty, Montana. He became county ag
ent for Hill county in 1920, serving
in that capacity for three years. For
three months early in 1923 he con
ducted farm accounting schools
TRACTOR DISTILLATE
341-38 gravity
MORE POWER THAN
KEROSENE and
COSTS
1-3 LESS
than Kerosene
A 100% Montana Product.
Made in Montana by a Mon
tana company from Montana
crude oil, for Montana people.
Address inquiries to—
SUNBURST REFINING COMPANY
Great Tails
Montana
Independent
Send name and address
for a free road map of
Montana (In colors) sent free on
request.
FREE!
WATCH This Space for
the Newest and Best ia Radio
We handle only the best apparatus manufactured by
recognized companies. The Montana Electric Com
pany has been doing business in your state since
1896. Our statements and advertising are backed
by a firm with an unquestioned reputation.
To Montana Electric Company,
60 Bast Broadway, Butte, Mont.
I am Interested In Radio and would like to have you send your
free ! '.dlo Booklet.
Name... .—......
Address ...
My Radio Dealer 1 b
HOMAS CURRY, one of the
pioneer stockmen of northern
Montana who was long asso
ciated with the late W. G. Conrad
in his extensive cattle interests in
Montana and Canada and who serv
ed several terms as county commis
sioner of Cascade county during
the later years of his life, once had
a thrilling personal encounter with
Sitting Bull, famous Medicine Man
and leader of the warring tribe of
Sioux Indians. This thrilling ex
perience was related by Mr. Curry
in a published interview about a
quarter of a century ago.
At the time of the meeting of
Curry and Sitting Bull the former
was on his way up the Missouri
river from Fort Buford with a
small party of associates who had
been detailed to erect an Indian
trading post at the mouth of the
Pouchette creek, a small stream
flowing into the Missouri from the
north about 20 miles above the
mouth of the Musselshell river.
Pouchette creek, the name of which
appeared upon the maps of Mon
tana territory more than half a
ce.i.ury ago, now bears the modern
name of Telegraph creek. In relat
ing the Sitting Bull incident, in his
interview of 1900, Curry said:
"It. was in 1870 that we made
the overland trip from Fort Buford
to Fort Peck, and then up the ri
ver, to build Fort Pouchette, Var
ious parties were being sent out at
that time from Fort Peck to build
Fort Belknap, a trading post at
Wolf Point and one at the mouth of
Pouchette creek. Abel Fairwell
and his party started out with a
mule train for Belknap; W. H. Bil
bey and others went up the river to
Wolf Point in a scow; and Higbee
and his party of six men went up
the stream about 150 miles to Pou
chette creek.
"The party of which I was a
member started out afoot from
Fort Buford for Fort Peck, a dis
tance of about 200 miles. The
party consisted of Yellowstone Kel
ly, George Farmer, George Pow
ell, Tie-Up George, Phillip Rafel
and myself. The night before the
start everything was arranged for
the next morning, and when it ar
rived we found that Kelly had
started alone and he was not seen
T
throughout the state for the State
College, and from April, 1923 to the
present he has been county agent for
Ravalli county and secretary of the
Ravalli county fair. His experience
has been Intimate with the type of
non-lrrigated farming that is found
In north central Montana, and the
highly specialized agriculture that is
found In Ravalli county.
In northern Montana during years
of sub-normal rainfall, Mr. Camp
bell's work was aimed toward in
creasing the corn acreage, developing
flood water Irrigation possibilities,
and encouraging better methods of
summer tillage and the use of modern
summer fallow implements to con
trol soil blowing. In Ravalli county
he built up the first cow-testing as
sociation now operating in Montana,
and his work toward dairy develop
ment particularly with dairy calf
clubs, has attracted wide attention.
He has had the management of the
Ravalli county fair. The Ravalli
Livestock Shipping association was
organized under his direction.
The department of agriculture
hopes to develop the work of this
division under Mr. Campbell, with the
co-operation of the state land settle
ment board, provldede for by the
Land Settlement Congress, announce
ment board, provided for by the
President Atkinson of the State Agri
cultural College, who is chairman of
the congress.
Mr. Campbell is now in Helena,
but will return to Hamilton later on
leave of absence to assist In conduct
ing the Ravalli county fair the first
of October.
til we arrived at Milk river, except [
that on the trail we found the j
bleaching bones of six white men
and a California Indian, who had]was,
by us until the arrival of the party
at Fort Peck. He was a strange,
solitary character and preferred to
be alone, even in a fight.
"Our party left Fort Peck one
morning in September, 1878, and
traveled about 25 miles a day with
out any incident of importance un- 1
KITTING BI LL was perhaps
the most hated and feared
of al the Indians on the
Plains, and to meet him
face to face, and alone on
the open prairie, as did
Curry and his eompanions,
was not altogether a pleas
ant experience.
/
I.
'X
f.
- y
?
, » j
:
: -T ■
*
r*
/
t
4
i : I
: ft
Ü
Zj
? '.
|C
a#
J
<
A -
m r
Ur '7
}
I
*
£
V
i V
A.
»
been killed' several years before.
They were gold hunters and had
been ambushed and massacred by
the Sioux.
"We were pretty well tired out
when we reached the Milk river,
and while climbing the hill we put
our guns in the Red River cart,
which carried our bedding and pro
visions for the tri.p Powell and I
were about 300 yards ahead of the
cart, and just as we were about to
reach the top of the hill we con
cluded to wait for our guns, for we
were in a country infested with
wandering bands of Sioux war par
ties. When the cart caught up with
us and just as we were taking out
our guns, six painted Indians ap
peared on the brow of the hill and
came rapidly toward us.
"At a glance we recognized one
as Sitting Bull and another as
Black Moon. With them they had
a Crow prisoner. They were all
mounted and Sitting Bull rode a
mule, leading a fine, large Ameri
can horse, evidently a cavalry ani
mal.
'Sitting Bull commanded us to
stop and every man obeyed at the
first word, for we all supposed that
Sitting Bull and a big band of his
warriors hiden away, awaiting a
signal from him to begin the
slaughter, and while we were talk
ing to him our eyes kept wandering
to the surrounding coulees, expect
ing every moment to see the paint
ed devils jump out and attack us. It
was by no means a pleasant situa
tion and there was not a man in
our party who considered his life
worth a nickle's purchase.
"Sitting Bull got right down to
business and asked us if we wanted
to fight, signifying his willingness
to accommodate us at the drop of
the hat.
"We didn't care for that sort of
amusement just then and politely
informed him of the fact, telling
him where we were going and our
mission. Sitting Bull did not urge I
the point and told us that he wasj
just from Fort Peck that morning,
the first time he had been in a
white man's trading post for six
years. He said he had made ar
rangements for trading during the
coming winter and was on his way
back with the 200 warriors who
had accompanied him.
"The mention of 200 braves con
firmed our worst fears and we sup
posed that the coulees were full of
them, and his renewed offer to
fight did not calm our fears. A
little dog we had in our party had
stretched himself out in the middle
of the group, tired like the rest of
us. Sitting Bull was an arsenal of
He had a rifle, how and
arrows, and a six-shooter in a belt,
To show us that he was our mast
er, and we thought he certainly
he deliberately pulled his re
weapons.
volver and put six bullet holes into
the dog. We made no protest, but
had we known that there were only
six in the Indians' party, it is a
possibility that Custer's massacre
never would have occurred.
"Sitting Bull kept up his talking
for about an hour and it was not a
pleasant hour by any means. He
told us in his bragging, boasting
way that he owned the whole coun
try and that it was by his suffrance
that white dogs, as he called us,
were permitted in it.
" T own the Black Hills,' he
said, with a haughty dignity, and,
here is the key which I alone car
"With these words he pulled a
ry
T0ÜEY BOÜLE, UEmmE 0FTIH1E
Ü0D00 INDIAN WAR, HEÜEfôEi
By E. A. BRININSTOOL
Author "Trail I>u«t of a Maverick," "A
Trooper With Cuater," "The
FetteriuiiB Disaster," Et
From Hnnier-Trader-Trapper,
Columbus, Ohio
PART III.
The next clay when the soldiers
advanced, they found the strong
hold decerted, save for four old
blind and crippled Modocs, who
were promptly shot down. While
searching for the trail of the de
parted braves, a volley was fired at
the troops from ambush which was
so deadly that 22 soldiers were in
stantly killed and 18 wounded.
There were hut 21 Indians in this
attacking party, many of them now
being armed with Spencer repeat
ing rifles secured from the soldiers.
Not an Indian was struck by a bul
let fired by the troops. After the
battle a wounded soldier left on the
field shot and killed one of the Mo-i
This 1
docs known at Little Ike.
soldi er was hunted down and shot
several times by the Modocs, being
left for dead on the field. He was
later rescued by the troops, but
died in the hospital.
Following this skirmish, the Mo
docs had many fights with the sol
diers. Along in May, one of the
Modocs named "Ellen's Man" was
killed, supposedly by the soldiers.
He was one of the most beloved
big brass key from a buckskin bag
which was suspended from his
neck, and showed it to us with un
concealed pride. Soon after our con
ference ended, but before he left us,
he said that his 200 warriors had
crossed the. river at old Fort Gil
pin, a point about 200 miles ahead,
where the buffalo forced the ri
ver in the spring and fall. He told
us that if we were lucky we could
get through without being seen
by them, but if they discovered us
we were as good as dead .
were thus given a show, but put
little faith in his words, as we were
confident the Indians were hidden
in the coulees around us.
"We took leave of Sitting Bull
without regret and made all speed
for a strip of timber which we
could sc about five miles ahead of
us. We had gone scarcely a mile
when we saw in the far distance
several horsemen coming rapidly
in our direction. We suposed they
were Indians and spurred our ef
forts to reach the timber first, as
we could have no show for onr
lives in the open. It was a race
for life and we reached one side
just as the other party plunged into
the other side of it. In an instant
every man of us was under cover
ami ready for action. A moment
later we heard them coming to
ward us. The dim outlines of a
man could be seen in advance and
just as one of our party was about
to fire we recognized him as Yel
lowstone Kelly.
"It was an agreeable surprise and
Kelly and his companions were
warmly welcomed. Among them
were Mike Welsh, and Joseph
Burch. They and five others had
come out to meet us, knowing that
we were on the way, and expecting
we would get into trouble with the
Indians.
"We arrived at Fort Gilpin and
found that Sitting Bull had told the
truth. We could see a large body
of horsemen had crossed the riv
er but a short time before and were
on the other side. That night it
was dark and we made camp oppo
site the spot where the steamer
Amelia Poe had sunk several years
before. In the morning when we
got up, great was onr surprise to
We
we camped a grave
yard, for scattered around were the
bodies of five white men who had
been killed by the Indians. These
men had come up to the place for
the purpose of digging whiskey out
of the hold of the sunken steamer,
which now lay covered deep with
white sand. Quite a number of
barrels had been taken out before
the. Indians fell upon them and
killed them all.
"We arrived safely at Peck and
found that the friendly mission of
Sitting Bull consisted in charging
up and down the bottom near the
Fort with 200 yelling warriors and
liurling defiance at every one in the
post and inviting themtocomc out
and he slaughtered."
of the warriors, and a violent quar
rel broke out among the band as
to the cause of his death. This at
last resulted in a division of the
fighting forces of the Modocs. One
faction, embracing Bogus Charley,
Hooker Jim, Scarfaced * Charley
and Shacknasty Jim finally went to
the Fairchild ranch, where General
Davis
troops—was stationed. They told
him they were tired of fighting and
wanted to surrender. They also in
timated that they were ready and
willing to assist the troops in run
ning down the remainder of Cap
tain Jack's warriors. General Dav
is at once engaged the traitors as
scouts and trailers at salaries of
$100 each per month.
It was hard dodging for Captain
Jack after that. However, he and
his small band managed to elude
the troops until June 1, 1873 when
the Modoc warriors who had turn
ed against their chief, trailed him
down, and he was captured. With
him at the time were his sub-chief,
John Schonchin and some 40 or 50
others— old men, women and chil
dren.
then in charge of the
After the capture of Captain
Jack had been effected, the prison
ers were remoived to Fort Klamath,
Oregon, Here the leading mem
bers of the band stood trial for
DISCLOSE BIG MINE
DYING PRISONKR DISCIXKSKS Ills
SECRET OF ALLEGED PLACER
AND QUARTZ CLAIM
Turn« Over to Hilt Cellmate Map and
■ Full Information of laa-allon; Via
It of Investigator« Falls As Yet to
Dtaelo«« any startling ••strike."
]
Visions of an old-fashioned gold
strike were seen In the vlelnfly of
... i, ,, _ ,, ,
Oolumbia Falls recently when it
1
was learned that a parly of three
men had left for the South Fork
country to local« an old abandoned
placer and quart/, claim.
It Berns that a certain man by the
name of Barnes prospected the South
Fork district many years ago. A few
years later he killed a man in Nevada
and was sent to prison to serve a life
term. He developed tuberculosis and
ns he realised he was going to die, he
confided to a fellow cell-mate the lo
cation of the gold and with a pen
drew a sketch of the country with
complete directions for reaching it.
Thls sketch was later sold to a sa
loon keeper In Portland who kept It
untll recently, when, In conversa
lion with a man familiar with the(
South Fork country ho was convlnc
od that the matter was worth looking
Into.
Several blue-prints of (he original
drawing were made and a short time
ago the three men first mentioned
started Into (he South Fork country
to locate the mine. They were also
able to follow the directions on the
map with little trouble and located
the creek where the convict had de
clared that nuggets and free gold was
to he plainly seen o nthe creek-bed.
While the nuggets failed to ma
terialize, the men did locate soraefa
vorable appearing quartz. They ex
tracted about 50 pounds and brought
It out and sent It to a Spokane con
cern to have It assayed, and are now
awaiting his report.
One of the party is not satisfied
that they located the right place and
ho plans on going back soon to make
a more extensive search. While tho
South Fork district has been pros
pected quite thoroughly In years past
and splendid showings of silver, cop
per. lead and coal were found, there
iias been but little gold In commer
cial quantities found.
Should the assay office at Spokane
find that the ore which the three men
brought out recently Is of sufficient
value to warrant mining, It will start
n stampede into the South Fork coun
try that may rival the good old days
of Last Chance gulch on tho east
side of the range.
murder. These were Captain Jack,
John Schonchin, Boston Charley
Black Jim and Slolux. The four
Modoc traitors who had assisted in
the murder of General Canby and
Rev. Thomas, were freed — or
rather were not tried at all for com
plicity in the massacre, because of
the fact that they had surrendered
voluntarily and rendered valuable
aid in running down the remnants
of the band. The trial began in
July and lasted nearly a month.
Every Modoc Indian was placed on
the stand, but they had no counsel.
Frank and Tobey Kiddle acted as
interpreters during the entire trial,
rendering invaluable service.
When Captain Jack was put on
the stand he made a masterly talk.
In ringing terms he scathingly de
nounced the treatment of his tribe
at the hands of the whites and the
government. Among other things
he said :
"The government ought to care
<or my young people. See the
good land and the size of the coun
try that is taken away from me and
my people. If I wanted to talk
more I could tell you facts, and
prove by white people that which
would open your eyes about the
way my people have been murder
ed by the whites, I will say that
not one white man was ever pun
ished for those deeds. If the
white people who killed our women
and children had been tried and
punished, I would not have thought
so much about myself and my com
panions. Do we Indians stand any
show for justice with you white
people and your own laws? I say
no! You white people can shoot
any of us Indians any time you
want to, whether we are at war or
at peace. Can any of you tell me
whenever any white man has been
punished in the past for killing a
Modoc in cold blood? No, you
cannot tell me! 1 am on the edge
of the grave. My life is in you peo
ple's hands. 1 charge the white
people with wholesale murder—not
only once, but many times. Think
about Ben Wright—what did he
do ? He killed nearly 50 of my peo
ple, among them my father. Was
he or any of his men ever punish
ed? No, not one! Mind you, Ben
Wright and his men were civilized
white people. The other whites at
Yreka made a hero of him because
he murdered innocent Indians, Now
here I am. I killed one man after
I had been fooled by him many
times, and I was forced to do the
act by my own warriors, The law
says, 'Hang him ; he is nothing but
an Indian anyhow; we can kill
(Continued on Agricultural Page)
^
FAMOUS SUN DANCE
WYOMING TRIBES PARTICIPATE
IN FORBIDDEN KELIGIOI'S
"SI N" CEREMONIAL
:
Moat Wlerd of All Tribal Dances
j Typical of Earliest D«)h of The
|
Plain»
Is Staged Ry Two Nations
Near lotmler.
1 Whether Montana's Indian tribes
''/* follow in the footsteps of their
Wyoming brothers in the olmerv
",
anco of the Mindance, remains to
be seen. Overriding the object
tlons of Indian Agent R. F. Haas,
Shoshone and.Arapahoe Indians re
eenlly indulged (n the forbidden
Sundance, a sacred ceremony which
lasts three days and three nights.
Out at Fort Washakie, 16 miles
.from Lander, Wyoming, the Shoshone
tribe spent several days in their pre
parafions. The huge pole In the cen
ter of a circle of poles represents the
Dlety or the sun and the 12 poles of
tho circle may bo the tradition which
has come down through the ages,
numbering tho twelve tribes of He
brews. Around the outside poles,
bowers of brush were built for shel
ter when the Indians fall exhausted,
The place was lighted at night by
a huge bonfire. A smudge was built
near tho circle and Into this smoke
the dancers would go from time to
Mine to he toasted by the heat In the
belief that the soles of their bare feet
were toughened for the ordeal,
All Attend the Ceremonies.
Every Indian of the reservation
attends these ceremonies. More than
1,600 from Infants on the hacks of
squaws to the oldest woman or brave
able to get there circled the ceremony
grounds. They cook as best they can
for those who dance but that seems
to be an incidental matter with them
on an occasion of this nature.
The ceremony Is wlcrd. Within
the circle of poles the Indian braves
dunce almost constantly for three
days anti nights. Each dancer has a
hone whistle between his teeth and as
he exhales and inhales his breath the
sound augments the wlerd music of
the tom toms. Hack and forth to
ward the center pole some mince for
ward with half-inch hops, head
thrown hack, while others with sway
ing bodies and little hops approach
the pole and hack again until deep
paths are worn In the ground.
During the time of the dance the
braves toko neither food nor drink.
If one breaks away to the stream
nearby for refreshment. It, Is his loss
of the blessing which they believe
comes to those who endure.
Sunrise is The Climax
The squaws and children dtund
about the circle watching tho dancing
and taking part In the singing to the
music o( the drums. The dance
reaches Its climax Just as tho sun
rises above the horizon each morning,
the braves throwing themselves and
crying out with blood curdling yells.
Approaching the pole they throw
their arms about It as though seek
ing protection und help. The de
scent of spiritual power seems to fall
upon them then, giving health and
strength as well as forgiveness of
sins.
At times the sick among the tribe
are brought within the circle of the
dancers. They are lined up and the
participants dance about them, strik
ing their chests with some Instru
ment believed to transmit strength
and health to the diseased ones. The
teaching of healing by faith and by
prayer seems to be a part of the be
lief of the red man and the efficacy
of tho Sundance Is considered a po
tent factor of life.
Dance To The Finish.
By the end of the third day and the
beginning of the last night the In
dians can scarcely crawl or utter »
sound. Their togues swollen by
thirst, their bodies, almost nude,
show heavy lines of fatigue with fac
es drawn and tense they move back
and forward to the pole with automa
tons almost crazed by hunger and
exhaustion. With the faint streak of
dawn the braves throw their arms
to the east and begin the last lap of
the dance. Reaching a climax as the
first beams of light from the rim of
the sun strikes the dancers the dance
ends with paroxysms of physical ex
ertion and wlerd yells and groans
that are Impossible to describe.
The sight must be seen to be ap
preciated and when the word went
out that the dance was to be held
people travelled hundreds of miles
to see It.
Many View Riles
Federal authorities had come to be
lieve that their restrictions would al
ways be respected by their wards and
that the Indian had banished forever
from his thoughts the idea of partiel
patlng in this ceremony again when
last summer the leaders of the tribes
began to gather the poles for the cere
mony, counsel was unavailing and au
thorities realized that to forbid meant
insurrection and defeat of authority.
A compromise was reached whereby
the Indians agreed not to lacerate
their bodies with knives or draw
blood.
The Arapahoe tribe erected their
poles about four miles from Fort
Washakie, and started their dance
a few days later than that of the Sho
shones. People who visited the scene
of the dances this year reported even
wilder orgies than those which char
acterized the dance of last year.
Beauty Pays No Stret Gar Farr
A peacock from the Columbia Gar
dena aviary rode two miles on top of
a Butte street car a few days ago.
The bird boarded the car at the gar
dens depot and was not discovered
until the Braund house was reached.
The traveler was returned to his own
corner of the zoo.
-o
Lnnkrd Possible to Min* —"The Judge
looked over nt the* prisoner and Raid: "You
nre privileged to challenge any member of
the Jury now being Impaneled."
Hogan brightened. ''Well thin/* «aid
he. "yer Honor. Ol'll folght the nhniall
mon wld wan eye, In the corner there
fornlnit ye/'