The Kevin review. [volume], September 11, 1924, Image 7

About The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
SAYS SLADE WAS
CASCADE PIONEER WORKED ON
SLADE'S CLAIM AT TIME OP
VIGILANTE ACTIVITIES
Pleads the Cause of Montana's First
Governor; Says that Sidney Edg
erton Was Not Given Fail- Chance
In the Early Days.
A resident of Montana before it
had even a name, let alone an inde
pendent political status, Jimmy
Austin of Cascade county paid his
first visit to Butte after 61 years
of residence in the state, in attend
ance at the recent convention
Montana Pioneers.
Austin came to Montana in 1863
with Sidney Edgerton of Akron, Ohio,
appointed by President Lincoln as
governor of Montana. While admit
ting that Governor Edgerton came
not as a trail blazer, but as a holder
of political appointment, Austin is an
admirer of Edgerton.
"Sidney Edgerton was a fine fel
low," Austin insists. He also de
clares that Jim Slade was unjustly
hanged, "because Slade didn't kill
anybody around here," as Jimmy
puts it.
"Of course Slade killed Jules Beni,
that Frenchman that Julesburg,
Colo., is named after, but didn't they
declare war on each other ,and
wasn't it a fair killing? Course it
was, and a Denver jury said so.
Course Slade cut off Jules' ears for
souvenirs after shootin' him, but
that was just what you might call a
little pleasantry."
Jimmy Austin was working on
Slade's claim in Virginia City when
the former stage boss who shot and
hanged men right and left in the ap
parent belief that he was himself
the law, was hanged by the Vigi
lantes. "I often wondered why they
didn't hang me up too," Jimmy says,
"I was pretty close to Slade, you
know."
Hardly A Square Deal.
Coming back to Sidney Edgerton,
Austin said: "They didn't give him
exactly a square deal. Lots of the
first arrivals in Virginia City were
Confederates. With them came a lot
of scrubs, toughs from Texas, Geor
gia, Misouri and other places, loud
mouthed, fighting shooters, who
wanted to fight the battle of the
South in Alder Gulch diggin's. They
went about hollerin' for Davis and
Lee 'the two best men America ever
produced,' and when F. George Heldt
hoisted the American flag one Fourth
of July those rapscallions tore it
down. That's the bunch that Edger
ton, an Ohio man, and Colonel San
ders went up against.
"You know they named a county
Edgerton county, but when the oth
er bunch got in they changed the
name to Lewis and Clark.
"But, what I wanted to tell you
was this: Edgerton wasn't appoint
ed governor of Montana in the first
place. He was governor of the Ter
ritory of Idaho. Idaho ran clear to
the Missouri river. He was figuring
on
tal. He changed his mind. Edgerton
had 12 families in his ox train. I
joined them on the Sweetwater.
Costly Towage.
"I came west in 185 9 and went to
Denver. Say, Denver was put under
martial law in 1863 on account of
the rebels. I remember that we had
to pay ?6 a wagon for towage across
the river—and the cattle and mules
had to swim.
"Well, anyway, after Edgerton
gave up the idea of going to Lew
iston, he joined us at Bannack. The
mines were booming. The boys
were taking out gold by the pound.
Edgerton got the idea In his head
about creating Montana Territory
and he went back east, taking a gold
shipment with him. He put it over,
came back and was governor of the
territory for some months."
Austin left Denver with a train of
600 Mormons. When he met the
Edgerton party he changed his mind
about going to Utah and decided on
the "gold diggings."
The Ives Hanging.
"Wilbur Sanders practically con
trolled Alder Gulch," says Austin.
"I mind the time that George Ives
was hanged. The miners wanted to
lynch him. Sanders said: "No.
Give him a fair and impartial trial.
The way to do that is to have a
committee hear the evidence. I
don't know that crowd, but I'll pick
out 26 of the boys who are known to
be square to try Ives. Are you
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eye was noted as white-haired men | lips; Mrs.| A. Trask, Powell; Henry
and women who crossed the plains j Buek, Ravalli; J. W. Culbertson,
behind ox teams, slept with pistols ! Richland; S. H. Erwin, Rosebud;
under iheir pillows, lived in dugouts A. J. Lansing, Sanders; Levi S.
and log cabins, and fought with na- Wild, Silver Bow; Edwin Burke,
ture in the raw, to add another star Stillwater; Mrs. L. J. Daggett, Te
to the galaxy of states, answe r ed ton; Mrs. Jennie C. Kamp, Treas
urer; C. H. Newman, Yellowstone;
The convention was well prepared George H. Bruffley, Lake,
by the Butte comittees of both the
Pioneers and the Sons and Daughters
territory May 26, 1864, are cordially
invited to attend a meeting to be
held at the courthouse in the city of
Helena, the capital of the territory,
on Wednesday, September 19, 1884,
at 10 a. m., (the day being during
fair week), for the purpose of or
ganizing a pioneer's associati -n, or
society of pioneers.
"This society will not be organized
in any hostility to, or as a rival of
UTTE recently enjoyed the hon
or and the pleasure of playing
host to one of the most re
markable organizations in the nation,
the Montan Society of Pioneers.
Composed of men and women who
may by common consent be called
"the fathers and mothers of Mon
tana," the Montana Society of Pi
oneers occupies a place in the affec
tions of the people of this state that
B
"here" in quavering voices.
Message to Senator
A telegram to Senator Clark, re
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Tliî« whotnjrranh was taken in front of the Court House, Lewis and Clark County, Helena, Montana on September 11, 1884, 41 years uko,
women of Montana, who participated in the organization of the Montana Society of Pioneers, and was taken i
the state's most celebrated trantnaxers are Herein portrayed, and all but a lew nave Been irtefcrniect. The picn
and Sands Bros. Dry Goods company of Helena. A list of the identified follows:
1, James Fergus; 2, George Rausch; 3, Ignatius Miller; 4, John X. Beidler; 5, Matthew McGuirck; ß, SI Mounts; 7, Mrs. Lily Fergus Gilpatrick; 8, I'nku
David E. Folsom; 15, Unknown;
W. O. Dexter; 26, ohn Potter; 27. Torren
August Welsenborn; 36, William A. Rum*
38, Sam Schwab; 39, John A. Ming; 40, John Stewart; 41, C. "Kit" Etherington ; 42. Unknown; 43, Willian A. SutherJIn; 44, Unknown; 45. Junius G. Sand
47, Charles L. Dahler; 48, Unknown; 49, AI Oldham; 50. Dr. Wm. L. Steele; 51, George B. Foote; 52, Francis Adklnson; 63» James Kirkpatrick; M and 55, Unknown; 56.
Wallace L. MUlegan ; 57, Samuel W. Longhorne; 58, Unknown; 59, Harry H. Thaïe; 60, Unknown; 61. Matt Mryson; 62, Unknown; 63. J. II. Kennedy; 64, Robert S. Hale;
65, George Travis; 66. James R. Boyce, Sr.; 67. Benjamin C. Brooke, Sr.; 68, Charles R umley ; 69, Benjamin Ezekiel; 70, Cornelius Hedges; 71, Charles \V Cannon; 72, Un
known; 73. James W. Hathaway; 74, Ry Zeigler; 75, Theodore H. Kleinsehmidt ; 76, Unknown; 77. Colonel William F. Wheeler; 79. H. II. Sappington; 80 and 81. Unknown;
82, Anton W. Holter; 83, John T. Murphy ; 84, Unknown; 85, Joseph P. Woolman; 86, C ol. Wilbur F. Sanders; 87, Tilghman H. Clewell ; 88, Tom Baker; 89. Will Flowers;
90. Robert S. Hamilton; 91 and 92, Unknown; 93, James P. McEvily; 94, William Y. Pemberton; 95, John R. Watson ; 96, John R. Sanford; 97, W. V. Simonton; 98, E. O.
Railsback; 99. John II. Curtis; 100, Unknown; 101, Silas H. Crounse; 102-3-4-6, Unknown, 106, Charles D. Curtis, 107, Unknown; 108, John A. Featherman; 109, Henry F.
Sonnefield; 110, William H. Allen; 111, Joe A. Browne; 112, Sylvan Hughes; 113, Harvey A. English; 114, Unknown; 115, Samuel Word; 116, William Roe; 117-18-19, Un
known; 120, C. Mead, Pony; 121, Unknown; 122, Raleigh F. Watkinson; 123-24-25 and 126 Unknown.
*er men anil
vs the pb
cas perfected.
It sin
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Manx
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UftHtru
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10, Mrs. W'allaee E. Milligan; 11, Mrs. R. S. Hamilton; 12, Michael Burns; 13, Unknown; 14,
Wagner; 19, Willianm A. Dingee; 20, 21 and 22, Unknown; 23, George W. Irwin 2nd; 24, Pat Palten;
Wilcox; 29. Walter W. DeLacey ; 30. Andrew W. Fisk; 31, Daniel H. Weston; 32, 33 and 34. Unknown; 3
16, Unknown;
17. M
IJssni
; 1«, Joh
8. Ti
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O'Donnell
thy
W. Morse;
46 Unkn
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is paralleled only by the national
veneration for the Grand Army.
The Montana Society of Pioneers
was organized in 1884. In July
that year a call was published by
R. Wilson and signed by many citi
zens. The call read in part:
"All pioneer citizens of Montana,
who were residents within its limits
at the date of the creation of
satisfied?" They said they were and
Sanders picked out the committee.
Jimmy leaned forward impressively.
"While Sanders aws making that
talk, there were a dozen of Ives'
friends standing around with guns
strapped on every one of them,"
said.
"They tried Ives, found him guilty
after two days and sentenced him
hang. 'Have you anything to say
as to why sentence shouldn't
passed upon you?" he was asked.
" 'Yes,' said Ives. 'I didn't kill
the Dutchman. Alex Carter killed
him.'
"Tom Thurman jumped up. 'You
are hanging an Innocent man,'
said. 'Think of his poor mother.
Think of sending her word that
lawless band of men in the West
hanged her son.'
" 'Get out of camp or we'll hang
you, too,' shouted the angry miners.
Tom went and he never came back."
Shouldn't Have Done It.
The execution of Slade Is a sore
of
J.
the Historical society, but in its
scope and purposes it will radically
differ from that corporation.
"While it is probable that mem
bership will be permitted to those
reaching Montana at a more recent
date than May 26, 1864, it has been
thought best to confine the present
call to those who were in Montana at
the time It was created a territory by
act of congress.
"Pioneers included in this call,
and those who desire to sign the
same and attend the meeting hereby
called, are respectfully repuested to
send their names to Charles Rumely
at Helena.
"In addition it has been suggested
that pioneers prepare papers relating
to their early experiences to be read
at the coming meeting."
Few Counties Then.
Then follows a list of the pioneers
of Beaverhead, Lewis and Clark,
Missoula, Gallatin, Meagher, Madi
son, Silver Bow, Chouteau, Jefferson,
Yellowstone, Dawson, and Deer
Lodge counties. These embraced the
entire territory in that day.
At the first meeting Samuel Hau
ser was elected chairman, and James
Fergus was the first secretary.
Before the session adjourned Fer
gus was elected president and Col.
W. F. Sanders was elected secretary,
a post which his son, J. U. Sanders
was also filling at the time of his
death.
The charter rolls were signed by
258 pioneers. Among them was John
R. Horsky of Helena, a pioneer of
1864, who is now a member of the
executive committee of the society.
The 1924 meeting of the Society of
Montana Pioneers was held In Butte
on August 28, 29, 30. The conven
tion was opened by Levi Wild, and
Frank "Sandbar" Brown called the
roll. Butte listened with affectionate
interest and here and there a moist
a
spot with Austin. "They strung him
up on Widow Dugan's gatepost in
Virginia City." he said, slowly.
"Slade did lots of good. They should
never have hanged him."
Austin mined two years in Last
Chance Gulch when the town was
made up of 14 cabins. "I hauled in
the grub for John Cowan, the dis
coverer in November, 1864," he said.
"I also hauled to Fort Benton when
they were running the boundary line
between Uncle Sam and Canada.
Billy Conrad used to buy my load to)
sell to the British." In 1870 Austin
took up a ranch 12 miles south of
Cascade and for 64 years he has
"stayed with It."
"I think I'm going to make some
thing out of that ranch in the course
ot time." he announced. "Anyway.
I'm going to give the country a good
tryout."
of Pioneers, and the ever-thinning
number of old-timers were guests at
a most enjoyable program.
There were many faces missing
this year from the banquet boards of
the Silver Bow and Country Clubs,
where the old-timers were enter
tained during the convention,
would be saddening to recite the roll
of those who in most recent years
have, in the language of the pioneer,
"crossed the great Divide."
Other active spirits of the associ
ation were this year incapacitated by
illness from being present, but ev
ery man of them who answered the
roll call had his part in the events
of the '60's, when Montana, accord
It
ing to the early writers, wasn't ex
actly "a sight for a kindergarten" and
when only red-blooded men reached
the West because "the weaklings
died and the cowards stayed at
home."
Tom Moore of Lewistown was
elected president of the Society of
Montana Pioneers and Ronald Hig
gins of Missoula was re-elected
presidents of ths Sons and Daughters
of Montana Pioneers. Bozeman was
selected as the meeting place for the
1925 convention.
Roster cf Officers
Other officers vho were selected
by the pioneers ire: Mrs. M. W.
Trask, Deer Lodge, vice president;
Frand D. (Sandbar Brown of Mis
soula, secretary; S. F. Tuttle of
Jefferson county, historian. David
Hllger and John Horsky of Helena
and Earl Dingwald cf Drummond
compose the executive committee.
Ted Larabie of Deer Lodge is vice
president of the Sons and Daugh
ters; Miss Lottie Rumser of Helena
is secretary, and Miss Gene Bishop
of Dillon treasurer. W. A. Clark,
Jr., of Butte and George Porter of
Helena are the executive committee.
A number of new members were
elected by the pioneers. They are:
R . O. Graham. Phil McGovern,
William Maloney, Edward[H. Clark,
Frank ,S. Metzel, Jeanette Evans,
Tngus P. Hickshf.w, C. Bj DeOelles,
D. A. Francisco, Frank f Finch.
Cochran, Blaine:
Broadwater; F. S. Putean, Carbon;
James Austin, Cascadeijohn Harris,
Chouteau; Ben Faulk,fceer Lodge;
Edward Brassey, Feijus; Henry
Bose, Flathead; A1 Or%, Gallatin;
John LaMott, Glacier; ^llllain Dlng
wall, Granite: Mrs. M.u,. Cooney,
Lewis and Clark; H. «. Daems,
Madison; Mrs. A. K. Boadman, Mo
Cone; Mrs. J. K. Lewis*Meagher;
M. P. Hoopes, MlssoulaX w. M.
Hoope, Park; Lazarre Ci\ix, Phll
County Vice Presidents
The Sons and Dahghtars elected
the following courty wee presidents:
G. W. French, Beaverhead; W. D.
orge Beaty,
gretting his absence from the con
vention this year, was sent by the
Sons and Daughters organization.
His reply, which was sent to Miss
Lottie Rumsey, secretary, was read
by Thomas Walker at the Country
club, vhere the convention was en
tertained following the sightseeing
trip alout the city. The message
follows:
"Sana Barbara, Cal., August 30.
"Sons and Daughters of Montana
Pioneers:
"Man/ thanks for your kind mes
sage. I regret very much my in
ability o be present. My kindest
and best wishes for all of you. God
yoi.
"Sincerely,
"W. A. CLARK."
Messagîs were sent to others who
were umble to be present at the
meeting. Miss Jean Bishop, treas
urer of tin Sons and Daughters, was
sent a teegram expressing the re
gret of her fellow members for her
absence.
Past President» Attend
Eight pa?t presidents of the Sons
and Daughers were present at the
morning mteting, Miss Lottie Rum
sep stated, md said that this was a
most unusml occurrence. The past
presidents are: Dr. H. A. Maillet,
W. A. Clak, Jr., Ed Horsky, who
was theseond president of the or
ganization; Allan Bowle, Fred Scheu
er, George Porter, Mrs. Bessie Whit
comb and lonald Higgins.
Members of the Montana Society
of Pioneerswho attended the annual
state conveitlon were:
George W. Fench, Argenta; Mrs. M. Ma
thews, Mrs. F Grneter, Margaret A. Graet
er, Jacmg Krkpatrlck, Mrs. Phil Lorell,
Phil McGove.n, Dillon; TV. D. Cochran,
Harlem: Thoras Sheehy. Big Sandy; Wil
liam T. Morrov, Fort Benton; .1. A' Ilark
shaw, Belt; Jthn Hops, Lon S. Stewart,
Great Falls; George Furlong. Virginia
Garrity, Maiw Evans, Rachel Reid. Ana- j
conda: H. Bise, Kallspell ; Frank Day,
Randolph Killy, Madame N. Belanger,
James T. Wuiderlin, Mrs. J. T. Wunder
lln, Mrs. Dauit Cagle, Lewistown: B. O.
Hatfield. A. V Orton, Bozeman; Mrs.
May Ellen Stick. Three Forks; Benton
Hoover, Wllllnn Dingwall, Allen MaoPhail,
Drummond; S. F. Tuttle. Mrs. S. F. Tut
tle, E. Ryan, Xrs. E. T. Concannon, Brld
gett McCauley Boulder: George Beattv,
Winston; Phoe e Train, W. E. LaRue, Mrs.
W. E. LaRue, William Johns, Mrs. W. L.
Milligan, C. C. .Vaswelder and John Hors
key. Helena; H B. Daems, Varney; C. W.
Barker. Sherldn; Thomas Thexton, En
nis; Pat Carnr - , Waterloo: F. H. King
rev. Virginia City ; Mrs. Violet Collins,
Walter M. Jorian, M. L. Tuttle, W. W
McCall, Whltehill; Mrs. Lizzie Stone, Mrs!
Katie McDonnd. Mary A. Wonderlv,
Alder; Mrs. K. Ennis. Ennis; Edella Ehy,
Alder; A. P. Jhnston. Superior: Samuel
Clem. George B uffey, Missoula; Frank D. I
(Sandbar) Browi. W. P. Hoops, Mrs. W.
Hoops. M. .. Eveans. M. C. McNally,
Nellie Maxwell. Henry Snyder, Missoula;
Joseph Hanson George Carlton, W. T.
Elliott. Deer Lolge; R. M. Anderson, Hall;
Chas. P. H. Bldenberg. Mrs. W. N. Ales
worth. Mrs. Maty Vallton, Mrs. Anna Pad
den, Narcisse Inmeachel, Deer Lodge; J.
(Continued oi the Agricultural Page)
»
BROWN GOT HIS
SECRETARY OP THE MONTANA
PIONEERS EXPLAINS WHAT
"SANDBAR" MEANS
Indian Episode on Famous Old Mis
souri, In Which 3 Reds were Slain
On a Sandbar Is the Real Source
of Peculiar Cognomen.
Frank D. Brown of Missoula,
again elected secretary of the Mon
tana Pioneers, is known to thous
ands of Montanans and all mem
bers of the Pioneers as "Sandbar"
Brown. Of the many who call
him "Sandbar," but few know how
ho acquired that cognomen.
"It was in 1866," said Mr. Brown,
when asked by a newspaperman to
explain the peculiar significance of
the name; "with two other men I
was riding along the Missouri, about
seven miles above the Marias. One
of the men was across a ridge and
my other partner had crossed the
river and had disappeared from view.
Defeated Indians.
"I forded over to a long sandbar,
got the three horses hidden in some
willows and backtracked, as we knew
some Indians were following us. Hid
den behind some sand, I saw three
Bloods following our tracks. They
had their guns ready, and you know
Bloods never gave a white man a
chance. They always killed from am
bush. As the first Indian got over
the bar, I fired and he dropped.
My partner heard the shot and came
running back. I got the second In
dian and my partner got the third.
Frank
'Sandbar" Brown, Who Was
Recently Re-Eelected Secretary of
the Montana Society of Pioneers,
We scalped them and threw their
bodies in the river. I guess that's
how I got 'Sandbar' tacked to my
name."
Mr. Brown, who is remarkably
well preserved for his age, has had a
most colorful career. He came west
far as Fort Union for a trapping
fur trading company in the early
'60's; he ran a newspaper called the
Virginia City Post in Alder in 1865.
cut cordwood for river steamers in
1868, and was scout for the army
until after the Baker fight in 1873.
Located Important Mines.
In 1874, Mr. Brown said, he locat
ed the Lexington mine in Walkerville
for A. J. Davis, and in 1882 located
the James G. Blaine claim on Granite
mountain, which he sold to St. Louis
interests that renamed it the Bi-Me
tallic and which for years was one of
Montana's greatest silver producers.
He was in the Couer d'Alene rush
and prospected throughout British
Columbia, joining also in the Alaska
gold excitement in 1897. At present
he resides in Missoula, but operate»
placer properties in Missoula county.
He established the Philipsburg Mall,
and still owns valuable mining prop
erty in Granite county.
"Montana still has numerous mines
to be found," he said, "and if I wasn't
so old I'd start out prospecting again
in this great state."
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