The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1865-07-15
CITY OF VIRGINIA. MONTANA TERRITORY SATURDAY,
The indian Murder. at Fort benton

The indian Murders at Fort benton.
In the attack by the Indians at Benton,
it appears that Frank Angevine killed one
of the chiefs. Isidore, a Mexican, met, in
the camp of the South Peagans, a savage
who was in the fight, and he said the man
sswith tooth out in front" was the one who
killed the chief, and therefore they scalped
him. The real cause of the outbreak dates
farther back than we supposed. During
the winter, Charley Carson, cousin Of the
renowned Kit Carson, was trapping along
the Missouri, with two comrades, when three
Bloods stole their horses. Charley and his
comrades pursued them, caught them cook
ing, shot them, and regained their horses.
1t was to revenge this that the Blood war
party, one hundred and eighty strong, started
out. They intended to kill all the whites at
Ophir, and the slaughter of the ten men,
described In our last, saved the rest, who
were ignorant of the vicinity of the Indians.
Samuel Chamberlain, with the owner of the
corral at Ophir, and the cook of the boat,
rode up to the scene Of the fight and found
N. W. Burris, about half an hour after his
murder, and the reason why the party did
not all 60 from the boat was that many had
families, and there were but nine saddles
there. 1t was thought that the Indians
would cut in between the parties and the
fire the steamer; so they waited till morn
ing; when, on going up, they found the
men all stripped, except Abraham Lott, who
/ had Sh h,rf IN tho OF Of which q
about $40 in greenbacks and nuggets. This
has been forwarded to his wife. The kill
ing Of the party could not possibly have
been in retribution for the shooting of the
| three at Benton. as the assassination hap
pened next day, and the war party were out
month previously, and knew nothing about
it. Isidore found this out. Four or five
weeks before, they were stealing horses,
which is their custom, to prevent the whites
following them, and they attack afterwards.
We subioin correct list of the murdered
men, with such particulars as we can learn
of their residences and families: ."
N. w. Burris, from Burris City, Iowa.
He was the founder of that place, which
was named after him. He leaves wife and
several children in the States.
! Abraham Lott, ellison, Illinois, is married
and came out only last January. A young
man took charge of his property and started
for the States to hand it to Lofts wife, with
whom be is acquainted. The deceased had
in his pocket over $500 in coin, which the
Indians got.
Franklin Friend and George Friend were
brothers from Iowa, and of their family anc
place Of residence nothing has yet reached
US. n-' p .... ... p.
John Andrews was from Oregon here
His parents reside in New Jersey. Nothing
} known Of his family. ,...
Henry Martin-Iowa. ,
E. j. Martin-Residence not known. HI
had discharge from the 18th Missouri Vol
: Frank Angevine was partner to Ton
: Baume, of this city. He was not mar
red, but the young lady to whom he wa
engaged seems to have had clear PRESENT.
ment of his approaching death. ~ ,.u
. James Perie, a colored man, in the emplo,
y of H. Phillbrook. The Indians say b.
: fought well. >. ..
It A day or tEo before the massacre, 81.
Indians came up to two wagons owned b,
Phillbrook and Carleton, and commenced
. plundering, seizing one man by the beard
; Jas. Perie, the colored man, presented hi
It gun, and would have shot one of the saw
ages, but was prevented. The Indians CAV
= back and retreated, but not before they ha
lighted a fire in the wagons. This happene
:. about mile from Ophir, and the men bein
!: frightened, came up and joined the compan
D. at once. There were one hundred an
= eighty Indians in the war party, and the
rode away with such speed that they entere
!, the Peagan camp, nearly one hundred mile
y distant, at A. M. The party left an India
a :, rife, between 1,50O and 1000 pounds q
dried meat, brass camp kettle, and a larg
: quantity of mocasins and squaw dresses
such 'wastheir hurry to be off. They ais
y, lost piece of a scalp. The way the seal
e. is taken is this: Two or three Indians CON
mence cutting behind each ear, upwards
: and then take off the top, making thre
pieces, which the owners produce at th
of scalp dance, and the trophy counts ''coup
e. towards their promotion to the rank of chic
Two Or three days before this, scoutin
= party of eight Indians crept stealthily up
the evening, but were discovered by a dc
". which at once gave the alarm. The me
"a. turned out and corralled them; whereupo
oe oe they called out, 'sdon't shoot" and ga,
- themselves up. Their guns were take
away and locked up till morning. The
were then returned, and the vermin suffere
:, to depart. A half-breed named Battist
IS, living with a Gros-Ventre squaw, W,
" informed by her that they were Bloc
hs he Indians, but she stated that she was afra
sr, to tell it while they were there. r..
II An INCIDENT OF THE ST.. ALBANs RAD
is related that one of che st. Albans raj
,er ers. after his discharge by Judge Course
: found himself pretty tightly cornered
: attempting his escape. Hetherefore dress'
in woman's clothing, and baby was bo
- rowed of person in Montreal for whi
nd nd the sum of $4O0 was deposited for securi
nd for its return. With this precious cargo Il