Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1875-1878, 1876-11-08

CROOKS CHIEE sCoUf.

:. c,Rook,s ,,,l,s: cH1EE scetf,I Isgs
His History BY One Who Knoosy,.yss oosy,ys
kdim..A Rencgade und = HOrse'' !e'
Thief, aiad Always q Traitor. :.
Indian stories of His Treachery
This season. i5ss = @I'
Corespondence Of the Bismarck TRlBUsE.
Fr, PECK, M. T., Oct. 10, 1876.-1 un-
derstand that scout and guide calling
himself Frank Gouard was employed by
General Crook in his last winter tanpaign,
aad also this summer. have heard iot
the tales related to the officers Of the com
,,and about his having been captured 'by
Sitting Ball when a child, and OF his
hardships, and how he tried to, get away
from theni,:: SC. Also that the officers
were irving to get him paid through the
Indian Departne ent for his long captivity.
., A man named Frank Gouard, Sand
wich Islander, deserted from the Monta-
M militia at Fort Howe on the forks Of
Muscaeshell River in August 1867, and
came to Fort Hawley with several militia
horses and guns. - 10" .1.1zs -
Tina, fall I employed him to watch
freight at Cow Island, i while j went to
Bemton. In the meantime one of fathe
Diamond R Trains arrived, (Col. Broad
water was along3 and Couard took the
liberty Of opening the boxes of goods and
sold the teansters what they wanted and
pocketed the money. On my return to
Cow Island took him with me to Fort
aHawley where found OUT his rascal'ty
and discharged him. T. ..s ! .sxyl >2fl1..
He next went into the services OF g. 4.
Hawley, carrying the mail from TT. Aber-
crombie, Minn., to Helena, M. T., on the
Ruffee contract After serving tine he
stole horses from the mail route and fled
to the camps Of the Prairie Gros Ventres,
staying with them through the winter Of
1S67-S, coming back to Ft. Hawleyi in the
spring. He was very promptly informed
that his company was not needed 'at that
post and with true frontier politeness he
| left! ! -.-.a - ..,.s. ,l-.s. ..'}@
After going back to, the Prairie Gros
Ventre camp.he conspired with Samuel
Paxton (.vho was afterwards killed at
Gray Eagle Greek by the Black Feet in
the su.nmer.0f 1869, when one OF the
Diamond K Trains was attacked) and
stole some herses and guns from the Prai-
rie Gros Ventres and brought them to FTt.
Peck where he Joined the Assiniboines,
staying with them awhile and then joined
the Yanktons. ~ .."#" tfli .. =.
In the winter of 186o-7o he visited Ft.
Buforl. Gen. H. NJ. Morrow of the 18TH
was in command. The latter sent for
him and tried to pursuade him to leave
the camp for good, but he afterwards ran
away from there and came up the river
to Spread Eagle Fork when Mr.. Abe Far
we'll was in charge of the trading post.
| The latter gentleman sent Eouard over to
Sitting Bulls camp loaded down with
presents in hopes to effect the prelimina-
ry overturessof a peace treaty with the
hostile chief and the whites. Nothing
was heard Of him until the following
| winter, when Sitting Bull accompanied
| by Gouard, who had donniciled in his
camp, in the meantime, stole the horses
belonging to the trading post, and it j.
believed by-all the white n.en conversant
with the circumstances at the time, that
! Gouard was with Sitting Bs1lps party that
| lilled two men at Poplar Creek tha,
winter- 49,: ..,l
It is well -ks1own that he has been on
| t!,e war path with Sitting Bull and other
parties of his tribe All along this part OF
the Missouri, and into the Montana from
tier, for over five years past. Also that
he has on several occasions visited the
half breeds of the North, and has always
stolen lot of.horses and taken them over
the river witt, him into the hostile coun-
try. 49,
In the winter of 1872, when A. J. Sim
mons, Charles Hurd, and Others, here at
Fort Peck, were trying to make a treaty
with the Yankhons, Tetons and Santee
| Sioux, he visited this place again. A, J.
Simmons engaged him second time to
| take tobacco, $500 worth of presenIs and
| messages to Sitting Bull IN order to bring
the latter to talk about peace. After
thirty days had gone by no. tidings of
Gouard were received. He did not re-
ta1rn until the next winter when Simmons
and party had left. This time he brought
Sitting Bull with a large party OF braves
who vainly tried to intimidate the white
men at the fort by .insults andahreats and
bravados after their most approved fash
ion. They woal!d no doubt have massa-
cred the entire force of whites here but
found them rather 100 many in numbers
and too fearless in spirit.
He was POLITELY 1mDited to Leave this
place immediately, and was no doubt has
tened in his departure by the fact that a
certain party here was trying to get a
shot at him. From that time we have
not heacdfrom him except through reports
-, ~, Indians Of fhn aOenCv