Bismarck tri-weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1875-1881, 1877-10-01
NOTES FROM EUFOED.

anu xSOCCI1e8 x0OSC1x0s
FoEr BUEoRD, D. T., Sept. 9th, I'll
Who is Bill Culverson? | am induced
to ask this question as the story of
Sitting Bulls expulsion from tina Brit
ish Possessions, now going the rounds
OF the eastern press, introduces this
gentlemen as the first cause of such
expulsion.
I cannot claim personal acquaintance
with 5. Bat the same time l may
say l have before now been near enough
to the red gent to drop my "P. P. Co."
and if the card was not left at his
lodgings it certainly did not deter us
from taking our leave.
am, hewever, intimately acquaint-
ed. and have been for some years, with
more than one individual who is we'll
7ersea il tie ways" Of Sitting Bull,
though the sam: may lie dark and Pc
cuiiar.
From cne of these gentlemen with,
whom [ Rave recently been convers;ng
upon this subject, CLEAN some inter
savage. may add in this connection
that my informant is perfect tly reliable,
has personally met and conveTsed with
Sitting Bull, and that from infancy
until early manhood his (my inform
ani's) life was passed III the province Of
Winnipeg or Manitoba. Sitting Bull
is, then, fall bloodsd Uncpapa Indian,
and previous to the Minnesota massa-
ere, when Santcs, Uncpapa and the
rest, were the same as one family,
lived with and frequented the camping
grounds of the whole tribe. But Sit
ting Bull had no part in the Minnesota
massacre, always saying, whea speak
ing of that deplorable calamity, that
be did not wish to commit depredations
on the whites at that time, and that,
taking his own immediate tribe or fam
lily, he ''struck out on his own book"
"that in the chasing Up and following
''of guilty Indians he and his followers
"were attacked or hunted by the whites,
''forcing him from one point to anoth
ser, until his heart got bad towards
"the whites and he declared that he
would always be their enemy" Ny
informant says that s. B. never was at
Fort Garry (this compels me to retract
the statement in a former letter that
he had visited that place), and as his
own home is in that vicinity and he
has for several years been identified
with trading posts in S. BIS immediate
country am, Of course, inclined to
believe he knows whereof he speaks.
Some seven or eigh: years ago Sitting
Bull made . treaty with the half-breeds
at Woody Mountain. On his return
from this point he met some half-brsees
in council on the Porcupins, some
twenty five miles north of Fort Peck
the gentleman from whom have gath
cred the larger part of this informa-
ton was present at this council and
acted as interpreter during part of
the time the council was in session. 1t
was here that S. B. made the declara
ton so often quoted: "Our hands are
"red with the blood of the whites. Ny
"heart is black, and when die want
ito die riding good American horse,
"6ghting the whites"
He has always laid great stress upon
one point in his councils with se-calied
friendly Indians, i. e., his open and
acknowledged enmity, while they we're
drinking government sugar and coe-
fee" and sneak:ng out from the agen-
cies to commit depredations.
All this, however, says nothing
about "B.ll Culverson. Alexander
Culbertson, better known as Colonel
CulbertsoD, was one OF the Oldest
traders on the Missouri river. Seek
out the ''oldest inhaoitant' here, ard
you have got to interview "the natives"
to do it, and you will learn that Col.
Cuibertson was, moons, yea, many
moons ago, the "boss of all the traders
in this REGION" was very wealthy and
doing fine business, bus through the
changes time brings to al, 40 matter
What may Re the cause; MS money
slipped away, and in his declining
years tta Colonel vas compelled to ac
cept position a; Interpreter Al. Fort
Peck lis two sons we're also living at
Fort PECK last s=icteF. Jack, thc eldest,
whose accomplishments IS 4 v.c;Ini.:
and linguiss EgEBU::s article ssne
time since T:nti.aled. is sill flourish
IDg and has recently a3artei for TIE
british Possessions, yiIn v5a~
to securing position. Es vas iGr
some sine in tt.e employ ct Mr.
Joseph Leighton wien shat geas snaT
was trader al Ecrt PECK.
Now ne are nearing tie solution Of
the ccnundruEa pEopounaed at the ce24
Of this articl.. ."Bili CuITersoD." ta.c
it. MIST refer 10 .he younger son. q: IN
piaia English, joe Cu.bs:tsca. H
cannot be more than nineteen years
Of age, or 'sEords to tha. effect" L
seems hardly creditab,s that ta:<
younsster exhibited any scars 10 Sd
ting Boil, as, unless he is something Vs
magician, it would undoubtedly b: =
hard matter for him to produce .Ee