Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1879-06-19
CROW RESERVE AND ..COw.PATH''
AGAIN.

i CnofIefal Interview with . Promi.
nent Grow Chief. He Tells His
Side Of the Ssory.-Cattle
Can be Driven Across
the Reservation ON
Certain Condi-
tions, Etc.
: Editor Arant Courier:
5 In your issue of June 9Th there is a COM
: munication from A. Il. Keller, U. s. Indian
e Agent, to the Governor, stating that no
e cattle can be driven across the Grow Reser-
walton. nor will they permit the opening
r ap Of any more lines or trails. The first
/; part of this astonished me, if it was the
: Crow Indians who would not permit cattle
r to be driven across their Reservation. So,
with the help of Eddie Burke, proceeded
) to interview Mea-de-sesh, which, in Ameri-
! can, means Two-Bellied Woman, the head
chief of the River Crows, to get the Indian
: side of the subject. Burke first read the
: communication as printed in the COURIER,
: and in answer TO my question if that was
} good" the chief replied as follows:
.My land is small l do not want two
) trails through my land. and do not want
} TO be crowded. There is road runs down
| on the white mans side of the Yellow
stone, crosses here and goes up the Big
Horn to the Little Horn. There is road
comes down on the Indians side of the
Yellowstone, by the river. and crosses
here. All along the Yellowstone there are
white men building houses. l never do
anything wrong to them. l always 60 in
their houses rs a friend. to shake hands
with them. | go with the white men and
never do anything wrong to them, and
do not want white men to steal anything
from my people, for think the Crows and
white men all one people. White men run
over my reservation to hunt gold | do not
want them round my land digging.
/ My people are hungry. They want to
90 TO the Mnsclcshell to get buffalo to eat.
White men drive cattle from Sheep Noun
tam through the center OF my reservation.
do not want it done. They drive all the
game out of the country. II they cross the
Yellowstone up Sheep Mountain want
them driven back. l do not want any cat
tie driven across my reservation above the
Big Horn. | am satisfied that cattle shall
be driven on tie trail from the mouth of
Big Horn river by way of Fort Caster. but
they must be kept off my big reservation. I.
Drive them on the trail to the Little Horn
and it will be right. but want to go on the
white mans trail to the Muscleshell. do
not want great. large herds driven across.
Drive cattle along the wagon road from
the Big Horn TO Fort Custer. and from :
Custer along the wagon road TO the head u
of Powder river. and it is right, or to Fort l
kearney. but nowhere else.
when my young men 60 out on war
parties l would ike the white men to treat {
them rs well as they can. tell my young n
men when they meet white men that one {
shall leave lis gun and take pole with !
cloth tied to it and go and meet tile white u
men. l think some OF the Crows will set u
lie down and raise cattle. l am done"
| think the Indian side is about this way: v
The reservation is their property. held by
IS good title as any rancEmaR n Gallatin VI
'ounty has for his farm, or any citizen OF 81
5oZe!n2n TO his town lots; the farmer NJ
az. wlaro t,,n travalor shall drive mr. WALL de
cross bis farm, and the community lays Ell
III their highways: the citizens of BoZe- ai
nan have designated streets and alleys for nc
ublic travel. Surely the Crows have the pc
ight to say where the public shall travel Ia
cross their private property. Their legal III
ght TO prohibit travel across the reserva- 81;
on is undisputed-.he law of common WI
sage gives them the right TO dictate where IN
ie road shall be, if there is any. Tfua br
ne road would not suit the convenience Sc
r whims OF ali-neither would two or DIR
Tree. Some one, ard some communities CO.
lust be disappointed. The Crow chiefs, wa
Ter since the location Of Fort Custer at
le mouth of the Little Big Horn, have
zen willing thst tile road from this point
, the Big Horn river should be Travelled. =
rue. they were opposed to the location 70,
For; Custer on their reservation land SO on,
as everybody else. both civil and military, !
,cept Gen'l Terry but they say the Great Ke
ither is mighty and they cannot oppose !
IN. knowing these facts, was surprised Nc
the statement being made that the I
'Ows wonld not permit cattle to be driven Z,
ross their reservation. !
The route up the Big Horn is the most ncf
rect and will accommodate all; but !,
line, great deal Of this fuss is made by 7
rites who desire the crossing of the Vel # /,
stoiie 10 De matte at tieir 'front.' door, CT:
d the cattle trail to be OF the section line of
(but not through their ranch. oct
This communication is already too long; Or.
t when did the Grows object to the mo
ners in Emigrant Gulch, who for twelve and
airs have been DIGGING out the gold. 1t tia
''cis hol l. inc government WAS III the yer
ong in deciding them this land. 1t was and
ne, and it is the property of these Indi- as
3. ii the Government furnishes them eve
IRE -four. beet, sugar and coffee than they tina
consume, they do not get it, and what pas
comes of it? The Crow tribe numbers VIII.
out 1900 souls and 100000 per annum for,
nst $25 per head, rather a slim allow =
e to furnish plenty tor year. Prs
Mark Twain said he was better lnan
IN George Washington, for G. w. could r, ;,
tell lie, while he could tell a whopper, ia
wouldn't. Apply this to the white Pu
n and the Crow in the matter of stealing 70, ,ne
rses and it will fit.
)ne word more. The leading chiefs of the
Crow nation are sharp, shrewd men. Ceur
ey are aware that one infractiOn of the place
aty brings on another; that give ian mn. milne
b, take an ell'' is the rule. The history ~ sn
our Indian wars show this to be the any
tn, and suppose that, like the Chinese, the 81
e Crows must Co." but, if possible, do 500
have their departing trail lighted BY N
blaze of burning cabins, and enriched
h the blood of defenceless SETTLERS. In tn
at them fairly; concede to them their c Se'
ITS under the law, and expect from them To tn
riot obedience; use all legitimate means Yo'
induce the powers that be to purchase tor o
reservation, and it may be that the .sn :
VS. can be disposed of peacefully and the p
rider. Gala