The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-02-10

Joseph COursOll. n Half Breed, For
merly of Mendoza, Tells Pioneer
Press Reporter About the Location
Of the Milwaukee 4 st. Paul's Line
to the Black Hills--A Watch Chain
which Belonged to Gen. Custer
Other Relics Of the Daring Caval-
ryman. .........
Pioneer Press.
Joseph Coursoll, the well-known In
dian scout and trader, is spending few
days in St. Paul. He is a half-breed,
born in this state, his father having
been a Frenchman and his mother a
full-blooded Sioux. He was taken
charge of when ten years old by Gen.
Sibley, when the latter was agent of
the American Fur Company at Mendo-
ia, and was reared at that place At
the time of the lnk-pa-duta massacre
in 1857, Coursoll had trading post on
the Des Moines river, and was obliged
to flee for his life. He afterwards rem
dered efficient service as scout in the
campaign against the redskins. AS
he informed Pioneer Press reporter
yesterday he has been in good many
tight places, had numerous hair-breadth
escapes, and seen a good deal of hard
ship and adventure, and still he is not
by any means an old man. Coursoll
now makes his home at the Santee
agency in Nebraska, but during the
past summer has been engaged with
the surveying party Of the Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul company under
Maj. kimball in locating the line of
road through the Sioux reservation in
Dakota to the Black Hills. Coursoll
says that the treaty with the In
dams has been completed for the right
Of way and that the line has been To-
Gated from Brule agency on the Mis-
souri, to Rapid City, distance of 1853
miles. He says the route is favor
able one as could have been selected.
There are some heavy cuts. but gener-
ally speaking, the grades will be easy.
The territory to be traversed by the road
is generally capable of cultivation, and
some of it is very good farming land.
Coursoll says that Maj .Kimball told him
that it was the intention of the Co. to
push the road to the Hills and through
to Montana. The surveyors went
through the Hills fifteen miles from
Rapid City toward Deadwood last sum-
mer, and will locate the line to the
latter place next spring. The company
wished to lay out a town at the Brule
agency, on the west side of the Mis-
souri,, but the Indians strenuously op-
posed having their village disturbed,
and therefore the town will probably be
located on this side of the river, at
the mouth Of American creek.
Coursoll has presented several Curl
osities, brought from the Black Hills,
to his old friend and patron, Gen. Sib-
ley. One Of these is a petrified Rocky
Mountain lions paw. There are also
several other stones containing various
specimens of petrifactions. Coursoll
has a very notable relic, being nothing
less than the watch chain worn by
Gen. Custer at the time he was killed.
II IS gold vest chain of linked bar
pattern, with a seal pendant. The en-
graved stone which was formerly set in
the latter has been lost, and the cavity
filled with red sealing wax. Coursoll
obtained the chain from one of the
Ogallalas at Red Cloud agency last sum-
mer. He says the Indian had purchas
gu Vic Cuitl11 anu WHICH lIOul 1uh-yd-
duta's son, who killed Custer. The
Indian told him that Clusters watch
had been sold to a white man who was
in the Hills. Coursoll says he saw
Clusters horse at Red Cloud agency.
The Indians prize the animal very
highly, having given the captor ten or
binary horses for it. Coursol says that
Ink-pa- duta's son is now one of the
leaders of Sitting Bulls band. While
among the Ogallalas, Coursoll met sew
eral Indians whom he knew in former
years, and who had taken part in the
Custer massacre. They gave different
version of the manner in which Custer
met his death from the published &C
counts. They said that Custer rs soon
as he saw that there was little hope of
escape, and that it was every man for
himself, turned his horse and galloped
away, followed by few of his men.
The Indians gave pursuit, and through
Casters horse stubling he was overtaken
and killed as were also those who had
followed him. Coursoll will return to
the santee agency the Ia ter part of the
week.