Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-02-04
A TALK WITH AN OLD SCOUT.

lALh WITH An OLD StOUT.
Joseph Coursou. n Hair breed. Eor-
mcrly OF Mendoza, Tells n pioaecr
Press Reporter About the Location
Of the milwaukee, n ~. Pauiss Line
10 the BLACK Hnls..A Watch Chain
which Belongcd SO cen. Custer
Other Relies OF the Daring Caval.
rSman,
Pioneer rn4.
Joseph CourSoll, the wcllknown In
dian scout and trader is spending few
days III st, Paul He is u halfhreed,
born in thus state, hiS father having
been Frenehman and his mother n
Mll-hloodcd Sioux, He was taken
charge of whom ten wears old by Gen.
Siblcy, when the latter was agent of
the American Fur Compan, ut Mcndo.
Ia, and was reared at that place. AT
the time Of the lnk-a.duta massacre
in 1877, Coursoll had n trading post on
the Des MoineS river, and was Obliged
to tleo for his life. lie afterwards ron
dcrod efficient service MS Il scout in the
campaign against the redskins. As
he informed Pioneer Press reporter
yesterday he has boon in good many
tight places, had numerous hair-hrcadth
escapes, and seen good deal of hard
| ship and adventure, and still he il not
Ivy any means an old man, CouNoll
now makes his home at the Santec
agency IN Nebraska, hut during the
past summer has been engaged with
tho Surveying party of tho Chicago,
Milwaukee 4 ST. Paul company under
Mai, kimhall in locating the line Of
road through the Sioux reservation in
Dakota to the Black Hills, Counoll
says that tho treaty with tho In
diNns has been completed for the right
of way and that the limo has hocn IL
Gated from Brulo agency on tho Mis-
souri, to Rapid City. distance Of i63
miles He says the route is favor
able one ns could have been selected.
There are some heavy cuts, but gener-
ally speaking, the grades will he easy,
The territory To I've traverSed 10y the road
is generally capable of cultivation and
some of II IN very good farming land.
Coursoll says that Maj kimball told him
that II was the intention Of tho Co to
push the rond To the Hills and through
to Montana, Tho surveyors went
through the Hills hftcon miles from
Rapid City toward ncadwoad last sum.
mer, and will locate the limo 10 the
/ latter place next spring, The company
wished to lay ont II town AT tho Brulc
agency, ON tho west side of the Mis-
souri,, hat the Indians stronuously on
posed having their village disturbed,
and therefore the town Will probably be
located ON this side Of the river, nj
the mouth Of American creek.
Coursoll has presented several curl
ositics, brought from the Black Hills,
TO his old friend and patron, Gen. Sib-
ley, One Of these is II pctrhed Rocky
Mountain lions paw There arc also
several other stones containing various
specimens Of pctrifaotions Coursoll
has n worry notable relic, being nothing
less than tho watch chnin worn by
Gen. Custer nj the time he was killed.
II ~ gold vest chnin of linked bar
pattern, with n seal pendant. Tho en-
grnvcd stone which was formerly act in
the latter haA boon lost and the cavity
filled with red sealing wax. Counoll
obtained tho chain from one Of the
Ogallnlas Mt Red Cloud agency last sum
mor lio says the Indian had purchns-
cd the chain and watch from lnk-yu-
dutn'S son, who killed Custer. The
Indian told him that Clusters watch
had been sold TO white man who was
in the Hills Coursoll says he saw
Clusters horse ut Red Cloud agency.
| The Indians prize tho animal very
highly having given the captor ten or
binary horses for it. Goursoll says that
nk-pa-duta's son is now ono Of the
leaders Of Sitting Bulls band. While
among the Ogallalas, Coursoll met sew
cral Indians whom he know in former
years, and who had taken part in the
Custer massacre. They gave u different
version Of the manner in which Custer
met his death from the published nc
counts. They said that Custer IA soon
as he saw that there was little hopo of
escape, and that IL WIS every man for
himself, turned his horse and galloped
away, followed by II few Of his men.
The Indians gave pursuit, and through
Clusters horse stubling he waa 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.