The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-04-25
AN ANSWER
TO a Former Correspondents Criticisms
on the Conduct of Federal and Local
Authorities in this Section.

FT. WALSH, n. w. r., April 10, '83.
Editors Of RIVER Press:
In your issue of April 4th appears a
communication from Fort Walsh rela.
tive to Indian raids across the interna-
tional boundary, charging and intimat-
ing various things against civil and gov
eminent officials of Montana, and asking
why persons living on the Canadian
side of the line losing horses by theft by
American Indians have so much trouble
and expense in recovering.0 Referring
to the charge that a resident of Fort
Walsh had ten horses stolen and traced
them to Belknap and found them in the
agency corral and was refused possession
by the agent, we can only say that such
may be the facts, but it is an item of
news to us, and we are inclined to be-
lleve hat your correspondent has mis-
stated the facts or is in error as to the
particular agency. But little theft has
ever been committed by the Belknap
agency Indians, so far as our knowledge
goes, and we believe that the agent there
has never refused to deliver up stolen
horses when rightful ownership was
proved. We know there has been and
stlla exists a strong feeling against the
Indian agent at the Piegan agency, and
E0L tlOS iIoII~ all 511C Ill SCfGldl tCCd-
sions have traced and found $50 they
say) their horses at this agency, but were
unable to recover them, the agent de-
Ginning to make his wards give them up.
Whether it was for want of proof of
ownership or lack Of disposition or pow
er on the part Of the agent it is not our
province to discuss.
AS regards the expense attached to
the recovery of the G. 7. R. r. or syn
dIcate horses, we car only say that the
U. +. Il. II. were unfortunate in the Sc
lection Of their man to represent them.
Had they sent a right person probably
that expense could have been reduced
two-thirds and more horses have been
recovered.
AS to the inquiry why stolen horses
cannot be recovered on the American as
well as on the Canadian side Of the line,
we answer we think they can. That it
requires a different routine and involves
more expense we have no occasion to
deny, and why this should be so is easily
explained. On the Canadian side are
stationed the Northwest Mounted Police
who execute both civil and military law,
while in Montana civil law takes prece-
dence and the military are, called upon
only to assist in the execution Of civil
law WncI ueCGSSily ARISES. Ills cA-
plains why no expense has been attach
ed for the recovery of stolen property on
the Canadian side, the police having act
edsunder military rule. Were the police
removed from the Northwest Territory
and civil law in force, as in Montana,
the same situation of affairs would exist
as in Montana. Would the Piegans and
Crees confine their raids strictly on one
another it would be a matter of small
moment to the settlements of Montana
or the Northwest Territory which party
was the most successful in obtaining
scalp locks or Indian ponies; and if each
could obliterate the other the market
price Of harps would not advance nor
Heaven be more crowded. To prevent
and effectually put a stop to Indian raids
across the border the Canadian and
American governments each should
have a stringent law for extraditing
these criminals, which, if strenuously
put in force, convictions obtained, SEN
fences to the extreme limit rigidly en-
forced, the difficulty would shortly be
ended and the expense to all parties con
cerned soon cease.
J W