Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-05-24
A THRILLING INCIDENT.
FATHER De 5mET kN0 THE MUIR
DER OF YOUNG M'KENzIE.

| LEN Of IOON0 mkENZIGs
| Without Word Clark Fires the Fatal
| Shot-His Successful F1ightsrA Chapter
in the History of Early Navigation of
the Upper Missouri.
The following description of an exciting
event, which, at the time, excited wide spread
attention, forms an Interesting chapter in
| Capt. E. W. Gould'sSwork on 1.-THE Naviga-
| ton Of Western Waters:
Perhaps no river in the Valley of the Mis-
| sissippi has been the scene of so many thrill
ing events, Indian fights, steamboat wrecks,
hairbreadth escapes and perils from naviga-
| ton as has the Missouri.
| Previous to the discovery of gold in Mon
| tana the American Fur company and its con-
| temporaries and predecessors in the fur trade
| monopolized about all the traffic there was
| shove Sioux City, commencing soon after
| the introduction of steam, in 1919, with one
boat per annum, adding another from time
to time as their trade extended up the river.
| The arrival or departure from st. Louis of
| mountain boat" created about as much ex-
element and curiosity at that time as did
| that of a Pevonge or Mackinaw boat loaded
with skins and peltries at an earlier date
While the Indians were at peace with each
| other, the steamboats, annual trip was looked
| forward to by them with pleasure and great
anxiety, as it was their source of supplies,
| and OF them Indians are always Short
ACTORS IN THE TRAGEDY.
| The Rev. Father De Smet, for many years
| a missionary and general manager of Catho-
lie missions among the Indians of the north
| west was not unfrequently a passenger on
| these pioneer boats.
| The black gown which he always wore in
| the presence of Indians inspired in them
| great veneration, as the representative of
| the Great Spirit. His amiable and suave
| manner always assured them, as it did every
| one else that no evil could befall them in his
| presence, and he was, when known to be
| near, a constant check upon their habits of
| dissipation quarrels and hostilities.
No matter how fierce the feuds between
| different tribes, he went fearlessly from one
| to the other to allay any commotion or fight
| and was always respected.
The writer saw this practically illustrated
| while lying at the mouth of Milk river, some
| 200 miles below Fort Benton, in 1864.
At that time the Sioux Indians were at
| war with the United States and with many
| tribes of Indians Their country bordered
the Missouri river for many miles and navi-
| cation was not considered very safe Boats
were occasionally fired into when running
| close to shore, and when lying up at
| night always kept picket guard, and the
pilot was protected by shields of boiler
| iron when under way. This was very low
water year and we were two months getting
| to the mouth of Milk river, where we were
obliged to store our cargo. While lying there
tragic event occurred, through which, had
it not been for the presence Of Father De
Smet the steamer Nellie Rogers and prob
ably some of her crew would have been sacri-
feed for the cruel and unprovoked murder of
| young Mckenzie, the son of a prominent mer-
chant OF ST., Louis, whom many st. Louisans
will remembeE as very estimable gentle
man. He at one time vas an Indian trader
on the Upper Missouri
He had married a squaw, Indian fashion,
and raised family of half breeds, part of
which he took to the states and educated
This young man, then about 80 years old, had
returned to his tribes the Crows, married
and was living at Fort Peck, acting, perhaps,
in the capacity of interpreter. He, with his
wife and one young child, together with a
large number of Indians of both sexes and Of
all ages, had encamped On the bank opposite
where the boat was discharging They all
had access to the boat and were constantly
passing to and fro.
But as the bar on the boat had been closed
by Mr.. Chouteau's order, who had the boat
under charter, no excessive drinking was
allowed. There had been on board as a pas
senger all the way from ST. Louis a Mr.
Clark, formerly from Philadelphia, quiet,
gentlemanly man of education, who for the
previous ten or twelve years had been living
among the ENTHUSIASTICALLY at Fort Ben
ton.
THE MURDER AND FLIGHT.
After the boat had been lying there several
hours Mckenzie came on board with others
and stepped into the cabin, and just as he got
abreast Of the stove in the hail. Clark stepped
out Of his state room, which was one Of the
finest rooms in the cabin, with pistol in hand
and without a word from either of them, in
stantly fired and Mckenzie fell, shot through
the heart.
e. His wife was one of the first who rushed on
board, with many of her kindred and friends,
and the excitement soon became intense-on
the part of the Indians, for the sudden death
of prominent member of their tribe; on the
part of the passengers and crew, for fear of
summary vengeance from the Indians who
were entirely masters of the situation. The
fires were out and, of course, no steam could
be had to move the boat for some hours
Father De Smet and his black gown seemed
about all that stood between an outraged
body of fighting Indians, and the Nellie Rog
ers her passengers and crew, until Clark
could be disposed of. While he was fearless
and Indifferent, it was evident there was no
safety as long as he remained on board
Ponies were secured from the traders at Fort
Peck, twelve miles distant, but who had come
to see ''the steamboat" Clark, with two Or
three others, who were anxious to get to Fort
Benton, started with very little preparation,
and very little delay, and stood mot upon
the order of their going" And until they
were well out of the Crow country it was
thought no grass would grow under their
horses feet.
Before the Indians had gotten over their
surprise and CONSERVATION, Clark, whom
none of them knew personally had gotten be-
You'd the reach of their fastest horses, and
through the influence of Father de Smet,
it is probable they never pursued him. ''Tom
Dorris," young man from St. Louis, bound
for the gold mines at Helena, then just be-
ginning to attract attention, was one of
Clark's travelling companions during that
John Gilpin race. Subsequently it was
learned that no halt was made until Fort Ben
ton was reached, and the distance, 200 miles,
covered inside Of three days.
AS there was no law and but little Justice
in that country then, no investigation was
ever made, and no cause ever assigned for
the sudden taking off of Mr.. Kensie.
Il was believed an old grudge existed that
was to be settled in that way whenever the
parties met. 1t was afterwards said by
Clark that he was the author of several SINH
lar tragedies previous to the one at the mouth
of Milk river, although his appearance was
anything but that of a murderer or an out
law. His subsequent history have never
heard.-St. Louis Republic
A "Reminiscences of Paine.
II remember riding home in horse car
with Henry W. Paine one day." remarked a