The Great Falls leader. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1888-1900, 1889-01-24
A Talk With Robt, VallebD,
THE OLDEST INHABITANT OF THE
GREAT FALLS REGION.
He Made the First Entry Of Govern
nlent Land in ChOteau County.

Seeing Mr.. Robert Vaughn in town
yesterday, and being desirous of learning
from himself the fact that he had actually
disposed Of his immense and valuable
ranches, our reporter sought an interview
with him, which he accorded in his usual
courteous and dignified manner.
Q.-Well, Mr.. Vaughn, see that you
have sold your stock and ranch property
How do you feel over it?
Al feel somewhat like All old stage
horse that has been turned out Oh green
grass to heal up his bruises and collar
marks.
| Q.-How long have you lived on the
Sun River farm? G% @
| Alt will be twenty years next fall
since settled on shat ranch, and it is the
first tract Of land that was entered at the
U. s. land office from old Choteau county
Q.-At that time this part of the coun-
try was rather wild, I should judge.
| Ayes, sir, you may say SO. 1t was
occupied by the Indians and butfaloes.'
well remember having killed one Of
these monarchs d the plains-l mean a
buffalo, not an Inaian) across the river
from Great Falls, snear where the Mani
toba round house now stands. A few
years later the Indians killed Rockey,
one Of two brothers, who had settled
near the mouth ofSun river. They were
employed in chopping wood at Il point a
little above where the west end of the
Manitoba railroad bridge rests. The red
skins were secretkd in an old empty log
cabin, erected BY. hunters, on the river
bank. The Other brother was on the
!, opposite side of tie river about the pres
ent site Of Great Falls, and saw the
Indians perpetrate the cold-blooded
murder of his brother, but could render
no assistance.
Q.-Were these murderous redskins
never punished for their atrocities?
40, yes, guess some of them after
wards got their deserts. A few days
after the killing Of Rockey, au Indian,
while in the act Of skinning calf, was
shot by one ofthe whites, near the present
outskirts of this city.
Q.-This appears tohave been Il favorite
resort for the Indians?
A.-Yes, this used to be Il general
J. crossing for the Indians Of the Upper
Missouri because here was such Il good
ford. The Flatheads, Piegans and Black
!. feet crossed here to go to the Judith and
the Muscleshell country ell route to their
winter hunting grounds, returning in the
early spring laden with dried meats
buffalo robes and pemnlican. 1t was al
! so noted resort for the Young bucks of
. their way to steal horses from the Rivcl
Crows. The River Crows, also, in retnr.
!: would follow them up and commit al
s sorts of depredations upon thc settlers q
the line Of their forays.
u Q.-How long did those depredations
II continue?
81 A.-Assa party Of Sun River settlers
came across eight young buck on foot
having Ropes and guns, the settlers, bein,
we'll armed and having good horses
made swoop upon the Indians ant
:. rounded them up. They took their guns
marched them five miles out on tn
prairie towards the agency, then restored
their guns to them and ordered them t
make quick tracks for the reserv alton
Fully expecting that they were going t.
be shot, when they found themselves u
liberty to leave, they lost no time in get
ting out of sight and hearing OF thci
captors. This put a quietus on their cat
}. tie killing, and the Indians from that tim
forward have become gradually NOR
peaceable until now, when it is u rar
. thing even to see AL Indian.
;" ON what year did you come to Nor
tana!
AIN the spring Of 1864. We cam
of course by wagon all the way to VII
ginia City and Alder gulch.
Q.-What route did you take?
Ave left the Platte river ut Fo
Laramie, making cutoff via the Bi
Horn mountains, crossing the Wind rive
to the Yellowstone valley.
Q.-Were you not afraid Of mcetin
J. Sitting Bull:
A.-A,. We feared nothing. Beside
at that time Sitting Bull was only calf
LETTER FROM MIR. TOOLE.