San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-04
A THRILLING INCIDENT.
FATHER DE SMET AND THE MUIR
DER OF YOUNG M'kENziE.

Shot-His Successful Flight-A 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 f. w Gould's work on 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 raviga-
ton as has the Missouri
Previous to the discovery of gold in Mon
tana the American Fur company and its con
temporsrieS and predecessors in the fur trade
monopolized about all the traffic there was
above 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
a mountain boat" created about as much e1-
element and curiosity at that time as did
that of 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 befal them in his
presence, and he was, when known to be
near, a constant check upon their habits OF
dissipation, quarrels and hostilties
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 a 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
a 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 prominent mer-
chant of ST. Louis whom many St Louisans
will remember AS very estimable gentle
man. He at one time was an Indian trader
on the Upper Missouri
He had married a squaw, Indian fashion,
and raised family of half breeds, a part of
which he took to the states and educated
This young man, then about 80 years old, had
returned to his tribe, 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
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 Mr.
Clark, formerly from Philadelphia, quiet,
gentlemanly man of education, who for the
previous ten or twelve years had been living
among the principally at Fort Ben
ton
THE MURDER AND FLIGHT
After the boat had been lying there several
hours Mckenzie came on board with others
end stepped into the cabin, and just as he got
abreast of the stove in the hall, 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
His wife was one of the first who rushed on
board, with many Of her kindred and friends,
and the excitement n,became intense-cn
the part of the Indians, for the sudden death
Of prominent member Of their tribe; on the
part Of the DoasSss~s ars I'd CROW. far fear Of