The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-08
CAPTAIN JACKCRAWFORD
The Poet-Scout Enteftains On Audience
at niSoula.
Tho Good Work He 10 Doing In Rails
Ing Funds o Charitable Pur-
poses-MIssouia's New
Baptist Church..
Special to the standard.

Special To the standard.
MissOULA. June 7.-About seventy peo-
pie assembled at the Christian church
last evening to hear Capt. Jack Crawford,
the poet scout. Al about S:45 Judge
Sloane introduced the speaker. By way
OF introduction, Captain Jack said that he
Ind just returned from the Flathead coun-
try, the most beautiful place in the United
States in his opinion--and lie had been in
every corner of the union-the Switzer-
land Of America. So pleased was he with
il that he had bought a lot at Demersville
and was negotiating for another, and in
tended to build "A house and live there in
the summer. Then commenced the en-
tertainment proper, and for two hours
Captain Jack held his audience. Smiles,
tears, laughter and applause followed
cach other in rapid succession, as some
anccdote was related or some dialect
piece or pathetic little poem written by
the speaker "a recited. As the audience
passed put OF the church, people were
heard to say: ~ have cnjoved a
treat tonight" The Ladies' Relief Corps
must have made a meat sum PUT Of the
entertainment.
Fortunately for your correspondent he
had made the acquaintance of Captain
Jack, who kindly invited him to his room
at the Florence, and for over an hour en-
tcrtained him delightfully."- with anecdotes
of frontier life, also showing him n num-
her OF letters from very prominent people
to himself. Captain Jack is q special
agent in the department of justice on in
tercourse acts and frauds, principally for
the detection of people who sell liquor to
Indians. Receiving a salary from the gov
ernment, he does not need to give enter
tainments, aud generally does so for the
benefit OF some institution. He has given
over 10 entertainments Tor the benefit of
"A fun being raised by ladies Of Freder-
icksburg, Va, for the erection there of q
monument to the memory Of Mary WASH
ington, mother of the father of his coun-
try. While at Demersville he gave one to
help raise funds to build a new school
house, and at St. ~Ignatius mission he en-
tertained the Sisters and Indian children.
There is probably no man in America
better fitted for the position he holds than
he. Having been chief of scouts to the
army, he knows the West, its people and
the Indians thoroughly, and beyond that,
his work with all his heart.
Tho appreciation of his services is
testified to in letters he showed you
correspondent from Major General Scho-
field commanding the army.J w Morgan,
commissioner Of Indian affairs, and Mrs.
" iht v NV aa-
vocatc. He was appointed to the COM
mission on the recommendation OF gener-
ais, governors and other prominent men.
Captain Jacks collection of letters-the
few he carries with Uniforms a museum
much more interesting than many a bet
ter known II e Among them is n from
Mrs. Harrison thanking him for a copy of
his poems and another from charming
little Minnie Dupree, leading lady i'm the
Held by the Enemy" company. Capt.
Jack had given her a first draft OF his
play ''Tat,or the Veterans Daughter 'On
returning the manuscript she wrote this
letter, an extract from which is given
here: at is certainly very charming, and
ON my return to New York will talk TO my
brother in regard to IL and let you know
result" The brother referred to is a
dramatic author.
Captain Jacks poetry is of various
styles. Some Is in frontier dialect and
reminds one of the prose of the Arizona
Kicker. while other poems are pathetic
little gems that nave a tendency to make
the tears come to one'scycs. They merely
illustrate the feelings that a frontiers
tcnder-hearted has when with "a crowd of
jolly companions or in the solitude of the
wilderness thinking of the loved mes at
home or of a mother long since gone TO
the great beyond. BY the way, as the
captain says. few people know he is mar.
III hittll It W ittIIs Dut Dt y aItu
has a family who are his joy and pride.
His eldest child, a son. Harry, is a great
cowboy. Although scarcely in his major
iy he has taken several diplomas as "a
rider and roper. On the Fourth of July.
1889, at San Marcial, n. NJ, he roped a
steer. threw him n tied him in 46T sec
onds, the quickest time on record, at any
rate for a boy. Harry is now looking
after his fathers cattle interests. Miss
E~vangeline. a beautiful girl, whose pic
ture her father showed with evident pride,
has been spending the past winter with
Washington. Corporal Tanner Is q warm
friend Of Captain Jack, who speaks of
him with great admiration. As is well
known he lost both legs in the secon bat.
tie of Bull Run. But his misfortune did
not cease then. In cloudy, damp weather
is impossible, so he sits up nearly all
night smoking strong cigars and Is
very glad to a a congenial companion.
Captain Jack has spent many such nights
with him.. An entire page OF the STAND
ARD would not contain the interesting
anecdotes and an account OF b interest
ing things that Captain Jack told and
showed your correspondent last night.
Among the latter, however, is one which
is certainly worthy OF mention. IL Is n
letter from Dion Boucicault, the great
dramatic author. written after hearing
Captain Jack In one Of his entertainments
at Boston. II reads as follows:
my dear sir:-
let me add my humble tcsiimony-as an indi
,iiual must always bc-to the great public eN-
prcssion of pleasure Your entertainment has
evoked.
The Great West has produced many talxart
poets, hut none seem to me east In q nobler
mould than yourself. Go on. Your Pegasus IL
the Wild horse OF your own wilderness. broken
by yourself.
May he ever carry you to fortune.
Yours faithfully.
DION BpttIgAuLT.