The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-29
THE sHADOWGRAPHER.

-- EAT 4HE4&s
II there il an old timer or a resident
six years In Montana who never heard
Johnnie" Healy let him stand up and |
counted In tho ranks OF objectionable l.
%nornnce. II You had seen the old boy
gather about him yesterday afternoon 80
would have known that he was a man :
some reputation, a good fellow. or boil
He came to Montana years and years agt
and he has enjoyed or suffered more inter
esting experiences than any known Mon
tanian. II these could be rightly told
volume or SO Of charming reminiscence
would be the result. Mr.. Healy is to
modest to tell all in detail but his friend
know a good part Of his history.
After n six years residence in Chilkat
Alaska, he dropped into tbs city yesterda
afternoon and was warmly greeted by hi
two daughters and hosts of friends. Fifty
two years weigh lightly on his face an,
form. His hair is yet dark though hi
moustache and long goatee are streake'
with gray. His body is 1.-the and slim an,
MS straight as ever and he is apparently thu
picture of health. He was quite as glad t.
see his old friends as they to find him ant
grew animated and reminiscent as old time
wore recalled. Those two young fellows
Hugh McQuaid and Jim Gourley, corralee
HIM at the Montana club for several hours
while he was given pleasant greetings b.
many old friends. Tomorrow he will *
to Fort Benton to see his brother and othel
relatives, and will hunt out his old friend
AL Hamilton, at Choteau, INT all the
others with whom he was 80 long associated.
1t is regretted that thetales that follow can
not be chronicled but perhaps Healy's ex-
trema modesty will wear off in time and
then he can be persuaded to write a book.
He came up the Missouri river in the six
ties, stopping on his way at Fort Lincoln.
There for the first time he saw Sitting Bull,
who was then Il blanket" Indian. Tt is,
perhaps. necessary to explain that a blan-
ket Indian is a sort of loafer about the post
traders store; a fellow always willing to
beg tobacco, but unwilling to do work of
II sort, and one quite likely to make both
annoyance and serious trouble if allowed
unusual privileges. This afterward famous
chief was finally kicked out from loafing
privileges at the fort. with the result that
he became a power SO dangerous as to call
the entire strength of the United
States army to bring him to subsection. He
went about among the Sioux tribes, picked
out the disconnected and with all the artso
a politician gathered an army of followers.
He worked upon their sympathies to such a
degree and with methods SO cunning as to
make himself the leader. Then came the
terrible Custer massacre, in which Sitting
Bull took no active part, but for which he
a newspaper reputation as the great
est of Indian statesmen. With his army he
north and crossed the Canadian
line. In 1877 General Terry, at the head of
companies of cavalry. started for
territory to persuade the Sioux chief
to return to this side. At Fort Benton the
general found John Healy, who was then
of Choteau county. and hired him to
guide the troops to Fort Walsh, where Sit
ting Bull and his followers were camped
under the ostensible protection of Col.
and the Canadian mounted police.
After some discussion an arrangement was
for a council between Gen. Terry and
the chief. AS Mr.. Healy describes it, it
was a picture of dramatic interest. II was
in a large hall at the fort. Gen. Terry, &C
by several officers and Mr..
Healy, were gathered in one end of q
whitewashed room. bare of all decorations.
In a few minutes Sitting Bull and several
chiefs entered. followed BY a squaw. When
saw the woman he knew that
was brewing. He had seen enough
of Indian life to know that her presence in
a council of men vas intended only as an
Gen. Terry arose from his chair,
and advancing, held out his hand to Sitting
Bull. The old chief halted, threw back his
shoulders and folded his arms, while his
face became wreathed in scowls. The other
chiefs did likewise. Gen. Terry read his
instructions from the government inviting
the rebellious Sioux to return. When he
had finished, Sitting Bull Numbered
MOP and the conference ended. Healy
had once offered to deliver Sitting Bull at
Washington for $4,000, and the offer was
Now he proposed to kill him, and
but for the accidental death of his horse he
would have ended the old chiefs life at
that time.
In the party was Jerome Stillson, cor
respondent of the New York Herald and
one of the best known American journal
"ASi 4Acoly opAu Ao .WouiN iCdrCi
gave him manuscript which filled a
of the Herald. Accompanying was a
roll of bills and then Healy mounted his
horse for Helena. 1t was a distance of $50
miles and was covered in less than forty
eight hours with nine renounts. The only
rest was at Fort Benton, where he slept two
hours. He slept in the saddle until aroused
by a falling motion, when he would recover.
He arrived in Helena in an exhausted con-
aition, handed the telegram at the Office
md the Herald ~''scooped" the country.
The telegraph tolls amounted to 800, the
sam ever paid for a similar service
in Montana.
Healy was present whom Chief Joseph
handed his gun to Gen. Miles after an in
teresting five days battle at Snake creek.
One incident offers evidence of the high
character of this chief, who was then
hardly forty years old. After the fight had
continued three days a flag of truce WAS
sent by the Indians and a conference be.
tween Joseph and Gen. Miles followed.
"What terms?" asked the chief.
Surrender without conditions" replied
the general"
ono"
"Then go back and fight
Joseph returned and the battle was re-
$1,000 r.. l. -----i:-