The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-20
Diggings--Thc Stampede to
Bnnnack.

time of the Louisiana purchase to the dat
Of the admission Of the territory of Mon
tana as a state into the American union.
The first part of the lecture consisted o
! brief resume Of the discoveries Of Lasalle
and of his planting his CROSS in the nam'
Of King Louie XIV when he took possession
Of the colony Of Louisiana; the voyage Q
Charlevoix, the Jesuit explorer, was touched
upon. The early immigration from Franc
was pictured, including the settlements 0
the Acadians in the parish Of Acadia. The
treaty wherein France yielded possession
Of the colony to Spain was mentioned; ane
the remarkable career of Gen. O'Reilly
the second governor Of Louisiana, and O
Gen. Galvez, was described. The heroism o.
Galvez was particularly brought forth. and
he was likened to Admiral Farragut himself
The aid given to the American o%olonists By
Spain during the Revolutionary war wal
described, and then the disposition Of thu
Americans to rebel against the order o.
ths Spanish authorities.
When war between England. and France
was inevitable, Napoleon, who had become
first %consul, fearing the entry Of the Eng
lish into the mouth OF the Mississippi, de-
termined to sell Louisiana. The ncgotia-
tions between Mr.. Livingston, minister to
France, and Mr.. Monroe. speoial envoy,
and Talleyrand and Marpois, were pictured
In detail.
Next was taken up the transfer of Louis
lana from Spain to France, the details of
the spot and method of transfer by Spain
to the United states, and the conduct
of the old French soldiers at the time.
Immediately after the acquisition of the
country the exploration recommended by
Jefferson, and made BY Lewis and Clarke,
was given; after the journey Of Lewis and
Clarke, the settlements by the fur traders,
the route Of Wilson Hunt, and the missions
Of the Jesu-its in Nissoula county.
Tbs discovery Of gold was pictured, and
the original diegings BY the Stuart brothers
mentioned. The stampede to Bannack then
came. And the men OF '63 were spoken OF
as being entitled to particular praise.
The Yellowstone expedition in 1868 OF
Of Henry ~. Geery detailed. The only
particular praise accorded to any individual
throughout the lecture was the estimate Of
the character of James Stuart, Of Deer
Lodge county. This was the expedition led
by Capt. James Stuart, now dead, a brother
which ex-Gov. Hauser played a conspicuous
part. They were hunting for gold and had
several desperate conflicts with Indians in
which some of the party were killed and
others wounded. Some of the party were
members of tho Masonic fraternity. They
HkEGOU ALuouR tu6ulbElVS6 IuHb IL Ou0 MOG
mortRlly wounded, he would reserve one
shotthat should prevent unnecessary sac
ritice of the party by remaining to defend a
man that must soon die any way, and also
to prevent torture. if captured. Geery's
sad end is related by Granville Stuart.
All were intensely waaried and worn out.
A few men were thrown out as pickets, and
the rest we're busted in unpackinp when an
alarm was given.
All hands flew to their arms when they
were checked and startled by the report OF
q rifle in their midst. They knew it must
have been one of their own guns. All eyes
centered at last on Geery, who with a
deathly pallor on his face, stood with his
head erect, but his body partly leaning
against his rifle. He answered their looks
by saying: II have foolishly but accident
sitting posture. He then. with great calm
ness and elaboration, opened the bosom of
above his left nipple, said: MY life is fast
ebbing away-only Il few hours more, hut
that is too long for you all to remain here.
See, the sun is fast declining behind the
mountains, the Indians will soon be upon
you and it would be impossible to defend
yourselves in this place. Jim, tell the bows
/ am fatally wounded" This request but
too plainly indicated his dreadful ~resolu-
ton and brought an awful realization of
u uCbPOI0Lc dkIGclUGuts All Appeared to
him not to think of SO rash an act, telling
him he might live, and using every argu-
ment they could think of. During the
whole time he held his revolver firmly
grasped in his right hand and warned his
comrades that any attempt to take it away
They could not make him lose sight of tie
inevitable fact that he had to die in a
few hours. Finally he called upon Jim
again. .'to tell the truth; tell the boys
I oan't live over 4 few hours at most
Jim was in tears, ane his big heart almost
in this negative. He sud, "Neyer mind,
Geery, wo will stay by you. All tho In
dians in the world could not drive us away
from you." Turning to his comrades,
Geery said. Jim knows that / am fatally
wounded and must die soon, but he avoids
telling me. The fact that you woulu all, |
know. stay by me and die for me, has de-
termined me. Remember. Quitting the
muzzle of his pistol against his brenst) /
am not committing suicide and bear wit
ness to my friends that I am only shorten
ing my life q few hours to prevent you from
aselessiy n tool'shly sacrificing yours in
defending mine. God knows / don't want
to die. have a Christian hope in eternity.
Kemember this gorge IN the mountains, and
the spot where | am buried, and describe ii
70 my friends some day if any of YOU ever
I've to tell it, He wus about to fire when
AZ eotA haLA = AS ltusb SAOOE TO IRE at lfB
and Geery said, '.Thanks. Jim.
and may Gcd bless You all and take YOU
safely out of this" They all walked away.
He pressed the trigger and the cap only ex-
ploded. They appended to him to desist 40
II was q warning. He paid no attention,
but said to himself, II know not what to
think of that. 1t never snapped belore.D
Again ho pulled the trigger that launcsd
him into eternity, He was buried on the
apot.
ITO Capt. Stuart all feltuntold gratitude.
and for him ever cherished unqualified love
and respect. No wonder, for his life and
deeds prove him to have been a most ex-
traordinary man in every way, He
never was forgotten in appearances
or character by any man who met
He was of 1.-the and nervous
figure, over six feet tall, and with an into
of voice and manner OF speech which
charmed his listeners. His countcnnnce
gentle and kindly. and his presence
everywhere was conspicuous and i%nfluen-
tinl. Always ready to heed advice,
yet a natural commander of men;
tender of heart as a child, vet
strong in tho ruggedness of his manhood.
Of a physical love of exploit, he
guided his adventurous spirit by seeking
dRldH of nativity 1Dhara pontor;t, hna