Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-08-23

Something Hbout the Hard
Citixens'' of Long ST

cidently spoke u several Of the old
{ SETTLERS. Mr.. Sweet is now an at
tornsy at law and U. s, commits;
ssioner at Havre, Montana. Hta
letter In reply to Mr.. ..Richardson is
1 interesting. and ia as follows:
HAvRE, MONT, AUG. -. 1925.
Hon. N. RICHARDSON'S:
My Dear SIR Your esteemed favor
OF the 18th inst, Is at hand, and
very glad to hear from you. Az a to
your book, it 10 at Sank Rapids with
other books Of mine, and / expect to
be there some time next month.
when will see that It is sent up to
yon. 97R n. * p
52;,. I am glad to hear Of Mrs. Aver,
and that she is still in good health.
Should you see her again, please
present to her my kindest remen-
brance and regards. I have not
seen Mr.. Fergus here In Montana,
but about12 years ago ! was at
IT. Met innis, but as he was some
miles away from there on ranch, |
could not call on him, as the party |
was in had not the time to spare. + (
In your history did not see any
thing about the troubles you had
at Little Falls with Hugh Thompson.
Joe Stancliff, chris. lighthouse and
Others, at the time your old magis-
trate, -Barnum. was so badly beaten.
/ was then court commissio ner, and
at once went up to Little Falls and
issued warrants for all Of the parties,
including the sheriff, and appointed
IS. B. Olmstead special officer to
serve the warrants. Thompson and
Stancliff fled the country and the
others were bound over to the dis
trict court, except one, who escaped
from the officer when out looking
for bonds. A few years ago I saw
Billy Crandall in one of the mining
camps OF this state, and he informed
me that some years before that be
was captured by q band OF Mexican
robbers and taken to their cave in
one oft m fountains in Mexico, and
kept for two or. three days. The
leader of that band was Chris High
house. and the mns.scnt ~, TSy as
Aorderesi-by the leader to surrender,
ne recognized Chris and called him
Nv name. Crandall heard I was in
the camp and came about three miles
to see me. He insisted on my going
to his place, so stayed two days,
and told him all I knew of everybody
In Minnesota. Crandall was ayoung
man when first knew him and used
TO be about Watab. many, many
years ago. ~ l: :. -
SO Lambert and Stillwell, ri the
old settlers, have gone ahead Of US.
but it. can't be many years before we
shall follow them. Ill. H.. L
81: s@.ss Truly yours,
u. VI r.. " .", r. # = GEO. W. SWEET.
\ The beating OF Mr.. Barnum, men
toned by Mr.. Sweet, occurred on the
night of October 1. 1858. The county
had been q rendezvous, in the first
years Of its settlement. for q reckless
gang OF desperadoes, sometime under
the leadership Of Hugh Thompson,
and sometime under Chris lighthouse.
The latter, in addition to other ne
farious trades, was counterfeiter,
and made bad money at Little Elk.
Some years ago, some Of the money
was found while the mill property
was being overhauled. Thompson
was tall, handsome man, q verit-
able t.Claude Duval." Stancliff was
short, Of q light complexion. The The
gang attempted the life Of Justice
Barnum, because they dreaded his
court. They dragged him out Of his
cabin and maltreated him fedrfully,
but he recovered. The citizens rose
up against the thugs and banished
them. Thompson, years after, be-
came the leader Of a lawless gang In
Colorado, and after killing many
men. he was lynched. The letter Of
Mr.. Sweet gives the first news about
lighthouse that the old settlers have
received since that time. Judge
Richardson was then register OF
deeds, and Jas. Pugh sheriff. The
gang commenced It's depredations
by robbing Jas. Fergus store. and
became eventually as bold and
wicked band Of renegades as ever
disgraced a frontier city. The old
settlers named the troubles with the
tlesperadoes 'The Little Falls War"
-Brainerd and Motley are both
well satisfied with theirnew "curfew''
ordinances. Il. i
I<NSHrs anSsfs