The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-09-12
A NOTED CHARACTER
FRONTIER DAYS OF TWENTY
YEARS AGO.
Old Donald Fisher Drank Bottle
of Pain Killer Every Morn
ing Before breakfast.

-Four Jack Bob" was a character in
the frontier days of 20 years ago. He
was a good-natured, rollicklng sort of
grow old so far as personal appearance
goes. He was fond of excitement and
adventure, and used to run risks
which would appall most men. No one
ever accused him of being more than
ordinarily brave, but still he would
take great chances.
In those days the introduction Of
whisky into the northwest territories
was punishable by fine or imprison-
ment or both. At Fort Walsh, nestled
among the cypress hills, there was a
post of the red patrol" or mounted
police, who were supposed to suppress
the whisky traffic among the Indians,
and incidentally among the white res
idents of the country. AS rule the
article was scarce, but occasionally
some one would be found intoxicated,
and where the intoxicants came from
was mystery. Several men were sus-
pected from their infrequent visits and
sudden departure. Bob was one of the
suspects
One day in late winter Major Walsh,
the commandant, said to a friend:
II have information that Bob left Fort
Benton on Wednesday last with 10
gallon key of whisky. How this in
formation reached me 1 will not di-
vulge."
This was Friday, and Fort Benton
was 100 miles away. At all events
the major was so sure of his informa-
ton that he had a detachment in The
saddle inside of half an hour, and was
on his way to the boundary line When
! that was reached he secreted his men
| and waited. In about an hour the
lookout saw a wagon with two mer
coming rapidly across the prairie. They
waited until they were pretty close
| and then surrounded the outfit. The
wagon contained besides Bob and Tin
{ Cup Joe, two five-gallOn kegs of whis
ky, showing the majors information
was correct. The whisky was seizec
and spilled on the ground, and Bol
put under arrest. Tin-Cup Joe coulc
not be induced to return to For
Walsh, but staid with the whisky, and
when last seen was tapping it from
the ruts in the road.
Everything Bob had was confiscated
and he was heavily fined, but still III
was playing on velvet as several pre-
vlous infractions of the law had pu
him in comfortable circumstances.
Notwithstanding the vigilance of the
police, the whisky traffic was never
entirely suppressed. When there wa!
a dearth Of stimulants the boys would
drink anything-essence of peppermint
pain killer, cherry pectOral and sarsa
parilla, Florida water, perfumery-ir
fact anything which contained or wa:
supposed to contain alcohol.
Old Donald Fisher, the interpreter
used to take a bottle of pain killel
every morning before breakfast. Tt
illustrate his desire for stimulants, th'
following actually occurred: TIL,
freighters who used to transport goods
from Fort Benton in winter were per
mitted to carry with them a limited
amount of whisky. One freighter ar
rived in January with a train of sup
plies, and after unloading, entered int
a contract to go about 20 miles up th
creek and haul down some wood. H
had a gallon keg of whisky which h.
desired to keep for his return trip t,
Benton. He consulted Fisher, VIII
said: Now, look here, Ed. Here IS
big, heavy carpenters chest which yol
can use to keep it in. You can plac
it in my cabin, and take the key will
you" ed accepted his offer, not know
ing Fishers failing, and started up tn
creek. He had no sooner left thai
Fisher seized an axe. split the bo,
into kindling wood, and in half an hou
was hilariously drunk.
y few years later Fisher died of hear
failure in a Fort Benton saloon, wher
he had been drunk. for about tw
weeks. A. b. X.