The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-19
THOSE DIRTY CREES
Silver Bow County Would Gladly Part
With the Renegades.
THEY ARE A VICIOUS LOT
An Interesting Account OF How
They Terrorized a Small Camp
of Whites - Reference to
Their Old Leader, Riel.
THEY ARE A VICIOUS LOT

| Inc renewed eHOrtS Delng made by
Governor Richards to solve the Cree
Indian difficulty is received nowhere
with greater hopes for success than in
| Silver Bow county, where a band Of
| the Indians has for years been a roam
| ing menace TO health and a constant
| and aggravated nuisance. The county
is practically supporting between 80
and 100 of these Canadian beggars and
in other ways they have cost the tax
payers several thousand dollars. A
few years ago contagious diseases
broke out in the camp and the Indians
had to be quarantined and for a long
time the county had to support the
whole band. The health officers con-
slider the Indians, by being permitted
TO roam about the city as they do, a
constant menace to health owing to
their filthy modes of living. The only
earthly good the Crees are known to
be is as scavengers, for they eat any
thing and everything from a mouse to
dead horse, and they are not very
particular how long II has been dead
either.
John w. Collins, game warden of Sill
yer Bow county, has had a long ac-
quaintance with the Cree Indians and
relates several instances of their means
cussedness. In the winter of 1SS7-S Mr..
collins and four men were in charge
OF 1000 head of cattle on the Milk
river, belonging to the Home Land g.
Cattle company of St. Louis. Nearby
were about 40 lodges of about 200 Crees
who were on the verge of starvation
all winter. The cowboys poisoned sew
eral hundred coyotes and threw the
carcasses into a ravine, but they did
not remani there long as the Indians
devoured them and seemed to grow fat
on the poisoned meat.
The camp was about $50 miles from
a railroad and the nearest neighbor of
Mr.. Collins was 120 miles away Hun
ger made the Indians desperate and
they became very ugly, so much so
that the little band of white men be-
came uneasy and Mr.. Collins rode to
Poplar agency and made q request of
the commander to drive out or keep a
watch over them, but the governments
representative then, as now, claimed
he had no Jurisdiction over the Crees.
and had no right to interfere with
them, as they were Canadian Indians.
Mr.. Collins returned to camp and tried
to make the best of the matter. He
gave the Indians some 40 head of snow
bound cattle and in every way endeav-
ored to treat them kindly. They had a
great deal of sickness among their
her little daughter, was with her hus-
band, visited the Indians and furnished |
them With medicine and needed COM
forts and nursed their sick.
The treacherous nature of the Indian |
was not absent in the Crees, for the |
first day that Mr.. Collins and his men |
were absent from home a number of |
Indians went to the house and terrified /
Mrs. Collins and carried off everything
they wanted. The next day they re-
turned but found Mr. Collins at home
and he demonstrated with them. One
surly DUCK paid no attention to him
and Collins had to use a club. Quick
Is naSh the Cree pulled a knife and
sprang at Collins, but one of the cow
boys brought a rife to bear on the In
Han and saved Collins life. The In
ian Jumped down an embankment TO |
creek, before the cowboy could shoot
IND kept following the water course
ma lodging behind shelter until he
vas several hundred yards away.
Nnen ne again came into view. The
cowboys rifle cracked and the Indian
stopped running. The carcass was
planted next morning and Collins and
lis men had reason to fear deSnerata |
rouble with the Indians. and made up
heir minds that desperate measures
we're necessary, so they boldly rode
INTO the Indians camp and told them
/
ry before sunset every mothers son |
Il them would be wiped off the face
u the earth. The BLUM worked. and |
he Indians lost no time In getting out
AS Is well known In Montana. the |
'rees In this state, nearly a thousand |
Il them, are renegades from the Rel
ebell1on and 1t is possible that they
ook upon Montana as rfghtful place
Il refuge, some Montana Characters |
aving cut slight figure in the re-
eliion which had its brief time In |
he spring of 1885. 1t was brought
bout by a dispute between the Cana
ian government and the Cree half
reeds on the Saschwatchan, who had
cen given certain lands, as they
lalmed' which were afterwards taken
way from them.
At the beginning OF the trouble RieI r,
'as living on Big Springs creek in ,
ergus, then a portion of Meagher ,
ounty. Riel, 1t is said. had previously
J 1887, been mixed up in another IN
sing, and 1t is reputed as a fact that
betrayed others concerned in N for
oash consideration Of $4,000. After |
nat piece OF treachery he came over
ITO Montana. Riel was a half-breed
is rather having been a French-Ca-
adlan and his mother a full-blooded |
rec. He was fearless and restless
oirit and when he heard of the new q
'ouple among his friends in Canada '
enlisted in their cause Gabriel Du- !
lont, a French-Canadian half breed {
'rmerly well-known in Butte. and who 7
as living in Northern Montana al G
lie time.
The two men went among the dis I
,ntented half-breeds and soon had '
lem stirred up to the fighting point.
az the Crees themselves were back
ara ABOUT Joining the rebellion. until
lei played upon their superstition bv :
forming them 1t was the order of the !
reat Spirit, who would make known !
IS wish by darkening the moon on =.
certain night. Riel having been /.
ware OF an approaching eclipse. When /.
he eclipse came, and with II RieTs
romise direct from the Great Shirt :
lat the Indians should again rule the
'untry and exterminate the white Z
EN-. the Crees were ready for the :
arpath. /.