The Saint Paul globe., 1900-02-18

Fell Into the Hands of Philfstines,
and Was DespoiIed of His Wealth
Other Events in the Early His
tory of S5.-PauI- and on the Mis-
sissippi River-Great Difference
in the Games.
In 1850 the principal industry in the
northern part OF the territory of Mime
sofa was trading with and selling LIQUOR
to the Indians, and stealing pine off OF
government land. The first and last OF
these Industries We're thought to be legal
and regular The second, that of selling
liquor to the Indians while, 1t was under
stood to be in violation of the statutes
of The United States, was not deemed to
he very criminal, for the reason that
nearly all of the entire population were
engaged in that business. and they stood
together They were rurely caught ana
seldom convicted.
The matter Of selling liquor TO the In
clans had become so notorious and fla
grant. that the officer in command at
Fort Ripley addressed Communication
10 the Indian department at Washing
ton. requesting that some action be taken
+ by Tie government 10 suppress b1'N SN"4S
of liquor TO the Indians, as ii appeared
the local authorities were powerless. IN
structions in reply were at once sent
out to A M Mitchell. United States
marshal for the territory of Minnesota, to
go to Fort Ripley and on proper com>
pl;sint to arrest all persons engaged in
selling liquors TO the Indians and have
them dealt with as provided by law.
Col Mitchell the marshal who did all
Of his work as deputy-as they do In
later years-the chief drawing the sal
airy. the subordinate doing the work, he
being absent at Washington with some
old settlers, perhaps arranging for con-
tract to remove the Winnebagoes,
where there was money in sight. Henry
l. Tilden, his deputy, on receipt of the
instructions from Washington immediate
ly made arrangements -toaconlpIy with the
order, and deenning 1t necessary to have
assistance, selected Henry Jackson, s.
Odell. Thomas and James Lord. as sort
of special aids, and the writer, as an at
torney, to draw up complaints and prose-
cute the prisoners before such courts as
the persons so arrested might be brought
for a hearing. Along about the middle
of March, 1850, Tilden hired team OF
= w. Bass, hotelkeeper and postmaster
to take his outfit up to Fort Ripley. Be-
fore starting the team was driven around
to A. L. LarpenteuT's to lay in supply
Of provisions and liquors to be used in
casc of emergency or sickness. The va
rietfes In those days were not very great
Canned goods and other modern luxuries
were unknown. A ham, fifty pounds OF
crackers, some coffee, tea and sugar and
two gallons of old rye constituted the
purchase. Driving around by the old
Central house the party bid their friends
goodbye.
Reaching ST. Anthony some time after
noon 1t was thought advisable to lunch.
Free lunches were not SO comomn as
now. The query was where to get a. feea,
and an old fellow who was met on the
wayside of whom inquiry was made,
eaid: GO to Ard Gedfrey's. He is the
man who boards the mill hands and the
men who are Working on the DAM He
will glve..you something to eat, not very
choice but ii VIII do 10 fill you up with
Taking the advice of the old fellow, we
struck out for Godfrey's, where, after
The regular boarders, through the cour-
tesv OF The propTIetor We made a fairly
good meal upon Nildt was lCIt VI eiN
pork, beans, potatoes, bread and tea.
Leaving ST. Anthony in the afternoon
about dark we reached Augustus Free
mans AT Rice Creek Mr.. Freeman had
formerly been partner of A, L. Lar
penteur in a general merchandise store IN
St Paul, being of the opinion. however,
that there was more money in dlshlns
out hash and selling poor whisky to
travellers than selling merchandise and
ID.1f1l L 4eo Oh
and located al Rice Creek and opened up
q public house. travelling at govern
ment expense and having with us a
United States marshal, we were treated
most Loyalty. We had hardly eaten our
supper when Jackson said:
Boys, we viii now have a game Of
poker"
TiIden and myself We're more familiar
with the Lords prayer than with the
game of poker-in fact we knew nothing
about It, Jackson said the game was
only for fun and pastime and five
cent ante Jackson, OdelI and Lord were
expert players, IN fact sporting had been
their principal business for years. jack
= son said they would teach us the game,
showing us The number and what cards
to discard. We assented, and going into
an annex-a little log building connect
ed with the tavern proper-We played
till midnight, the experts teaching us the
game, as we thought. Tiden and /
came out some rs cents winners. The
next day we drove to Sauk Rapids, stop
ping at a little log tavern kept by Cal
win Potter, who afterward removed to
Red Wing and became largely interested
in that place as one of its pioneer set
Tiers After eating and drinking, it was
more poker until the small hours of the
morning, the old fellows teaching the
bows hows TO play. When the game
closed the United States marshal and
myself were little ahead.
Sauh Rapids was the county seat of
Benton county, and here we found an
old justice Of the peace, who agreed to
go 10 Fort Ripley with u.s. before whom
the necessary complaints might be
made in case any were to be made. !
regret I have, forgotten his name, for he
was Jolly, good fellow
Leaving Sauk Rapids the next morn
Ing night found US at Swan River,
known in those days as the Winnebago
Crossing. the hotel tavern and wine
room being kept by WNiam Aitken, an
old pioneer trader, for whom Aitken
county was named.
After supper and just as we had fairly
commenced cur evening amusement Ait
ken rushed into the room and said:
For Gods sake, gentlemen, hide your
cards Gen. Fletcher has just arrived -
Fletcher was Winnebagos agent. Jack
son said:
"Gen. Fletcher! Fletcher! Who in the
devil is Fletcher? Bring him in. We
will give him hand. Has he any
money!
jackson knew him quite well, as he
had just dealt the cards, and holding the
deck in his hands, said:
"Gentlemen, how many cards do you
want? The game will go on
;tl, H.