The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-07-16
QUEER SHOWING MADE BY REC
ORDS IN THE INTERIOR
Department.
Cascade County, as Well as Other
Tracts in Northern Montana, Still
Owned by the Piegan Red Men,
According to the Docu-
ments-Secret Treaty
That May Prove to
to Be Void.

Great Falls, July 16.-Whether treaty
was made at Fort Benton, in September,
1868, between the government and the
Blackfeet Indians, by which the latter
agreed to cede the land held by the tribe
under the terms of a previous treaty, is
q question that will probably be brought
to the attention CT the next national
congress.
The records in the interior depart
ment at Washington show there was
such a treaty, while men who were in
Montana at the time the agreement with
the Indians is supposed to have been
reached, especially those living at For.
Benton in the early days. are positive
in the belief that nothing Of the kind
ever occurred.
Beyond the announcement that
George Bird Grinnell. editor of Forest
and Stream of New York, was in quest
of information that would assist him in
the preparation of articles for his pa
per, little was known of the real objec,
Of his recent visit to Montana.
In fact. he had nothing to say regard
ing the purpose of his trip from the east
at that time, further than he was gath
ering data on Indian matters, which he
~
be published.
1t is, however. an open secret that his
mission had to do with important pa
pers which he had discovered in the
archives of the interior department some
few weeks ago, and a book that he pro-
posed to write upon his return home.
While in Helena this week Mr. Grin>
nell studiously avoided making any
mention Of the special object of his
visit. He had just returned from trip
through the Blackfoot and Flathead
reservations and to various persons he
met during his stay in that city he
talked interestingly Of what he saw OF
the two historical tribes.
He talked of crops on the reservations
and of mining prospects there. but
maintained a profound reticence when
approached on the subject that interests
him most at present. But it develops
that he made number Of quiet calls
upon Helena men whom he thought
would be likely to furnish the informa-
ton he was in search of. In this he was
disappointed.
Mr. Grinnells visit, it seems, was tho
direct result of discovery made while
looking over papers in the interior de-
partment last spring. He was in search
of certain records upon his favorite sub
ject, the Indians, when he accidental,
run across a document purported to bt
a treaty made between the government
and the Piegan Indians at Fort Benton
September l, 1868.
This was a revelation to him and Il
has been to others who have been in
formed Of the supposed treaty. No sucf
treaty was ever known to be made, anf
Mr. Grinnell Immediately commenced az
investigation. Not satisfied with VIVA
he could learn by correspondence ans
other means he decided to come to Mon
tana.
The supposed treaty bears the sigma
ture of number of white men, an:
Indians, among others, Alex Culbertson
Pierre Cadotte, James B. Hubbell, Bap
tiste Champagne, who We're connected
with the Northwestern Fur company
Malcolm Clarke, Rev. F. Imoda, White
Calf and other Indians. White Calf Wa!
the Piegan chief and was one of thi
most influential Indians of his day.
All of the men whose signatures ap
pear on the alleged treaty are now dead
Mr.. Grinnell also mentioned something
about the connection OF Calf Shirt,
Blood Indian chief, with the treaty, bu
his signature was probably not attache,
to the document.
One Of the surprising things connecte,
with the supposed treaty is the fact tina
In giving up hundreds of miles of terri
tory no consideration is named for tn
great cession the Piegan Indians mad
to the government.
One of the provisions of the treat,
entities every white man married to al
Indian woman to $50 acres of land, blu
the records fail to show single nstanc
where anyone has ever awaited himsel