The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-08-12
WAS NOT POPULAR WITH NORTH
ERN PIONEERS.
SAW CYPRESS HILL FIGHT
Sought to Have Participants Extra.
dited to Canada on Charge
of Murder.

Sometime ago inquiries were receive
ed here concerning Abel Farwell, who
at n time made his home here
abouts. 1t seems that similar inquir-
les were made Of parties in other
parts of the state, with the result that
some. OF the men who knew him in the
early days of the territory have been
recalling many incidents of his some
what checkered career. He appears
to have been best known in the north
ern part of Montana and some Of the
stories now told of him would Indicate
that he was not one of the most pop-
ular men of the many who helped to
make history in those stirring days.
All agree, however, that he was n
or the bravest men who ever crossed
he Missouri. 1t is recalled that for
weeks he went alone and unarmed
among the men who were concerned
in the Cypress hills Indian fight and
whom he sought to have sent across
the border to be tried in Canada for
murder. Of this incident. the Benton
River Press has the following story:
The extradition proceedings in
Helena which this cast involved were
the cause celebre of the state for
many years and for three weeks we're
watched with an eager interest only
comparable to that manifested by
Butte people in the big mining suits
Sc important to Silver Bow county.
When w. E. Cullen, the commission
or before whom the hearing was held,
decided to release the prisoners. his
action started a celebration which
even Senator Clark's little blowout
two years ago could not eclipse.
IN the early seventies Farwell had
a little trading post in the Cypress
hills. SO miles north of the interna-
tional boundary. At that time the
line had not been surveyed and that
country was all supposed to be in
Montana. In the fall of 1870 John H.
Evans, Trevanion Hale, Tom Hard
wick, E. j. Devereux, Ed Grace, a
nephew of Mayor Grace of New York,
George Bell. Ed Smith and other old
~Bentonites, were trading with the In
dams between the Marias and the
South Saskatchewan when a big war
party of Bloods, Blackfeet and Stonies
stole a lot OF horses from them. The
irate traders pursued the thieves and
overlook them at Farwell's post. A.
fight followed the attempt to make
them give up the horses, Ed Grace
and about 20 of the Indians being kill
ed.
In 1873 the boundary was surveyed
and the mounted police took charge
of Canadian affairs. Farwell laid COM
plant against the traders mentioned
for the murder of the Indians and ex-
tradition proceedings were started in
the fall of 1875. The case brought
out the greatest array of legal talent
ever engaged in one suit in the ter
Ny SOIOA4Cl w. l.. oduCIS WdS
chief counsel for the Canadian gov
eminent and the prisoners were rep
resented by Chumasero & Chadwick,
Toole & Johnson, and Shober &
Lowry. Fol- three weeks the taking
of testimony was continued and the
sole effort of the defense was to break
down the testimony of Farwell, the
sole eyewitness for the prosecution.
Numerous witnesses were brought 10
impeach his %veracity, and on the
showing made the prisoners were re-
leased. In addressing the commits
sioner ,one of the counsel for the de-
tense said: If your honor please,
you are certainly not going to turn
over the tender mercies of the Ca
madam government these brave and
hardy citizens of Montana upon the
evidence of Abe Farwell, an informer
who will hereafter be known as a
man to whom the woods will deny a
shelter, the earth a grave, and heaven
a God!'"