Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1904-12-02


last issue, detailing the ups and downs
of the News since its establishment A.
Darlington, In that county. on the l2th
Of November, 1ss4by J. q. Jones and
Is. M. Lindley. In 1885 MI. Tucker and
G. w. Pratt purchased the News and
ii 1885, Mr.. Pratt retired, leaving the
present editor In charge. What
wonderful changes have taken place, In
Charles Mix since our old friend Jones
embarked in the newspaper business In
1884, and what wonderful changes had
taken place between 1884 and 1870
whom the writer had his first experience
in politics In that county. and 1t was
lively enough TO form vivid picture OF
frontier life never to be forgotten.
That was the year that Dr.. Burleigh,
Solomon L. Sphinx! and Moses z. Arm.
strong were candidates for delegate In
congress We resided in Yankton and
know the country along the river from
Choteau creek to Joe La Roche's. and
IL was as wild country as ever white
man lived in. It was also the home OF
half breeds and ''squaw man whose
principal occupation was TO sell wood
to steamboats,, steal Indian ponies. sell
whiskey to Indians and gamble. Some
Of the most desperate characters that
ever escaped justice had found home
along the banks Of the Missouri river
in Charles Mix and farther up.
A frontiersman named Kirwip Will
son lived about 8 miles above White
Swan. which at that time was just
opposite Fort Randall The writer got
Wilson to call republican county
convention at his place in Msy 1870.
and the convention Wa held out
on the prairie because there was no
other place big enough TO hold It in.
The night tefore the convention was
held we all met At Papineau's ranch
opposite the mouth of MILESTONE
creek. Pap" as we called him for
short. had big log building about 80
feet deep covered with sod. It was .
general rendezvous for white men,
black men. red men and yellow men
for miles above and below along the
river.
It was as fine crowd of gentlemen
and desperadoes as ever assembled In
the territory that met at Papineau's
that night. They were IL repub-
licans or democrates as suitsd thsiR
fancy, and nearly al Of them 61st-olass
drinkers and gamblers. Old Bfli6s |
Fallis came down from Bijou Hills and
bis crowd numbered over fifty when
they reached Papineau's. and by 9
o'clock fully 200 men were taking their
turn ct Psp's bar. which occupied ono
snd Of the building. By 10 o'clock ev.
ny man in the room, but two was in
proper condition to dance sing and
,hoot, and that was the regular pro-
gram at all such gatherings in those
lays. They drank like white men.
lanced and sang like Indians and shot
It everything in The room but them-
,elves. The thick dirt roof was full of /
bullets and there were hundreds Of
holes in the floor. A clock at one end
# the room was shot to pieces the frs,
half hour of the dance. On the outside
lbout fifty Indians and half breeds were
lancing and singing. They got their
out Of hay stack where
Pspineau put q supply as called for, be.
cause Il was . serious offense to sell or
give liquor to the Indians. Pap put
he liquor in the hay stack and the
Indians found" it. Pap was for Bur.
eigh and Armstrong so far as selling
liquor went. and the jolly old French
man probably voted for both Of them
IN election day. because they voted to
,uit themselves. and no outsider dare
interfere.
Ayoung man named Billy Hobrough
was the head bar artist and when q
thirsty individual called for brandy or I