The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1905-08-02
MAJOR WALSH Is DEAD.
Former Chief Of Northwest Mounted
Police Well known In Montana.

oun the death OF Major J ames Nj.
Walsh, who was chief of the North.
west Mounted Police in the seventies,
and who rendered valuable services
to early day residents Of northern
Montana by hunting down bands of
Indian raiders, horse thieves and
other lawless characters who infested
the country at that time. a brief
sketch of Major Walsh's career is
given in part as follows:
James Morrow Walsh was the old.
est son of the late Louis Walsh. Of
Prescott, and was born there on May
p, 1S4l. He was therefore In his 65th
year. When quite a young mar he
e into the brokerage business in
his native town. and made a success
OF it. as he did of everything else he
undertook during his life.
Military matters always had for him
a special attraction. He joined the
56th regiment and helped to place it
on a good footing. Then he orga-
nized the Prescott Cavalry Troop, an
organization still ia existence. He
brought his cavalry corps to such a
high degree Of perfection that he was
specially complimented by Lord Duff
feriu and other prominent men who
saw them parade under his command.
This latter organization brought him
into such prominence that when the
Northwest Mounted Police was orga.
nized he was offered and accepted a
commission a. captain. This was in
1918. At that time it was no easy task
to reach western Canada, as the triI
had to be made overland by the Daw.
son route from Port Arthur west. HI
bravely encountered all the trials and
hardships that had to be undergone
on the western prairie at that time, anC
50 ably did he perform the duties al
lotted to him that he was soon pro
NOTED to the rank of of inspector, and
was afterward in command at Woo
Mountain. 1t was while there that hi
met Sitting Bull, the warlike Indiar
tiiASis "a nc DoaN W ~ .
was largely through his tactful diplO
macy that Sitting Bull was kept il
subsection and finally induced to sur
render. He remained with the North
west Mounted Police until 1889, when HI
retired from the service, and wen
into the coal business at Winnipes
and Port Arthur, with headquarters a
the former city.
=, Ia 1897, when the attention of tn,
, whole civilized world was attracted b!
the discovery of gold in the Yukon
and 1t became necessary for the Do
miniOn government to established la,
. and order in that northern land, Ma.
y Walsh was requested by Hon. Clitfor
9 SiftOn, then minister of the interior
' to take the position of governor OF tn
9 : territory. 1t was felt that a long ex
= perience with the Northwest MOUNTS
> Police in the west e%minently fitted hir
for the duties peculiar to such a posi-
ton, AT first he declined the honor
= but finally at the earnest solicitation
g OF the government, he consented. II
left Brockville 10 September of tbs
q year, and after u long and tediou
trip, in the course of which man
e hardships had to he endured and diff
~culties overcome, he and his part
reached Dawson City. He prove
g himself an able administrator an
soon law and order prev allied through
. out the country over which he ha
q jurisdiction. Having firmly establishe
q system OF government, he returne
n from the Yukon in August, 1898, aftt
au absence of nearly IA year. Sin.
10 then he has resided at Brockville.
1t Maj. Walsh was Of the mo
genial Of men-One whom it vas a
1t ways a pleasure to meet. He was We
reao, add a most interesting conve
st salist, aud few had u grea.er fund
ID inform alton, especially re~gardin
western Canada.