Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-02-02

| eh0lS dAo looh over lue prospects.
There was a boat running between
Bismarck and Fort Stephenson.
Mr.. Casselberry looked up the cap.
tain of the boat, whom he found in
a saloon and gambling house-the
two being usually combined in the
region - and asked him when he
would make the trip. The captain
pointed to pile of money before
! him.
Dunno he answered. "I've made
$500 here since yesterday morning,
and it wouldn't pay me to run the
boat while my luck lasts"
! So Mr.. Casselberry sought out a
man and a blackboard and a team OF
horses. The start was made lust be-
fore dark.
The only habitation on the whole
journey was that of man known
only as Bill Mercer. Bill was a
bright looking, vel leducated chap,
very patiently out of his element in
the rough region in which he lived,
It was believed that he had "done
suthin'," but they were not curious
IN the Dakotas in those days.
The trader reached Bills ranch
at daybreak, and unable to rouse
Bill by pounding the game-hung door
1.-THE small shack, Mr.. Casselberny
hred his rifle, the usual method of
announcing the presence of some
BODY. About 500 feet from the shack
was huge haystack. There was a
cautious movement on the top of the
stack and Bill appeared rifle in hand
When he learned that all that was
wanted was breakfast for men and
horses he threw down the gun and
became chef. He explained that he
felt safer sleeping on the haystack
4 as no one could approach him there
without beeing seen.
I There were about 5000 Sioux at
Standing Rock at this time. To pro.
vide them with meat the government
mad 100 steers slaughtered every two
weeks. Killing day was one of the
treats in the Indians life.
The 100 steers were driven into a
corral on the east side of the river
and a thousand Indians with their
PILES would post themselves at the
fence. After the cattle were shot
down the Indians would stack their
rifles and leap over the fence and
dress them, occasionally eating a
tongue or other sayory morsel on the
spot. After the chiefs had made the
distribution the squaws dragged the
meat home
! Saturday afternoon was the race
day at the post. The officers sta
toned there would cross the river on
this day to watch the Indians run
their ponies. There We're two ponies
IN particular which were the stars
OF the local racing.
/ After some pickering with their
indian owner Mr.. Casselberry bought
these two ponies to ship to his stable
IN Philadelphia. The money was paid
after the races one Saturday after.
noon and the ponies turned into a
corral near the fort to wait for the
Monday boat to Sioux City, where
they would be put on the train.
Sunday afternoon Mr.. Casselberry
took some officer friends to the cor
raj to see his purchase but there was
no sign of the ponies. He neye,
heard of them again an dali effort to
lind their former owner failed.
: On one of his trips later Mr.. Cas-
selberry met Gen. Custer at st. Paul
and went through to Fort Lincoln
with him. On the train, not far from
JlmtoWn, they encountered man
with team of horses hitched to A
wagon and two colts running along
SIDE
The colts, frightened at the train,
left their dams and their master he
hind and raced off to keep ahead of
the noisy, strange monster. After
a race of half mile a point was
reached where the railroad ran very
close to the river and the colts, an
parently noticing nothing but the
train, fell head over heels into the
water. They clambered out again,
however, and were soon after the
train.
so the engine was stopped, and the
conductor, Gen. Custer and Mr.. Cas-.
selberry succeeded in getting the
colts in a corral. Son the owner on
one of the mares came tearing down
the track and took the colts back
with him.
On their arrival at Fort Lincoln,
Mr.. Casselberry spent the night with
Gen. Custer and his officers and the
next morning started for Standing
Rock. Within day or so Custer be-
gan his advances against Sitting