Rocky Ford enterprise., 1910-04-22

American ofhcer
YES SIR" responded the policeman.
They're a bad lot Where is your escort sta
tioned?"
The trooper smiled family under his mustache.
''Why. Scott's having his horse shod. and l guess
Murray's over getting a drink. They'll be along In
a minute"
And when presently Scott and Murray came
pacidly on the scene, that troop Of cavalry sat on
their horses and watched the band of Indians they
had SO carefully guarded. depart over the yellow
prairie under the charge OF three men.
The American officer watched them dwinde to
a dot across the level. Then his feelings found
speech "Well I'm damned" he said. And the
troop rode away.
Again. old Pie-a.pot and several hundred OF his
tribe making serious trouble along the rai-
road then under construction. and the mounted po-
lice promptly rode out to the Indian village with
order the tribe to break camp and take the trail
to the north. away from the line.
When the policeman explained the order to him.
Piea-pot laughed and turned AWAY. The other In
dians jeered and discharged their guns In the air
The two policemen sat still.
"I will give you Just 10 minutes to comply with
the order" said the sergeant quietly.
When the Is minutes were up. he dismounted
walked over to the chiefs tepee. and with calm de-
liberation kicked the keypole OF the lodge
bringing the whole structure down-poles. war bon
nets. drying skins. kettles and all-n a mscellane
Gus heap
Plea not did some deep and rapid thinking.
gesture to his young men would have sent hun.
dred bullets into each OF the quiet. unrufled men
kicking out the keypole OF each tepee. But the In
dians Of the northwest had learned that sooner or
later justice was done by the mounted police and
Pie-a.pot never made that gesture. He gave in.
and in suen silence the camp collected its scram.
bled effects and turned their ponies heads north.
Not SO fortunate was the attempt Of SerGt Cole
brook TO arrest fugitive Cree Indian named Al
mighty Voice.
Almighty Voice had stolen n steer. and Sergt
Colcbrook. with haIfbreed companion rode across
the prairie to arrest him. The policeman In
sructed the halfbreed to tell the Indian that they
had come him. and that he must go with
them. The Cree replied: Tell him that II he nd.
vances I will kill him"
Instantly the half.breed covered the Indian with
his rifle but Colebrook promptly ordered him to de-
sst. for Almighty Voice must be taken alive. Then
he rode deliberately forward upon the muzzle Of
the Cree's rife, and sooner than submit to the
shame OF arrest. Almighty Voice fired. year la
ter. however. the Indian was surrounded In pit
where he had taken refuge. The police brought up
their field guns and sheed the pit killing Almighty
Voice and thus avenging Sergt Coebrooks death
The outcome OF this Incident served to prevent
rious trouble with the Indians who all In
more less sulky and unsettled mood at the time
How greatly the Indians have come to respect the
Just and impartial administration of the law by the
mounted police was shown when one of Mecasto's
band escaped from the guardroom at Macleod after
having been tried by the police n charge OF theft
and convicted. When he returned to Mecasto's
camp the chief who had attended the trial at which
the fugitive convicted had been deeply i'm
pressed by the impartial nature Of the proceedings
and by the fair administration Of Justice that he
promptly delivered him up again at the fort gate to
the officer in command.
Perhaps the greatest achievement which the po-
lice undertook accomplished when they
persuaded Sitting Bull and his band OF between
five and six thousand hostile Sioux to return and
surrender to the United States authorities when
they had taken refuge in Canada after the memor.
able massacre OF Gen. Custer and his command.
Commissioners from the United States had visited
Sitting Bull and had negotiated with the chief for
his return and surrender, to avail. The police.
however. by infinite tact and diplomacy. and be-
cause in their previous transactions they had
the confidence of the Indians OF the northwest. at
length succeeded In inducing Sitting Bull and his
hostile braves TO return peaceaby to the United
States exploit of which any body Of men might
be proud.
When the Boer war broke out, England called for
the mounted police to help her there. One-third OF
them, practically the pick OF the force went out
Very few OF them ever came back. Many we're Of
fered commissions. and some accepted. Wherever
there is trouble. there the mounted police are the
answer to the problem. they have been In west.
Canada for 30 years. from the time of the Rie
rebellion up 10 to-day.
tired of the loneliness and deserted times;
men who had lost all-love. hope, ambtion-quietly
went away Into the wilderness and blew out their
brains. The life was unsettling: could not
leave 1t and take up clerical work farming. be-
cause adventures not built that way.
But. shadows and all, the story of the Canadian
mounted police Is one OF the most gorgeous tales
since the days OF the Spanish Main. And the spir
It of the force Is best embodied In that message
found scrawled on the orders OF a policeman who
perished in blizzard while making his way with
dispatches to a distant post. In his last moments
dead. Am trying to push ahead Have done my
best"