Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-13

TIME history of the west
contains the names OF
many 'bad men, who
feared neither God, man nor
the devil, and whose records
are written in the blood of
their victims. The fur trade
furnished it's quota Of this type
and, of those whose names
were long held in terror along
the reaches Of the upper Mis-
souri, nearly a century ago,
the boldest and most reckless
desperate undoubtedly was
Alexander Harvey.
Harvey came up the river as
an employee of the American
Fur company in the early '30s,
about the time the western
branch of that concern. including Fort
Union, was sold to Pratte, Chouteau &
Co, and was placed under the manage
ment of Major Alexander Culbertson,
who later built Fort Benton, and who.
more than any other trader, held the
confidence of the Blackfeet Indians.
Six feet tall and powerfully built. Har-
vey was wholly devoid of fear. and.
while often he was disposed to be fair
and reasonable, he had a perverse and
unruly temper. which. once aroused.
made him a brute. As an enemy, he
was relentless and unIorgivlng.
Major Culbertson. admiring the
mans fearlessness. found a place for
him at Fort Mckenzie. the most re-
mote of the company's posts, where he
remained for several years and in 1910
was left in charge for a time. Here
he committed his first murder. shooting
an in~offensive employe of the COM
pany. Potts, after forcing his victim to
kneel before HIM. Harvey reported that
Potts had been killed by a Blackfeet
Indian. and none had the temerity to
contradict his statement.
Brutal and lntolerant
Later in that year Harvey was sent
to Fort Union with the accumulation
of furs from Fort Mckenzie. He had
with him an employee of the company.
Sandoval, with whom he quarreled.
After reaching Fort Union, while in the
company's store. Sandoval turned from
a counter to find himself looking into
the muzzle of Harvey's pistol. He
begged for mercy. but received none.
Harvey shot him through the head and
he died in a few hours.
Returning to Fort Mckenzie. his be-
havior toward the other employees of
the firm continued to be so brutal and
intolerant that all refused to remain
there with him. and word was sent to
st. Louis that he would have TO be got
ten rid of in some way. Pierre Chou
teau, one of the members of Pratte,
Chouteau & Co., sent him his discharge,
and in order. to insure his early depart
ure requested Harvey to report in per-
son at st. Louis.
1t was at Christmas time before the
discharge arrived, and at that season
of the year it was considered madness
to undertake a long journey through
the wilderness. But Harvey. in spite
of the dangers of the undertaking,
prepared Mt once to start on the jour
ney of $500 miles through a desolate
country. Taking his rifle and a large
dog to carry his blankets. he set out
and reached st. Louis early in March.
Chouteau was so much impressed with
the performance that he actually re
newed Harvey's engagement. As it
was then about time for the annual
steamboat to start up the river for
Fort Union. Harvey made ready to re-
Turn at olcP. VII Ills WAY I'D Inc river /
he remarked several times that he had
several settlements to make with the
gentlemen who had caused him his long
winters tramp.
Evens Up Score With Enemies
Arrived on the Upper Missouri once
more, Harvey kept an eye out for those
whom he suspected of any completely
in the movement against him. He
found one man at Fort Clark and gave
him an unmerciful beating. At Fort
Union he found several more, and as
fast as he could single them out he
would knock them down and beat them
almost to death 4
Possessing real ability as a trader.
Harvey remained in the employ of the !
company for some years. but he had
aroused the hatred of most of the other
employees and there were no doubt nu-
merous plots to take his life. all Of
which. however. failed. In 1871 he was
sent dow from Fort Union to Pierre
with mackinaw boats laden with furs
With him was sent n Spaniard, one
Isodoro, who was a bitter enemy of {
Harvey. The latter kept a careful
watch on the Spaniard's actions and
gave him no chance to carry out any
plan to kill Harvey he might have
made. But on the return to Fort
lniOn. lSOdOrO opened nOStllltleS IN q
earnest and threatened to shoot Har- t
vey. Harvey. in the presence of Major '
Culbertson and others. shot and killed G
Isodoro While the latter was unarmed G
and then challenged any one to take L
up the Spaniard's quarrel. No one a
dared TO do so, however. }
Later in the year Major Culbertson \
who had been successful in the difficult s
task of building up a trade with the d
warlke and hostile Blackfeet, was Or I
dered to leave the upper Missouri +
and go TO Fort Laramie to revive a
the declining fortunes of that post. He
protested against being sent there O
pointing out that he had the Blackfeet a
situation well in hand and that the c
valuable trade with that tribe might be Il
easily lost if it We're not given careful Il
attention. His protests were not ii
however, and his place at Fort "
Mckenzie, where he was then estab- d
llshed. was taken by an INSCRIPTIONS
and desperate character. Chardon. who =,
was a close friend Of Harvey. Their :,
policy in dealing with tho :,
Indians almost wrecked the company's y
fur trade with the Rlackfeet ~