The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-05-22
By Martha Edgerton Plassmann

LII the american III
wv companies undertook t,
y trade with the Indians O
the Rocky mountains, their sue
cess was dependent, in no small
degree, on the help they received
from interpreters. In some in
stances these were white men, who
had formerly been employees of The
British fur companies, which frs.
controlled this lucrative field, anC
dispatched their trappers far anc
wide over it. Either from being
brought into contact with the In
dams during their wanderings, OF
while living for brief periods at
the company posts, these mel
learned the language of one OF
more tribes, frequently from their
wives, as we may designate the
squaws they bought, or otherwise
acquired.
Right here it should be explained
that according to Indian customs
and ideas of morality, these squaws
were legally married and their chill
dren could not justly be considered
illegitimate.
Among the white interpreters.
one of the most noted is Berger.
through whose tactful negotiations
trade was opened with the Black
feet. He is frequently mentioned
in the records of early days of the
upper Missouri country.
Other interpreters were mixed
bloods, or whites who had, gen
orally for the best of reasons, for
sworn civilized life, and become
members of Indian tribes. The
subject of this sketch, Edward
Rose, belonged to this latter class,
and his life-what is known of it
is but another proof that a change
of environment often works a radi-
cal change in character.
His birthplace is not given, but
it was probably in the lower Mis-
sissippi region, as he was the son
of a white father, and a mother
who was half negro and half Cher
With the blood of three
races in his veins, and reared in a
slave section, it is not strange that
he became an outlaw. 1t is said
that he belonged to one of the
gangs of bandits who infested the
islands of the Mississippi, and lived
on the loot they secured from pass
ing boats or travellers on shore.
Perhaps it was at this period of
IS career that his nose was slashed,
gave him the nickname of
.ez Coupe Rose. From Irving's
description of him, his appearance
must have been f%orbidding. He
says he was "a logged, %sullen, 81
ent fellow" and looked more like
/ savage than a civilized man, but
did not like him.
Joshua Pitcher, in 1928, calls
lin a "noted outlaw who left this
COUNTRY in chains ten years ago."
f this is true, Rose managed toI
rec himself of the chains when he
led to the Grow country, where he
IDENTIFIED himself with the tribe,
ook to wife a Crow woman, and
vas made a chief. He first acted
S interpreter for Wilson P. Hunt
n his journey through the Crow
For some unexplained
eason Hunt was afraid of him and
id not employ him after leaving
he Crows. +
We next hear of Rose as an en- /
loye of the Missouri Fur Com {
any. In 1920, or about that time, !
left the Crows, and went to live /
18th the Aricaras. Here he acted I
S interpreter for Ashley, whom ]
e served faithfully. Had Ashley q
eeded the advice of Rose, he :
-ould not have been defeated by '
lie Aricaras, nor lost to them his ?
lrge stock of furs. Rose told him :
could not trust the Indians that $
ley were deceitful, and processing t
friendship for him that was not | !
enuine. Ashley thought his own . !
ldgment was better than that of d
mere interpreter, and paid hea- h
.ly for his mistake. 1
After his defeat, Ashley retreat g