The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-12-25

A WA1 up Oh Tic u6dQ OIL f1OTS6
IA Prairie, in Bloody Dick gulch,
\ is an old deserted shaft of a
long-abandoned mine which is record
ed as the Monument claim. 1t was
owned by Joe Keppler but it has been
many years since it al worked, the
last men to descend into the shaft,
finding the skeletons of a dozen or
more Indians, whose grinning skulls
drove the miners away in fright. Nor
di dthey return with the idea of re-
Stunning work and to this day the old
shaft is the sepulchre of a dozen or
more Bannack braves, as we'll as of
a few squaws and pappoeses.
The time of the killings dates back
to the seventies, the year after the
Bannacks went on the warpath, stole
a lot of horses and killed a number of
~defenseless families and freighters.
That was in the summer of 1878, and
the following year, Phil Shenan and
Cy Mulkey ranged a number of cat
tie on the Horse Prairie. At that
time quite a number of cowboys were
kept with the cattle and it was not
long until war was declared between
the cowboys and the passing Indians.
The cowbays who herded these cat
tie were not of the Mail Order
House" species, but they were old
time boys who had crossed the plains
during the strenuous times-who,
when they shot, aimed to kill.
On several occasions, the Indians
had robbed their camp when they
were away looking for cattle, and
when the opportunity presented it.
z&Jc I-Nf v@,,I H. I~s11@l 21I 49,
Indians would have a var dance at
the feast. To cap the climax, some
wandering buck would often steal up
a band of cattle which had been
"bedded down" by the herders, and
them so it would necessi-
tate many hours work and hard rid
ing to bring them back to their prop
er grazing grounds.
Things went from bad to worse,
and one day the foreman of the cow
boys was shot at by one of the sneak
ing reds. The bullet came near pass
ing through his leg, and as it was,
his saddle pony was shot from under
him. Then the fued was on in earn
est, and neither the cowboy nor the
Indian wasted an opportunity to pot
shot one another. AS luck would
have it, the cowboys were the best
armed and the handiest with their :
rifles-and, in the course of a few
weeks two Bannack bucks had "bit-
ten the dust"
At that time the Bannack Indians
supposed to be peaceful and
friendly to the whites, and these
Expectations on the cowboys camp
we're generally committed by a few
young bucks who were h~ot-headed
Ind eager for a chance to make a
for themselves. Should any of
hem get hurt, they would not dare
90 back to the tribe with their
roubles for fear of ridicule.
The cowboys at the Horse Prairie
anch were also supposed to be peace
'ul. They knew that if the Bannack
ribe should learn that they had
'potted" a few of their bucks, the
whole tribe would descend upon the
amp, with the likelihood that the
whole outfit of cowboys would be
wiped out of existence. Besides that
he authorities might take a nand in
he affair. So, the need for a private
graveyard became apparent.
One of the boys, in his riding, had
discovered the old shaft at The Mon
lment mine. He had taken the
rouble to examine it and had found
is depth to be about 100 feet. When
he subject of a suitable graveyard
vas being discussed he spoke of the
I'D shaft and it was unanimously
for the purpose in mind.
This was at a time when the cow
'oys had two Indians stretched on
he prairie OF their last sleep, for
which concealment was desired, and
of the cowboys were detailed that
light to transport the dead bucks to
he new burying ground. The task
vas easily accomplished and before
Midnight the old shaft had received
IS first occupants.
Throughout the summer an Indian
'ould be missing from the Lemhi
gency from time to time, and it was
go 1890