The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-12-26

A WAY I'D on the head of Horse
n Prairie, in Bloody Dick gulch
4 \ is an old deserted shaft of &
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 was worked, the
last men to descend into the shaft
finding the skeletons of dozen OF
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 dozen or
more Bannack braves, as well as of
few squaws and pappooses.
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 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 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.
self, beef would be killed and the
Indians would have war dance at
the feast. To cap the climax, some
wandering buck would often steal up
to a band of cattle which had been
fbedded down" by the herders, and
stampede 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 |
II.
have it, the cowboys were the best
armed and the handiest with their
in the course of a few
weeks two Bannack bucks had ''bit-
ten the dust"
At that time the Bannack Indians
were supposed to be peaceful and
to the whites, and these
depredations on the cowboys camp
were generally committed by a few
young bucks who were not-headed
and eager for a chance to make
name for themselves. Should any of
them get hurt, they would not dare
go back to the tribe with their
for fear of ridicule.
The cowboys at the Horse Prairie
anch were also supposed to be peace
Jul. They knew that if the Bannack
.ribe should learn that they had
'potted" few of their bucks, the
whole tribe would descend upon the
lamp, with the likelihood that the
Whole outfit of cowboys would be
wiped out of existence. Besides that
he authorities might take a hand in
became apparent.
Olo VI lie UOyS, III Ills TlutllS, udu
discovered the old shaft at he Mon ,
Iment 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 !
yas being discussed he spoke OF the :
Id shaft and it was unanimously !
dopted for the purpose in mind.
This was at time when the cow 7
oys had two Indians stretched on r
he prairie on their last sleep, for /
hitch concealment was desired, and
wo of the cowboys were detailed that G
light to transport the dead bucks to /
ne new burying ground. The task T
-as easily accomplished and before h
lidnight the old shaft had received I
S first occupants. v
Throughout the summer an Indian i
ould be missing from the Lemhi 3
gency from time to time, and it was O
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