The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-04-17
TRIP
DOWN THE RIVER
WHEN CAPTAIN LABARGE WAS
ARRESTED ON CHARGE OF
SMUGGLING WHISKEY
His Boat Was Seized and He was
Compelled to Make Overland Trip
to Helena to Get Judicial Order
For Its Release.
BY Martha Edgerton Plassmann

Zen years afCeP my 1lfst COhh-
ing TO Montana / returned, In
company with my cousin, Colonel
Wilbur r. Sanders, to visit his
family in Helena. We left Akron,
Ohio, in February, passing over by
rail nearly the same route from
Omaha we had earlier followed in
covered wagons drawn by oxen.
At Corinne, Utah, we left the rail-
road, and our northward journey
was made by sledge, ierky and mud
wagon. 1t was in the last named
conveyance that we entered Hell
ena.
The capital of Montana was in Its
infancy. There were but few good
houses, and society there was in the
transition stage from pioneer days
and ways. Already there was a con
siderable display of wealth, and en-
tertaining was done in a lavish ia
shion that astonished newcomers.
I spent five pleasant months there
and during that time sang in several
concerts, one of these being given to
buy instruments for the first Helena
band. The selection I gave at this
last was "Ye Merry Birds" 1t was
we'll received and, what was my sur
prise, to be serenaded by the band,
on the arrival of their instruments,
with a rendition of the song l had
contributed towards their purchase.
Mrs. Sanders had planned to go
east in the summer, together with
her mother. Mrs. Fem, her three
boys, James, Wilbur E. and Louis,
and myself. 1t was the middle of
July when we left Helena, and the
last boat of the season had been tele-
graphed to await our arrival at Fort
Benton. We travelled day and night
by stage from Helena to Fort Benton,
an exceedingly tiresome trip, and at
its end, went directly on board the
boat, the Emile LaBarge, according
to my recollection.
I had been told that its captain
brought the first boat up the Mis-
souri, to Fort Mckenzie, fifteen miles
below Fort Benton, and for many
years I believed this to be true. 1t
was a mistake arising from the name,
Captain John LaBarge commanded
the Chippewa, which reached Fort
Mckenzie, July II, 1859. Our cap
tain was the famous Missouri river
pilot, Joseph LaBarge, brother of
John LaBarge. One son Of his acted
as pilot of the Emile, and another
was its clerk.
There were but few passengers. OF
these 1 recall two Catholic Sisters on
a begging visit for the Chicopee Mis-
sion in Minnesota, Miss Culbertson,
Major Culbertson's daughter, and her
brother, Joe, a handsome boy of some
IA years. Joe Culbertson was tax
ing with him a sack of buffalo ton
for some friends of his father.
. few of these never reached their
destination. Miss Culbertson and I
shared them at luncheons kindly pro-
vided for us by the colored steward
ess. It was my last taste of buffalo
tongue, I regret to say.
Under favorable circumstances,
there is, or was, nothing more de-
than a steamboat journey
down the Missouri. Unfortunately,
1873 was a mosquito season, and
these insect pests harassed us every
minute, day and night, unless there
was a strong wind blowing. 1t was
impossible to remain in the cabin of
the boat, even to eat. Its walls were
black with them. We took our meals
On the front deck, where the motion
Of the boat always caused a slight
breeze. But even there we could not
entirely escape them. They drowned
gravy; chanted shrill defiance; and
bit us whenever, and wherever, they
could.
1t was especially hard for the chill
1ren. Louis, the youngest, being but
.hree years old, had a tremendous
voice, all out of proportion to his
lge or size. When bitten, he could
,airly below with the pain 1t caused
lim. We women wore wells, and tied
he sleeves of our coats at our wrists.
But it was useless. Some declared
hey were bitten through their shoes.
Such torture as we endured is hides
,ribable. Only those who have ex-
,erienced it can understand what it
meant.
One morning Captain LaBarge
out of his state room looking
and i'll. On being asked
What allied him, he replied 'Those
mosquitoes will not let me sleep day
II night. In the many years I have
travelled on the Missouri, / never
them so bad as they are now"
it was reported that stock had
killed by them.
When our captain said the mos
that year were the worst he
lad ever known, he spoke from an
experience Of nearly fifty years, dur
ng which time he had been identi-
led with the navigation OF the Mis-
ouri. The story of his adventurous
life has been told in two interesting
-alumes by H. NJ. C%hittenden. That
CHANGED to be on the Emile was
Iue to it's being held up at Fort Ben
on, according to Chittenden, by Mr.
:. D. Hard, deputy U. S. marshal,
u%b-Indian agent, and special Indian
effective at that point, who arrested
LaBarge on a charge of SELL
ng and trading whiskey on Indian
e~servations. Chittenden says the
was not allowed to introduce
ny evidence in self-defense. Hard
hen seized the boat and turned 1t