The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-05-08

A scene on the Rocky Boy Indial
far from Havre. 1t is a pretty cour
and trapping. They also cut cord
wood for the contractors who had the
contracts to furnish the fort.
In June, 1888, the country east
of the Marias and north of the Mis-
souri, rivers, which was a part of the
Blackfeet and eros Ventres Indian
reservations, was thrown open to set
Element. The stockmen soon brought
in herds of cattle and flocks of
sheep; the game was rapidly destroy
ed and exterminated by both the In
dams and whites and it was not long
until the Indians were in a p~recari-
Gus condition. Different winters the
authorities at Fort Assinniboine is
sued rations to them.
The Indians turned to many eX-
pedients to live and many of us can
remember the numbers who met all
trains, selling polished buffalo horns
and bead work to the travellers.
Gradually the tribe split up and ga
thered in small camps in the vicin-
ity of the larger cities, living off the
discarded rubbish of the white folks,
eating refuse from the slaughter
houses and animals that had died
from natural or unnatural causes, the
-carcasses of which had not been des-
troyed.
Lax Morals
In the meantime, there came about
a laxity of morals among the Indians.
In fact they became a menace to the
l. = --I - H. L.4
pie.
To remedy these conditions, Mon
tana city authorities decided to ap-
peal to congress for relief. Real
izing that these Indians were rightly
the wards of Canada, our representa-
tives in Washington succeeded in get
ting the state department to take up
the question of returning these peo-
pie to the country from which they
came. The British ambassador was
notified of the condition existing and
a demand was made that Canada take
back her people and r for them.
This program was decided upon and
the British agreed to have a detach-
ment of troops meet the Indians at
the Canadian boundary if they were
delivered there by the American au-
thorities.
Pershing Detailed to Job |
The story is familiar to the Mon
tana reading public of how the gath
ering up of these scattered Indian
families was detailed to Lieut.. John
]. P~ershing, then an officer of the
10th cavalry stationed at Fort ASSN
niboine. 1t is a matter of local his
tory how effectually he did this job.
However, it is not so well known how
the deportation finally came out.
My information is not official, but
Indian and soldier talk, and it is not
my intention to vouch for all of it,
but I give the story as I have CLEAN
ed it from different sources the last
20 years.
1t appears that in spite of the will
ingness of the Canadian government
TO accept and care for their hayward
many of the Indians feared to
to Canada for fear of the ven-
seance of the fathers and husbands
If their victims in the Riel rebel
ion. I know of n Indian who
suicide while the roundup
conducted by General pershing was
.aking place, rather than return to
However, by dint of much riding
effort, they were finally rounded
Up and started towards Canada,
by some 800 regulars from
Fort Assinniboine.
The story goes that our army Off
:ers, relying upon the assurance of
he British ambassador that a de-
achment of British troops would
meet them at the boundary, took
long considerable quantities of re-
reshments such as soldiers in all
arts of the world relish, and that
he mess supplies and refreshments
we're carefully husbanded during the
rip so that ample quantities would
% on hand when American officer
act British officer. In fact so spar-
ng was the use of the refreshments
hat a real drought prevailed on the
ray to the border.
Canada's "Troops''
Arriving at the designated time
place of meeting, the commando
r of the American forces with his
taft rode forth to meet the CONF
of the British. What was the
urprise and chagrin of our warriors
hen, up to the agreed locality rode
solitary mounted police sergeant
sked if he was the detachment of
.ritish troops he replied: mo, in
eed, I have with me one policeman.
left him in camp washing the
reakfast dishes"
1t appears that the Canadians we're
0 more anxious to secur the return
{ the prodigals than the people of
-ontana were to keep them and had
)nsidered that they were fulfilling