The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-11-05

clothes, and my impression is that he wore
a cloth cap, but l am. not sure. He was not
very talkative.
when Frank introduced us, he grinned
and said:
1.-The major thinks so much of me that
he used to cOmS and see me every day.
ut SENS that the year before 0S75) or
maybe the spring of 1875, Joe started to
Hills, and the troops stopped them at Fort
Laramie. There were several other parties
which were stopped there. They camped
along the Platte River, waiting for the
government to conclude a treaty with the
Indians to allow them to proceed. Frank
was chief Of scouts, guide and interpreter.
at the time at Fort d. A. Russell, and he
was sent to Laramie, and every day was
sent out to patrol the river and see that
none of them crossed. That was what Joe
meant by saying that the major thinks so
much Of me that he used to come and see
me every day."
California Joe's experience in California
consisted principally of mining around
Suffers Fort, IN the Marshall diggings.
until 1852. After that, he went to Oregon.
where he took up $40 acres of land in Ben
ton county, twelve miles west Of Corvallis,
near Wren Station. This ranch is known
today as the "Old Miner place." Here four
of California JOe's sons were ~bOrn-Edgar
A, October l, 1853; George, February II,
1855; Charley, February Is, 1857 and Eu-
gene, March IL, 1859.
While in Oregon, Joe ran a pack train
from Benton county to the mines in South
ern Oregon. He made three trips in all,
then in 1857 went back to Missouri and
Kentucky, returning with his wife's sister
Joe acquired a valuable Kentucky mare
while in that country, which he took along
on the return trip to Oregon. This animal
became quite famous as a race horse, and
Joe pitted the animal against all cOmpeti-
tors and always wOn, save once.
On the occasion of losing a race, it ap-
pears that at Corvallis, the animal was
"salted." When Joe discovered the tricl
that had been perpetrated against him. hf
promptly belted on his old s~ix-shOOter
hunted up the man and shot him.
The year 1860 found California Joe al
Walla Walla, Washington. After a briei
%sOjOurn there, he went to Northern Idaho
where new diggings promised good re,
turns. 1t is claimed that Joe founded the
town of Mount Idaho and cut a toll road
into the new diggings. After remaining
there two years, and cleaning up some
100000, Joe sold out in order that he
might go to the Montana gold mines.
A rather uncalled-fOr killing alleged Il
have been done by Joe occurred dcring hi
stay at Mount Idaho. 1t is stated that {
stranger rode up to JOe's shack one even
ing, and that Joe fed his animal and ken.
the man all night, n the following morn
Ing the stranger left without offering Il
SETTLE. Joe took after him, and report haI
1t, shot the man off his horse. The wOunC
was mortal. Joe asked why the man ha,
49, 49, 20 AA6 Ao bAAAs LAC
was, 81 was broke" Joe replied, 81 neve
turned anybody away that was broke. YOr
should have reported yOur condition t.
me" The story goes that the stranger die
a few minut later and that Joe burieI
him where he fell.
After JOe's arrival IN Montana, he file
on a couple of claims not very far frOI
Virginia City. Building a small shack h
worked in the diggings for a time, gOin
to Virginia iCty for supplies as needed.
Returning to his claim one day afte
one of these trips, he was surprised {
see three men on his claim. Joe rode u
to the cabin, which was at the edge Of
small creek, and observed that the rifle
Of the men were stacked against the cabil
The spokesman Of the claim-jumpers ha
a pistol in his belt, the other two havin
no small arms. Joe had his rifle strappe
on the side of his mule, but carried tw
pistols in his belt.
Joe ordered the men off his claim, sayin
it belonged to him. Hot words fOllowe,
and finally Joe pulled his two guns an