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

California Joe fss Old Of 5ni % Ssssts'i T sss N sf

troops were distributed to various winter
quarters. A new expedition was organized
under General Mackenzie Of the Fourth
Cavalry, to push into the Big Horn cOun-
try and round up scattered bands Of North
ern Cheyennes and Sioux, whO were still
active in that section, and California Joe
was selected as chief scout.
There was employed in the post butcher
shop at Fort Robinson a mar named New
comb or Neukem, with whom Joe had had
some trouble. But the day before the expi-
ditiOn was to leave, the two met at the
post traders, where they had a few drinks
and apparently became good friends. About
5 p. m. California Joe was standing on the
banks Of the White River with some COM
rades, when suddenly NewcOmb appeared
at the corner of the quartermasterS corral,
and without warning shot Joe through the
back with a Winchester. Joe died instantly.
NewcOmb was thrown into the guardhOuse,
and l had the remains Of the old scout
carried to the post hospital, where l made
an autopsy on my old friend.
when Mackenzie's expedition marched
past the hospital next morning, California
Joe was resting in his coffin in front Of
the hospital, with the flag draped over
him.. l found memoranda in his clothing
that he was Moses Miner of Kentucky,
and I placed a red cedar headbOard with
the inscription, Moses Miner of Kentucky
California joel, murdered October, 1876
over his grave on the banks Of the White
River.
"As the law required, we notified the
authorities of the nearest organized county
(HOlt) % miles away, in Eastern Nebraska,
of the affair. o days elapsing, and no
one appearing, we were Obliged to turn
NewcOmb loose, and rigid army discipline
prevented his just l%ynching, and he is now
living at Gardiner, Montana, as a hunting
guide. Thus ended the life of the most
reliable scout of the northwest"
Captain Luther H. North, of Columbus,
Nebraska, brother of Major Frank North
organizer and commander of the famous
"NOrth's Pawne Scouts" and himself a
lieutenant in that organization during its
entire enlistment, has sent the writer the
following interesting letter regarding Cali
columbus, Neb., March 80, 1925.
my Dear Mr.. BrininstOOl:
Your letter. just came, and I will tell
you what l know about California Joe.
Il thought when / wrote to an Eastern
magazine several years ago. that l was
the last man to talk to California Joe be-
fore he was murdered, but perhaps not.
when we got to Fort Robinson, after
capturing Red Cloud, we camped on the
creek about a mile below the fort, and
Joe came down to see my brother never
had seen Joe befOre). He ate supper with
us, and soon after went back up to the
fort, saying he would come back in the
morning.
Just after he left, my brother got or
derS to send some men with the horses
that we had taken from Red Cloud, t.
Fort Laramie. Frank took twenty men an6
started at once, about 8 o'clock. l think
there were 722 head of ponies, and before
noon the next day he had them at Laramie
ninety miles from Robinson. / was tt
come on the next day with the rest Of the
men.
when 1 was breaking camp the mex
morning, Joe came down. He was on foot
l told him about Frank having gone, anC
as soon as we got loaded up, we started
l bade Joe gOOdby, and he started bacl
for the fort.
"There was a company of infantry tina
had started for Laramie that morning
ahead o fine, and one Of the lieutenant
had stayed behind for some reason. Whei
1 had gone about ten miles, this office
overlook me and rode with me for som
distance. He said:
There was a killing at the fort thi
morning. California Joe was shot
Il replied. Why, he was at my cam
when / left
1.-The officer replied, Well, some fellOv
shot him in the back when be was on hi
way to the fort
This was the only time 1 ever saw Cali
fOrnia Joe. AS l remember him he was
man over six feet tall and powerfully built
had black hair, turning gray, and a heav
growth of beard all over his face. He wa
dressed in an ordinary civilian suit G