The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1926-08-20

young man of remarkable physique,
tall, muscular, and with the natural
military bearing. Colonel James T.
Stanford had been a member Cf the
Mounted Police but a few months,
and he had been brought across the
line to this memorable hearing in the
capacity of clerk. He was delegated
to make a complete transcript of all
the testimony received at Helena,
which he did and by long hand. He
returned with his commanding Offic-
ers to the detachment headquarters
following the close of the trial.
Many men who were residents of
Montana at the time have expressed
the opinion that there was no doubt
concerning the guilt Of these men,
but so bitter was the feeling against
the Indians in those days, that al
most any act against them would
have been excused. Feeling in Hell
ena was almost overwhelmingly in
favor of the accused men and opposed
to the Canadian officials. The night
of the acQuittal, the streets of Helena
were ablaze with bOnfires, and ,ac-
cOrding to Colonel Stanford, by mid
night Main street and the sidewalks
were so thickly strewn with drunken
c~elebratOrs that passage through was
difficult.
This happened in 1875. It is hard
to conceive that just fifty years ago
conditions and public opinion we're
so drastically different than in the
modern era. In this respect, it is
well to remember that Montana Ter
ritOry was then but ten years old;
J, that the territory, and especially the
northern part thereof was very
sparsely settled. The redmen were
in the majority in most of the north
ern communities, and different hap.
penings and misunderstanding had
4 served to engender this bitter race
hatred. The feeling against the
/ northern tribes was exceedingly bit.
ter.
For years the more irresponsible
l element of the whites, seeking re
venge for, in the main, imagin
+. airy injustices, had carried on a sOr
: of guerilla warfare, which was, ma
turally met and returned by the ma
: tive race. There were circulated
many fabulous tales of lonely partie
= of white trappers and prOspectOr
: being attacked and killed by the In
q dams. This resulted in a genera
cO~gniZance of the old miscOnceivel
1 idea that 'the only good Indian wa
4 a dead Indian" and felt warrante
= in waging relentless warfare agains
the tribesmen.
War (?) With the BlacHfeet
Much historical mention has bee
made of the "BIackfeet War" of tn
seventies, but I have yet to find an
Legitimate record of such a wa
ever having occurred. 1t was, for th
most part, in my opinion, a pOOrl
managed and misguided attempt o
the part of the military and tn
~citizenry to avenge the ~atrOciOT
murder of Malcolm Clarke, If we al
to be guided by all available histO.
icaI record Of these events.
No general war seems to have bee
Waged and Notwithstanding tn sta
of affairs that existed, the Indian
who were members of hostile banC
of Piegans, BlOOds and Crees visite
Fort Benton and other white traI
tLAk 6GLeAGul6uI6 LOI LLduAnh UuA W
les and left unmOlested, while whit
often visited the Indian camps vii
limpunity. It is interesting to SUI
marize the events leading up to Il
~deplOrable condition Of affairs whit
illuminated in the Cypress Hills ma
sacre.
During the winter Of 186A-65 Il
Piegans attacked and burned 81
agency buildings at Sun River CrOS
ing, completely breaking up the age
icy. The agent was driven to 70
Benton. Soon after this, a party
twelve men including John Neube.
John Morgan and Joseph Spearso
lstarted out from Fort Benton on
Indian hunt, capturing three p
gans whom they hanged to cOttO
wood trees along Sun river.
During this same wintsr, the P.
gans committed a murder which car
ed much excitement IA Fort BentC
greatly adding 60 the bitterness
feeling existed between the two rae
"A German clerk, named Hunicke,
the employ Of Carroll g Steele
Fort Benton, and well liked
the community, accompanied by
Frenchman known as Petit @
(Little Cray, left Benton for
eros Ventres' camp on Milk river WI
the purpose OF recovering q uumt
Ot stolen horses. They we're succe
ful ia securing the animals, and
their return trip they camped o
night IN the Bear Paw mountail
Here they were captured by s =
gain raiding party.