davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-30

through the timber and it took only an
instant to drop behind stumps and get
ready for them. Hardly had we done so
before firing began and it was pretty
warm while it lasted.
Shortly afterwards Mr.. Courtney, who
was engaged as clerk, went across Pouch
cite creek to get a dry stock Of fuel, as
each man furnished his own for cooking.
He had Just cut it and put it on his
shoulder and was in the act Of re-cross-
ing the stream when an Indian jumped
up a few feet behind him and shot him
in the back. Courtney was in the act of
stepping down when the Indian fired,
and the bullet ranged downward and
came out little above the knee on the
inside of the leg. We all considered it a
fatal wound. The Indian was in the act
of cooking the other barrel, when Court
ney, wounded as he was, turned on him
with the axe and bluffed him of, and
then fell.
THE shooting aroused the two men at
the fort and they sent for us in the tim
ber on the point. We carried the wound
The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-30

both instances there were the mystic
three, and white men the heroes.
The report continues, and from this
point can be credited, "The road from
the Cutter lay over the Teton, which the
party forded, going up the Marias about
one and a half miles from the Cutter.
The river bottom here is about 400 yards
between stream and bluffs. Near the
river is dense underbrush, more scat
tered where the men were killed. The bot
tom narrows on the side of the river
farther on, the bluffs coming right down
water-Worn gorges and gullies ahOrding
excellent positions for defense. The bot
tom again opens out, and there is not
only thick brush here, but belt Of tim
Der running close to the river and just
below the road.
Turned Wagon About
Not far from this the Indians were
encamped at the time Of the massacre.
The men had gone to escort the train
for fear Of trouble and had nearly
reached the timber, which had been cut
some time previously, when they turned
around, as was seen by their tracks. They
must have seen the Indian camp, for no
man would turn a wagon where they
did in the narrows, having fine open
spot ahead. Probably the Indians dis
covered the whites about as soon as the
whites saw the Indians, and while they
were getting their ponies the party start
ed back for the boat and were overtaken
and massacred as before stated.
THE Indians we're in camp no doubt
with the intention Of attacking and rob-
bling a small mule train down the Mis-
souri, and to finish by burning the steam
er and killing the crew. They did not
expect the men at so late an hour.
The Indians killed Burris' horse becauss
it was so lazy. Firing began with vol
ley, and was continuous for fifteen min
utes."
At the end Of the engagement the
Indians fed hurriedly, an earlier account
states, leaving lsrge quantity OF meal
drying and some cooking before the fire.
II this is true, it is likely they had beer
on the Marias for some time-quite Ions
enough for the whites to learn they wer.
in the neighborhood. A large amount o
game is not generally killed in a shor
time, as any hunter will testify, and th
Indians would have dried it near wher
it was killed. In this case, IL the hunting
was done with guns, what was to preven
the men at Ophtr from hearing tn
shooting, as they we're reported to hav
done at the time Of the massacre2
When the story Of the massacre cam
to the ears Of the Piegans they wer
badly frightened, as they might well hav
been. The Bloods, who had committe
the outrage were BIackfeet like them
selves. and the whites. not being give.
TO discrimination where Indians wer
concerned, might wreak their vengeanc
on the guiltless Piegans. They hastene
The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-30

about three weeks when one morning we
went to work as usual near the bank Of
the Missouri. Silcott went down to the
river to get a drink. He left his rife
leaning against a stump and mine was
against the other. was busy Topping
of the branches Of a tree had felled
while he was away, probably about 10
minutes.
when he came back he found that
his gun was gone from the stump and
Indignantly accused me Of tricking him.
I thought he had mislaid it and while
helping him search for it found the i'm
prints Of moccasins in the soft ground
near the stump. It was evident that an
Indian had stolen it while I was busy
not hundred feet away. The fact that
it was a needle gun, and unloaded, and
that I had a pistol in my belt probably
saved our lives. We went Immediately to
the fort and got another gun and re-
turned to our work.
For two days we were not molested
but during the third day we discovered
a party of Sioux crawling upon Us
The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-30

The early mining days of Helena.
were recalled at the state historical Ii
brary recently when a board over five.
feet long and Is inches wide that
marked the resting place of LOngfOr6
Peel, who was killed in Helena in 1867,
was placed among the relics of Mon
tana history. When the body was re-
moved from its original resting place
in what is now the Helena high schOOF
athletic field to the graveyard on Ben
ton avenue, w. F. Sanders took the
marker and placed it i'm the attic Of
his house, where it remained until a
few days ago.
Although it was go years ago last July
that an epitaph was printed on the crude
marker, the printing has been carefully
preserved and one reads:
Sacred to the memory of Longfor6
Peel, born in Liverpool, died July 23~
1867 aged SO years. In life, beloved to-
his friends and respected by his enemies.
Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, 7
know that my redeemer liveth.' Erected
by a friend"
Peel went to Salt Lake City from Leav--
enworth, Kansas, in 1858, and from there
went to Nevada. In 1867 he left Nevada
and with John Bull as a partner started
for Helena to open a mining claim. They
quarreled on the way but became recon-
ciled when. reaching their destination
creek and reported favorable Of the find
to Peel, who went to the mines and
when he discovered they were not as
represented, accused Bull Of falsehood ana.
Misrepresentation
Some days later he met Bull in Hur-
ley and Chases saloon and they contin-
ued their quarrel. Peel seized and was
in the act Of drawing his pistol, when
Bull said:
81 am not heeled."
GO then and heel yourself" said Peel
Bull left the saloon and in a short
time returned. He met Peel in the door
or the saloon and before Peel had q
chance to lay his hand on his holster,
Bull fired three shots, one entering Peel's
head and two his body. He feel and died
without uttering a word.
Bull was indicted, tried and his con-
vtctton failed by a disagreement Of the
jury, which stood nine for acquittal ana
three for guilty.
The body was buried in the old grave
yard just to the west Of the high school
building, which ground is now used as q
playground for the school children. An
bodies were removed to the graveyard on
Benton avenue.
The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-30
(Bv MRS. NJ. f. PLAssMANN)

FOLLOWING the killing of from 10
IA to II men on the Marias in 1865, a
a number Of letters appeared in the
Montana Post, telling Of the cir
cumstances. The first two were written
from the steamer Cutter which had ac-
companied the Chippewa Falls, the two
constituting what was called the Idaho
Fleet"
When the Chippewa was impressed in
to the service of General Sully, its freight
and passengers were transferred to the
Cutter which, heavily loaded, neverthe-
less managed to reach Fort Benton July
IA, 1864, where 1t discharged its passen-
gers and freight, and it's engineer and
crew discharged themselves, leaving the
boat unable to return down the river
that season.
It was said the Cutter tied up at the
fort but from these letters she seems to
have been moored the next spring at the
transient town Of Ophir below Fort Ben
ton.
After giving an account of the massa-
ere, the writer from the Cutter gave as
the reason for the tragedy that Frank
Angevine, one of the men killed, had
slain a Blood chief, and the Indians were
out for revenge, while another report had
it the trouble came about because Char
lie Carson, a cousin Of the famous Kit
Carson, during the trapping season when
with two companions near the Missouri
had their horses stolen by the Bloods.
Going in pursuit, the three men came
upon the Indians while they were eating,
killed them and regained their horses
The sound Of the shooting at the time
Of the massacre, the letter states, was
distinctly heard at Ophir, but the men
there, having families, did not dare to
leave town, fearing the Indians would
attack their wives and children.
Was Not a Surprise
The attack was not in the nature of q
surprise, as the men who were sent UP
the Marias to fetch the logs already cut
went unwillingly, thinking Indians might
be in the neighborhood.
The first report of the massacre was
dated May %. On July is printed re-
port from no less an authority than Nef
Howie. He writes:
fIt appears that some of the Bloodi
were very saucy and impudent at Ben
ton. One bad Indian actually ventureC
to slap a white mans face and declarl
he would have white mans scalp tina
night. A mountaineer named Bostwicl
heard this and also that the inhabitant
wished for some one to open the ball
He and his party accordingly shot tn
redskin and two others, hinging tn
bodies into the river, the third gettin
away desperately wounded but he neve
reached camp This story was afterward
denied. It, and the foregoing are give
to illustrate how gossip takes form. i
The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-30

20 tne standard tracks and later lost It's
original name, becoming the Oregon
Short Line, as it is known today.
Old-timers doubt If the Butte folks on
today would get the thrill out OF the first
passenger air line into Butte the pioneers.
did when the old-fashioned engine Of the.
Utah & Northern first chugged into the.
city.
The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-30
GRAVE MARKER
GIVEN TO STATE
HEAD BOARD FROM RESTING PLACE
OF LONGHEAD PEEL, RECALLS
EARLY DAY TRAGEDY

Records Death in Helena In 1867 of Miner
Who Was Slain by Partner After Quar-
rel About Worth of Claims; Was Pre-
served by Col. Sanders in Attic of Home
The Bozeman courier., 1927-12-30
Names county Surveyor

The board Of Custer county commits
sioners has appointed W. p. FLYNN coun-
ty surveyor. Mr.. Flynn was former sta1a.
repregentatlve.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-07

taken the journey Of the stairs Is
already felt. The house is surrounded
by trees. one large beech tree at the
topmost step Of the stairway extending
its arms in welcome. There is
variety Of shrubbery. too.
The air is invigOratinG on the hill
and within few moments, being
rested from the climb, one turns his
gaze to the interior Of the loggia.
There are ten beams Of cypress here.
Their solidity, while strong contrast
with the floor Of delicate Welsh tile.
cut and placed in charming design
by Mr. Siggins, makes so attractive
an arcade that you are loath to leave
It, But the visitor is eager to see each
room Of the castle and his thought
is turned to the quarters on the first
floor at the rear Of the lOggia.
Visiting the house a few years ago.
one" would have been greeted by
Jack, the faithful watchdog. He,
too, probably looked forward to the
time when his masters castle would
be completed, but the job Of watching
and waiting grew too long, and one
day his master found him asleep.
soundly asleep and no voice could
awaken him. No dog has taken his
place.
Perhaps the reader never heard OF
any one who could boast Of crossing
a marble threshold every time he went
INTO his furnace room. Mr.. SiSgins
can. and not only that, he believes III
having marble thresholds at all OF his
doors. cps, and has en-, too. Ana
whole stairs of marble.
One would no more guess, from look
ing at the house. that its existence
dates back y years than one would
guess that Mr.. Siggins Is more than
20 years old.
This castle is absolutely modern. In
the furnace room there's the latest
word in heating apparatus ana pipe
system. There Is a modern laundry
and Il coal bin with a cleverly ar
ranged trap door. 1t helps to get the
coal out of the bin on frosty morn
ing Adjoining is a room which might
! be used for various purposes. And 1t
| has Il floor of cut tile-tiny pieces ar
! tistically placed together to form pat
! terms, and this piece of work is done
| in four colorS.
! The marble stairs take one to the
second floor if one wishes to go there
! from the interior. There Is also an
| entrance stairway from the loggia
| to the great door at the entrance OF
the reception hall. In hallway. to
the right. is the whitest of white
kitchens, with a tile floor similar to
the one below, an attractive border
in tile being an additional feature.
There Is a good-siZed porch beyond
the kitchen, with stairs that lead to
the walk in the rear of the house.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-07
reamer Gave Life for Ideal After Ruling Nicaragua

began planning a new invasion of
Nicaragua. using TruXillo as base
And again a warship dropped into
tho harbor--the British ship Icarus.
under Capt. Salmon. This officer de-
clared that Walker was interfering
with British rights in the town, and
dema nded that the filibusterer leave
within "a hours Otherwise. he said,
he would lombard the town. Late
that day IIonduran troops began to
mass outside the town. obviously
planning to win back Truxillo. Here
Walker and his men were caught be-
tween the prongs of military pincers.
Hut he was not dismayed. That night
he and his adventures slipped out Of
the city and marched for the border
of Nicaragua.
But Walkers luck was gone He
had only courage. The little company
dragged along the Honduran coast.
through jungles and over mountains,
for days. Fevers attacked them, their
supplies dwindled. and at last they
were forced to camp on little river,
with the idea of waiting for rein
forcements and new supplies. Into
the mouth OF the river came the lea.
rus. which had followed Walker along
the coast. like some great bird Of prey.
Again Salmon dema nded that Walker
surrender in the name OF humanity.
Walker surrendered at last to the
British flag. His friends declare that
he stipulated before he laid down his
arms that he was not to be turned
over to the Hondurans, and that Sal.
mon agreed.
Nevertheless, the Icarus took Walker
and his men to Truxillo and turned
them over to the Honduran soldiers.
Salmon then interceded for all the
prisoners but Walker. and got them
released. To Walker he said:
III you will appeal to me as an
American citizen, | will save you with
the rest"
He knew and Walker knew that X
he Walker) pleaded az an American.
he would be denying his pledge Of
came PRESIDENT. and quite probably
would lose forever all chance Of be.
coming again President of Nicaragua.
Walker knew. too. that in all proba.
bility the Hondurans would put him
before firing squad. But he an.
sWered:
THE President of Nicaragua 10 a
citizen Of Nicaragua
Even to save his life William
Walker could not give up his dream.
He had one of the worlds greatest
pOssessions-a matchless courage.
The Hondurans. who looked upon
Walker as an alien tyrant from the
first, court martialed him that very
day and condemned him to death. He
died at dawn.
lCopvriSht 1927
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-07

On the other side Of the hallway IS
the spacious reception hall. Here one
finds a floor Of both tile and oak. The
walls are pane,ed in redwood, as are
also the columns under the arches
leading to the living room, adjoining.
The dining room adjoins this room.
The door at the entrance of the re-
ception hall from the exterior is an
interesting feature. 1t is. as are all of
the doors. made by hand and has 90
lights in the upper half. The door IS
made on a cypress core and has but
one panel on each side. Every door in
the house is made in this manner.
Finding such Il thing as the head
Of a nail in Mr.. Siggins' house is like
"hunting for a needle in Il haystack."
He uses what he terms hide 'em
strips. which are strips of wood glued
over the places where the nails simply
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-07
BY CAPT. HERMAN ARCHER,
n -

TT was just dawn on the curvine.
sandy beach outside the impor-
tant seaport of TruXillo. in Hon
i duras. Central America. The
mountains back Of the jungle he
Nond the beach were still black and
purple with shadows. but the sky
the sky was like the inside Of some
vast, ilidescent sea shell. Up across
the strangely pastel shades of that
tropic morning heaven pale gold fin
gers of sunlight reached from below
the horizon. 1t was r setting made
for some truly tremendous event, and
it WAS not made in vain.
Along the beach came a budding,
shutting group of little brown soldiers.
Because of their size. their rifles
looked long. They wore dirty white
duck. Their bare feet darkened the
sand. Behind them came a tall Span
ish priest. his black crucifiX thrust
out before the blonde. small man who
walked beside him. This man was
another soldier of destiny, in his own
sphere a Napoleon. Almost boyishly
slender, for all his SO years. he was
Singularly distinguished. There was
about him that strange. remarkable
air OF those who die for what they
believe right. He had great, light
-
him, hroodingly, as if they thought
fully looked beyond the dawn. His
old flannel shirt opened at the throat,
his trousers were tucked in his worn
boots. in his right hand he toted a
wide faded black campaign hat. Ee-
hind HIM came ether soldiers, but this
man might have been all alone. He
was calm and pensive.
y sharp command in Spanish. The
nundeScript column halted. only the
man in the center stopping with true
military precision. He threw back
his head and looked off at the rising
sun he was seeing for The last time.
The soldiers wheeled. formed Il line
and raised their rifles, pointing them
straight at his heart. An officer came
forward with a handkerchief. but this
man waved h!indfoids aside. He made
a gesture of surrender and farewell.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-07
Castle Near Washington Built by One-Man Force

If one raises one of the windows
he will do so by means Of hand.
covered lifts. nickel lifts covered with
black leather by Mr.. Siggins. 1t took
1000 pounds of lead to make the
weights for the windows In this
house. Mr.. Siggins made them, and
they differ from ordinary weights in
that they are square.
Some castles have attics and some
do not. but this castle has one, and
by the time one reaches there, he
feels as though 1t should have a goodly
store of trunks filled with gowns Of
heavy taffeta. hoop-skirts, powered
wigs and all that sort Of thing. On
the other hand. when the clothes
closet door in one OF the bedrooms
downstairs was opened. just a few
moments before. to look at the artistry
of it's cedar lining. an electric light
flashed on by means Of a little button
in the hinge Of the door and flashed
off again with the closing Of the door.
This is modern castle and there are
no trunks.
Mr.. Siggins not only built castle.
but he made many Of the tools with
which to build it. A huge tool box
contains a variety of wonderful tools.
An interesting machine is his hand
tile cutter.
Mr.. Siggins tells story of his two
experiences in hiring labor while
working on his house. One day he
decided that he would need some as
sistance the following Sunday, so az
ranged to have a colored man CONF
for the day. At the time the worker
was expected to appear he came 80
dressed up" that it was with diff
Guilty that Mr.. Sigsins recognized
him. whats the idea?" he asked.
We'll, sah." was the reply. Use done
been to revival, and Use got de
power and CANT work no mo- on Sun
day"
IF you drink rain water. you'll 1--we
forever" So heard Mr.. Siggins. on
good authority. He decided to have
cistern dug right in the middle OF
his garden. What could be more fit.
ting for castle than a we'll where
the young could maintain their youth
forever and the old renew their youth?
a charming idea. thought Mr.. Siggins.
and he thereupon set a man to work
to dig the magic pool during spare
hours. He dug and dug, and at the
end of month no better magic pool
could be found than the one right
there in that garden. Just when the
fairy was about to appear with her
wand to put the spell upon the pool,
Mr.. Siggins decided that he was too
practical for any such ideas. and the
workman spent another month refill
ing what had almost become q magic
pool.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-08-07

L
50 is a pastmc which most
every one with creative
imagination has enjoyed.
Sam Sicgins, however. built
his castle on a hill in Nirginia-and it
took him II years to do it. There's
no chance of it's tumblinS down,
either.
AT the foot OF the hilltop Oh which
the house stands q babbling stream
tells to all who pass that way
strange story of what it, the creative
ina gina ton of Mr.. SigSine. and that
inspiration which Thomas Edison says
is "99 per cent perSpirdtlon. nave ac'
complished. But the big house on the
hilltop is so very big, the hilltop ltscll
so very high and so few people under
stand stream language, that those VINO
would know the story get 1t as pest
they can-prcfcrably from Mr.. SlSglns
himself, whose modesty and irish VII
are combined with a charming per-
SONalitN.
Twcnty-one years ago, in mdsun'
mer. Mr.. SigGins decided to build ms
castle, and he chose the hilltop IN
Virginia. But there were no lundS
available. The little stream down at
the foot of the hill flowed Eayly on,
giving u knowing wink TO those VINO
passed by, and one day. as Mr.. sig
gins looked into it's shining face. clear
as crystal, he saw the reflection or
the hilltop therein. but upon the mn
stood n magnificent castle, its red TIE
roof glsteninG in the sun. AS ne
leaned nearer to better sec this VISION
il disappeared. and it was then THAT
the stream whispered n secret.
Today 4 large piece Of Italian mar
| ble above the fireplace in the recep.
| ton room of this "Grcam- come-truc'
| hous" bears in raised letters, chiscled
| by MIR. S;gH MS, the following lnscflp'
| zion:
This Cabin Is The Product OF The
| Labor OF Sam Siggins Who tnaided
| Worked At It's Construction Nigh $,
/ Holidays, And Spare Moments While
Earning The Money For Material AT
| His Regular business Every Day,
F., The 300 Cubic Feet Of Rock Used IN
, This building Were Blasted In The
| Stream. And That And The N"ces'
| sary Gravel. And Sand Were Hauled
i Up The I'LL By a Hand WINCH
| Entrance to the house. which Mr.
! Slggins so modcStly calls the "cahin.'
! is gained by ascending an unusually
! long stairway. Bat it is one of those
| winding ones. such as every regular
castle has, and the steps are low and
broad, so that almost before one
knows It he il in the logcia. Looking
out from any one of the eight Roman
! arches. the reward for having under