davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26

whites and another fight began. The
prospectors decided TO charge a rioge
500 yards away where q strong party
of Indians were gathered and could
dominate the camp Of the white men.
while a portion of their force diverged
TO the right to cut oil the retreat of
the Sioux.
The Indians on the ridge fled, and
Little Sitting Bull, who was also known
as the Brule chief, tried to check the
panic of his warriors. His efforts were
in vain, and alone he turned and faced
his enemies. A shot grazed his neck
and brought him to the ground. John
Anderson, the eX-slave, whose great
strength had enabled him to keep the
lead during the charge, ran forward
to scalp the Indian, but the chief arose
to his feet. His warriors by this time
had stopped and began a heavy rifle
fire at the whites. With bullets splitting
around him, Anderson hurled himself
on the Sioux chief and sent his knife
through the Indians heart. AS the
chief fell, Anderson gained the cover
of the ridge, unframed. Later, the
chiefs scalp, war bonnet and war club
were secured.
More Bloody Fighting
Sitting Bull, the famous Sioux medi-
cine man, was leading the Sioux, and
the killing and scalping of his son
stirred him to a fury of vengeance. He
decided to withdraw and strengthen
his force, however, and to attack the
whites later under more favorable cir
cumstanceS.
The day following the battle on the
I itt1a Dir How, fho procnontorc ,,,ctoJ
three miles to a camp on Grass Lodge
creek, where they were continually IN
der the observation of the Sioux scouts,
sent out by Sitting Bull. The follow
ing morning, April IS, the expedition
resumed the march in the usual order,
the wagons being in two parallel lines
with the pack horses between them.
Eight men protected the rear, and 16
men were placed on each flank. They
were ascending the valley along the
foot of the bluffs, when suddenly from
every side they were charged by hun
dreds Of mounted Indians, who burst
upon them in SWarms that made the
landscape look black. The wagon train
of the whites was hurriedly formed
in a corral, while the cannoneers seized
their artillery and rushed the weapons
forward to the top of a ridge in front.
Two hundred Indians charged the adj
vance guard, but the deadly fire of the
whites scattered them. The fire of the
Indians was terrific from every point,
but their aim was extremely poor and
only slight injuries to a few of the
whites resulted. One horse was killed
and several wounded.
H. j.. Happy led half a dozen picked
rifle shots in a charge against a ravine
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26
SlAYlMG OF SITTING BULLS SON BY EX-SLAvE JOHN ANDERSON
WAS FOLLOWED BY FINAL ERA 1M WESTERN INDIAN WARS

where 100 Sioux were grouped, and SO
fierce was the dash of the frontiers
men that the little force succeeded In
scattering the reds, killing and wound
ing several OF them. Sitting Bull later
said he had never seen such brave
fighters as the whites led by Happy.
While this diversion was in progress,
a large party of the prospectors sad
died their horses and rode out to at
tack the Sioux who were nearest, while
the annon and howitZer poured a
deadly fire into the timber nearby where
Sioux were concealed. The Indians
were withdrawn by their leader and
the battle ended.
Feat of Reed and B0wles
After clearing the vicinity Of their
foes, the expedition moved on, gradu-
ally bearing to the right on a return TO
Bozeman. At Rock creek the expedi-.
ton disbanded. Beyond creating an
interesting chapter in border history
the expedition accomplished none OF
the objects for which it set out. This
was partly because the feed that spring
was very short and the stock could not
be properly sustained and partly be-
cause little prospecting could be done
with the Sioux constantly ~harrassing
the party.
There is one more incident in con-
nection with this expedition that de
serves a place in its history, and that
is the feat performed by two well
known frontiersmen, Major Reed and
Jim BoWles, who were later SO wen
known through their establishment OF
Reeds fort, a considerable Indian trad
ing post, at the present site of Lewis
town. 1t was the first settlement on
the Judith river.
After the Bohemian expedition fairly
entered the Sioux country the people
left at home ceased to hear from them,
and as weeks passed by a deal of anXi-
ETY. was aroused as to their fate. Ono
courier was sent after them, but ha
lacked the nerve to go forward, and
returned without tidings. Finally, Reed
and BoWles undertook to follow them,
engaging to find the missing party,
alive or dead. They took the trail and
followed it steadily in all its %windings
from camp to camp. They passed the
scenes of the various battles, found
the Indian dead and the bodies OF
slain horses and were often forced to
hide in the brush from Watchful foes
Once they came suddenly on a large
camp of Sioux and escaped only after
a desperate ride. They never faltered
or thought of turning back. They
finally overlook the expedition just be-
fore it disbanded. 1t was a daring ride,
and their escape from death amid the
perils of the Sioux-infested country is
one of the marvels that abound in
Montana's history.
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26
GENEROSITY AND l0BGRAl0TY.
|REAl INDIAN CHARACTERISTICS
REDMEM @AK0MGa@AMY GIFTS

OF all catch phrases, Indian Civ
err" as used to designate one who
takes his gifts back, seems to have
the least justification in fact. This,
at least, as far as Crow Indians are
concerned.
Out here, whites familiar with Indi-
ans, stamp it u~nreservedly as a mali
cious SANDER. No Crow has ever been
known to be anything but sportsman
like in the matter of giving, they say
Indeed, the consensus seems to be that
a Crows tendencies are all toward a
generosity verging upon the extrava-
CANT.
None is more emphatic in empha-
sizing the Indians punctilio in the
matter of gift giving than William A
Petzoldt, who has made his home
among them for more than a quar-
ter of a century and should, therefore
know well their faults and their vir-
tues, and who, SO it is said, has bur-
roWed deeper into redskin PSYCHOLOGY
than any other white man hereabouts
Petzoldt is in charge of the Northern
Baptist school at Lodge Grass and
with his wife, is co-paStOr of the Bap.
fist church. When the Petzoldts wen
to Lodge Grass in 1903, in answer Il
a request from the Crows tribal coun'
Gil for a Christian teacher, they fount
the 1000 or more Indians, their oil
freedom greatly restricted, sunk in
stolid and somewhat resentful apath,
and still practicing many savage rites
Today, instead Of tepees, housing
small army of detected and indolen
Indians wholly dependent upon tn,
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26

during the next few days, and after
passing the mouth of the Big Horn
tlfb fortified their camps each night.
k~elcalng the Rosebud, they found the
vale n vast Indian trail, with signs
OF q great Indian force not far Off. On
inc higher ground skirting the river
lliie pits were dug. The Sioux at
lacked IN force early in the morning.
mere we're at least 600 warriors, and
lheir rifle fire was intense. The how
llef and light cannon were used with
deadly effect, however, and many In
u1ans were killed. 1t was estimated
lhat The Sioux lost 60 in killed and
wounded. Only one white man was
baalg wounded. The whites ended the
hshI by dispensing the Sioux by a
charge in force.
Little Sitting Bull Killed
Two days later the expedition moved
up the Rosebud for about 40 miles,
turning then and skirting the Wolf
mountains, which lay to their left.
April ii they arrived at the first branch
OF The Little Big Horn at a point near
the scene of the great Custer battle
a couple of years later and here they
had their second battle with the Sioux,
About 1000 Sioux attacked the horse
nerd OF the whites. Jack Bean showed
tne greatest bravery in leading a
charge that saved The horses, but dur
ing the fight Zach Yates, a prospector,
was shot through the heart and killed
instantly.
The Sioux then surrounded the
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26

government, the rolling plains are dot
ted with neat farms showing every
evidence of industry and independence.
They are a rather remarkable couple,
the Petzoldts, for they have won a
great deal more than mere respect OF
the Indian, who is a reserved and reti-
cent person in his most expansive mo-
ments, shy and suspicious and not a
little touchy in his personal feelings
They have won his faith and conf
dence. This they accomplished, l am
told, through their unfailing ability to
grasp the Indians viewpoint and trans
late it into terms Of paleface customs
and conventions. So, when the Pet
zoldts speak Of the Indian, those who
know them give respectful hearing and
that goes for local government officials
as we'll as for the grand panjanderums
at Washington.
Even in his savage days the Crow
Indian was known as a man of honor"
said Petzoldt, commenting upon the
lack of justification for the term "Indt-
al giver."
Ruthless though he may have been
in his tribal wars, and the Crows
yielded to zone in the matter of bravery
in battle, most barbarisms and saw
ageries attributed to them by imagin-
alive story writers were purely fictional.
And, if it comes to savagery in a
time" he added, I'VE whites are in q
poor position to criticize.
There is a bottpmless supply Of au-
thenticated incidents in Indian tribal
the redman," he continued. "One OF
history rejecting the unselfishness OF
these relates to the Custer campaign,
for which Grows and Pawnees supplied
noncombatant scouts. There was no
great amount of love lost between the
two tribes, and yet, it is told, a Pawnee,
seeing a Grow severely wounded,
dashed out under fire and brought him
in on his shoulders.
I'm the British army such deeds are
rewarded with the Victoria cross, the
highest honor a British soldier can
win. In our country we give the con-
gressional medal for like deeds Of
valor,' he added.
Gift giving, according to Petzoldts,
is a recognized part of the Indians
social life. But in spite of this it has
never become perfunctory. The Indi-
an, they say, gives in the true spirit OF
giving and of the best he has. That
does not always NEAR that the value
Of the gift can be measured by any
conventional standard.
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26
FORMER ALDERMAN OF BUTTE
RECALLS WHEN HE MADE BILL
CODY RICH FOR TEN MINUTES

TT. Merry, former Butte alderman
and city library trustee, who is now a
resident of Chicago, in a letter TO q
Butte friend, relates how he assisted
in making Buffalo Bill, Col. William
F. Cody, a multi-millionaire for 10
minutes.
Mr.. Merry, when Buffalo Bill was
in his prime as a Snowman, was a
teller in the United States s~ub-treasury
in Chicago. He was commissioned TO
make q trip to California and en- route
stopped off at Buffalo Bills famous
ranch at Cody, Wyo., and registered, as
was customary. Some months later the
Cody Wild West shows played in Chi
cago and Buffalo Bill, also according
to custom, returned the calls OF the
Chicago people whose names on his
ranch REGISTER showed that they had
called on him.
The colonel, being a distinguished
visitor, was extended a special courtesy.
He was invited to step into the vault
and view the millions, some rs OF them,
that were stored in the sub-treasury
strongbox. The officials presently hand
ed him two packages. each about the
size Of a brick" as Nerny puts u, ana
asked him how much he thought the
packages represented.
"A couple Of thousand dollars each
he said, unhesitatingly. The WIG
West owner was considerably surprised
and startled when told he was holding
$40, 000, 900.
Ten millions in 10 minutes" Cody
unused, counting the time from tht
moment he entered the vault. INT
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26

literally made and Governor Potts OF
Montana furnished arms n amHluin.
ton which the government had SEM
to Montana.
February 10, 1874, the ~expeditioh
started for the Yellowstone. The OIL
GERS elected were, captain, B: r.
Ground; lieutenant, William WrlgnI'
adjutant, E. B. Way; signal ofnceI'
Hugh ODonovan; secretary, b. +.
Wickersham. There were also 10 coun-
cilmen, and John Anderson, the ex-
slave halfbreed Indian, was n OF the
principal guides.
The $50 men making up the party
were accompanied by % wagons, 90
youke of oxen, more than 200 horses
and mules, a brass mountain hOWltzeI
and a six-pound cannon, a smooth bore
iron cannon and provisions for 0
months. There were $50 rounds OF
shell and canister for the guns ana
plenty. Of experienced artillerymen' 10
serve them.
Vernon, who principally had been the
means of the expedition, had started
out ahead of the main party with III
credulous gold seekers, but they grew
afraid when they reached the edge OF
the Sioux country and waited for the
main force. Vernon had been QUILTED
on credit to the value of several
hundred dollars. He sold his goods TO
members of the party, and pocketing
the proceeds, fled to Fort Benton, &C
companied by a single companion. Al
Fort Benton he stole a skif and started
down the Missouri. He and his COM
panion were last seen in the territory
floating down the river past old Fort
Clagett in the stolen boat.
The expedition kept to the north OF
the Yellowstone until they reached a
point about two miles above the Great
Porcupine, where they halted and pros
pected. BY March 26 they assembled
the bluffs bordering the Yellowstone
valley with the intention Of crossing
the divide to the Rosebud river. On
the bluffs they met a detachment OF
Sioux on the war path, but the whites
outnumbered the reds and the latter
fled.
There were skirmishes with the Sioux
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26

ANE Of the picturesque figures of
frontier history in Montana, John
~ Anderson, who killed Little Sitting
Bull, son of the famous Sioux medi-
cine man, in a battle with the Sioux
during the Yellowstone expedition OF
1874, left Bozeman a few years age
after a residence there of 46 years, to
enter a soldiers home at Los Angeles
1t vas the killing of Sitting Bulls
son. a promising young war chief, that
embittered the heart of the old war
rior to such an extent that he vowed
eternal warfare against the whites and
swOre that he would clean the Yellow
stone valley of white settlers. The
warfare that he maintained against
the whites resulted in the campaign
that came to a climax with the Wiping
out of General Clusters Comand. This
resulted in the establishment of Fort
Keogh and the founding of Miles City
The campaigns of Terry, Miles, Gibbor
and Crook against the Sioux followed
and with the defeat of Sitting Bull,
and Chief Joseph Of the Nez Perces
Indian warfare in Montana was prac-
tically ended.
The action of Anderson in killing
Little Sitting Bull, therefore, had far
reaching effects in the way OF making
history in Montana and is worthy OF q
place in the states annals.
Had Picturesque Career
John Anderson is a picturesque fig
ure and has had an interesting ca
reer. He was born in slavery in the
Cherokee nation, now Oklahoma, in
1882. His father was a full-blooded
ChorCEon ond bic nrnthor q norrocc
Slavery was not presumed to exist in
that section, but in fact it fiOurisheC
and many Indians and haif-breeds
were under the yoke.
In the latter part Of 1861 Anderson
escaped from his owner and joined the
Union army. He fought through the
Civil war and afterWard served in a
cavalry regiment for some time or
campaigns in the southwest against the
Indians. He left the army in 1872 and
went to Bozeman.
In 1874 he became a member of the
Yellowstone expedition of that year
which had a thrilling journey OF GOO
miles through the Yellowstone country
in search of gold. Another object OF
the expedition was to locate a wagon
road at the head of navigation on the
"cllOWSUOIlt IL WdS dlSO tAptCJcU lIldl
the party would build a fort in the
Yellowstone country against the hostile
Indians and make travel through ii
comparatively safe.
The expedition consisted of about
$50 men, with necessary wagons, horses
and mules. During it's travels of GOO
miles it was gone three months and
had four fights with the Sioux, had
n nan killed and two wounded, killed
at least SO Indians and wounded 100.
Queer Story of Expedition
The story of this expedition is a
curious one. In the fall Of 1873 one
]. l.. Vernon arrived in Bozeman. He
was acting the discreditable part oil
guide to two deserters from the Stanley
military expedition of that year. This
man had been a previous resident Of
Bozeman, where he had taught schoo
for some time. He left Bozeman under
a cloud, decamping with severa
hundred dollars that represented the
children's profits of a school entertain
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26
HUNTER SECURES
ARCTIC TROPHIES
MONTANAN BACK FROM THREE
AND HALF YEARS IN NORTH
ERN DESOLATION
Eskimo, He Says, are Slowly Becoming
Civilized Following Discovery of Oil
and Other Development Activities in
the North.

L. M. Hay, hunter and trapper of
the far north, who calls Great Falls
his home, has returned again with a
large collection of arctic trophies.
On his last trip to the northwest Mr..
Hay spent approximately three and
a half years in Alaska and in desOlate
places that border the Arctic ocean.
A large number of pictures of the
Yukon country were taken by him. In
the collection are views of Eskimo vii
lagos and rendezvous %frequented by
hunters who spend most Of their lives
in the arctic country. Mr. Hay declares
that many of these places were photo
graphed by him for the first time.
Eskimo Raincoat
An Eskimo raincoat is probably the
outstanding feature of the many tro-
phies. The coat is made from the in
testines of a bearded seal and is
trimmed with loon feathers and loon
spears. These coats are common in
the north country, Mr.. Hay said, but
not often seen in the United States.
A whale gun weighing % pounds
which shoots bombs, is also on display
in the window. Mr.. Hay said that he
found the gun near an Eskimo grave
He says that the natives are buried
along with nearly all their personal be-
longings. The Eskimo is slowly becom-
ing civilized, he said, following Oil dis
coyerieS and other northern activities
in which the native plays an important
part.
Has Polar Bear Skin
Another article in his collection Il
a polar bear skin. The animal wa:
shot in Banksland, a famous hunting
ground. A walrus tusk, ivory cribbagt
boards and trinkets made by the Esk1'
mos are also interesting articles which
Mr.. Hay brought back. The natives o
the far north are admired for thei
patience and workmanship, he said
and will spend many days in making
string of beads.
MI. Hay returned to Great Falls from
Edmonton, Alta. He started south from
Aklavik, 1000 miles north Of Edmon
ton. He made the trip in 35 days, pass
ing through an extensive area OF wilder
ness or his journey.
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26

ment. He now returned with glowing
accounts of gold fields of fabulous rich
ness discovered by him in the Yellow
stone country. He said he was anxious
to return and develop these mines If
a party of sufficient strength could be
assembled to maintain itself against
the hostile Sioux Indians in the coun-
try where the gold fields were said to
be.
Notwithstanding the disreputable
character of the man there were peo-
pie in Bozeman who were willing to
back him in the venture, and several
Attempts were made to form parties to
undertake the journey.
1t was no new idea that gold fields
Of great richness were locked up in
this great region, awaiting the touch
of the pick and shovel to produce
wealth. AS far back as 1863 a party
of Is men with the resolute James
Stuart, brother of Granville Stuart, at
their head, had resorted thither to
search for gold. And now and then
in later years, a few wandering pros
pectors had washed the sands of sew
eral streams in the Yellowstone coun-
try, while keeping one eye looking for
llOoIllC lCOo. 1lluldlA PdlliCop AlOWSFSA
had thwarted every effort, and just
enough gold dust was found to strength
en- the cherished conviction in many
an old p~rospectOr's heart that a new
Eldorado was situated in this great un-
known wilderness of the Yellowstone
valley.
Expedition Organized
Therefore. quite independent Of the
representations made by Vernon, a
strong desire existed to give the indi-
Gated region such an examination as
would prove or disprove the stories of
gold, and in addition the people OF
Bohemian, dissatisfied with the circuit
GUS route by which they were con-
nected with the east, were DESTROYS Of
reaching the western terminus of the
Northern Pacific railroad by the more
direct route presented by the Yellow
stone. In the spring of 1874. therefore,
the Yellowstone Wagon Road and Pros
pecting Expedition was organized. Con-
tributions for funds and material were
Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-12-26
IM'KELVIE COMING
HERE IN FEBRUARY
FEDERAL FARM BOARD MEMBER
WILL SPEAK AT SERIES
OF MEETINGS
Member of New Agricultural Aid Will
Talk Over Conditions With Farmers
and Business Men of Treasure State
This Winter.

Sam r.. McKelvie, member of the
federal farm board representing the
grain interests, will address a series
of farm meetings in Montana, prob
ably during the second week in Feb
ruary, according to correspondence
now being carried on by him with
A. Fl. Stafford, state commissioner of
agriculture.
Mr.. McKelvie had previously been
booked to address grain producers and
marketing organizations at a Helena
meeting Nov. 16, but vas compelled to
cancel his engagement. He now has
indicated to Commissioner Stafford his
desire to come to Montana and hold
three or four meetings at which he ex-
poets to advise farmers fully as to the
plan devised by the farm board for
their benefit.
Mr.. Stafford had hoped to induce
Mr.. McKelvie to come to the state dur
ing the week Of farmers meetings at
State college in BOzeman but has been
advised that Mr.. McKelvie has already
arranged for meetings In North Dakota
and South Dakota in that period. II
is accordingly believed he will find II
convenient to visit Montana during the
following week, that of Feb. 8 to Is.
Commissioner Stafford had planned
to arrange for McKelvie meetings al
Billings, Great Falls and Bozeman, but
as another representative of the fedora
farm board will be present during farm
week at Bozeman, 1t is likely that Lew
istown may be substituted for Boze-
man on the McKelvie itinerary ant
that II four meetings can be he'd Glen
dive will also be included.