Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1932-02-04

eu 10 TIE Top OF a nearby Iuu. 1t wa
apparent that he was looking for sign
OF the presence of Indians. 1t maI
have been that he had q ~premonitior
that ne might not survive the day
Having previously been somewha.
careless about his dress and persona
appearance, he asked Minor, after hi
had eaten breakfast, II he would cut
his hair and trim his beard. He Dor
rowed a razor and shaved himself, tax
ing time to wash his shirt and general
~ improving his personal appearance
Hitching his team to the blackboard
Fritz started forward on what proved
to be his last journey over his section
OF the old Custer trail. He crossed the
creek. Pausing for q moment as he
reached the top OF the bank on the
other side he turned to wave q fare
well to the men at the station, and
shouted back:
Goodbye, Minori"
Those were the last words spoken by
Fritz In the presence Of white men.
He turned and followed the stage road
into the hills and to his death.
Another driver by the name of Bis
hop returned the next day from the
mouth Of Powder river and reported
that he had not encountered Fritz on
the trail going up. Word was sent at
once to MI. McCone, who wa foreman
Of the hay crew for the stage company
then engaged in cutting hay In the
Little Missouri valley, about As miles
tfromlPenneH station Accompanied by
Frank Emmett, MI. McCone started at
nrNo fn trrcfn E1Y1fw tn fnlf0rrnol +hn
stage route to Fallon- Traces OF the
place where the blackboard left the
trail were sought. None were found.
As the day Waned, they slowly retraced
their steps back to the station. AS
they passed along a black object was
noted In the distance, of the trail,
which Emmett stated he believed, was
q rock.
Turkey buzzaFds we're lowering owe
the spot where the black object was
seen the night before. Mr.. McCone went
over to investigate. As he slowly as
cended the hill his suspicious began
to take the form Of reality. There lay
the object of their search. The body OF
Fritz WIS badly decomposed, having
lain on the hillside for about ten days.
The flesh had been torn from the face
by the winged ~scavengers Of the air.
The place was then designated as
Dead Mans butte.
When Fritz drove out OF sight into
the hills above Pennell station, he wa
armed with q rifle. He was not adept
In its use. 1t is apparent, as an ex-
animation OF the developments that
followed reveals, Fritz was attacked by
a party OF eight Indians. He became
frightened. Instead of turning his
team about and going back to Penneu
station and fighting his way, he jump
ed from the blackboard, leaving his
rifle behind. He attempted to reach
the top OF the hill from which he
thos,ght he might be able to signal the
meM at the station. Overtaken by the
Indians. q bullet ripped through his
body, killing him In his tracks. 1t
was learned afterwards that the at
lacking party OF Indians claimed they
had not intended to kill him and fired
their guns merely to scare him. Three
bullets found In his body would seem
to disprove the statement.
Returning to the station after dis
covering the body, Mr.. McCone brought
along q broken shovel and hoe. The
hardness Of the soil prevented the dig
ging Of q deep grave. Reaching q depth
Of about q foot, the body was placed
in the ground, wrapped in blankets.
and earth and stones piled above Two
weeks later rock was hauled to the site
and added to the mound to protect the
body from coyotes and wolves. /
Taking up the trau OF the blackboard,
Mr.. McCone found where the Indians
had overtaken the team. The rifle was
taken as well as the horses. Nothing
was left OF the harness excent the
names and collars. The mail sack had
been cut open by ripping off the rivet-
ed ends. The .whalebOne In the corset
found In a package addressed to the
daughter Of Lieut.. Whistler at Fort
Keof%A was removed. The Indians con
structed q small corral, with the ribs
from the corset stuck In the soft earth
above a gopher hole. The letters from
the mail pouch were placed In it. The
larger sized letters had been opened.
Gathering up the mail, Mr.. McCone
had it forwarded to the addresses. He
took what remained of the corset to
Fort Keogh himself. It Was retained
as a souvenir OF the tragedy.
Four companies Of soldiers were
guarding Sitting Bull and his band at
the present site Of Poplar, known then
as Fort Peck. James Mcdonald con-
Quoted a restaurant at Fort Peck. He
was assisted by Louise Long Dog. q
Sioux squaw, whose brother was john
ME Long Dog. The brother confided
to his sister the story OF the killing
of the stage driver, Fritz, claiming
credit for the deed. He asked his sis
ter to keep the matter a secret. She
the story, however, to McDon-
aid, after which 1t became generally
known.
McCone wa conducting a stage line
from Glendive to Fort Buford- While
so engaged a fair was being held at
Glendvie. Johnnie Long Dog, who had
become q war chief of the Sioux, came
with the members of his family to at
tend the event. Included among the
features OF the fair was an Indian
parade in which the aborigines, attired
in their native costumes participated.
Johnnie Long Dog anq two Of his
daughters rode at the head OF the
parade. Having previously met and