Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-07-24

AN{ ished from 1873 20 1890.
Great Falls and Fort Ben
ton were two of the favor
tie starting places for Che smuggiers.
and the liquor which they purchased
for s. IN this country brought them
from IS mp, In Canada, where the prin-
cipal markets were Fort Mcleod, Leth
bridge and Calgary. When the Ca
madam authorities caught and convict
ed a smuggIer, he was fined $500 IL II
was his first offense. For the second
Offense, the fine WIS $500 and the third
0ffense drew 9 penitenfiary sentence.
Selling TO Indians was also punish
able by a penitentiary sentence.
There we're a lot Of smugglerS who
made just a few trips and got away
with it, but those who stuck to the
business for the most part, we're nabbed
by the Mounted in the end.
There was one among the old-ttme
Smugglers, however, who after having
been bested by the Mounted and es-
capped by the SKIN Of his teeth went vent
back for one final fling, pulled 1t OIL
successfully and came away thumbing
his nose at the Canadian minions of
the law He was z. Ormon, one OF the
most noted of the old-time whisky
runners. He had been In the game a
long time and had never been caught,
until he came to look upon his trips as
a matter of course, giving but little
thought to the police.
In the fail of 1885 he crossed the
line one night with 100 gallons Of
whisky in 10 gallon kegs, one 10-gallon
keg on each of 10 pack horses. He tray
eled all night over the prairie and had
reached the Belly river when one of
his animals fell and broke its leg and
another one went lame. He killed the
one with the broken leg. Ormon made
n n fv.fvn tho uff a nf the
cident to the river, and by daylight
had his load of whisky concealed IN
the brush.
S12 and One Gallon Liquor for Team
He then started out to find some
place where he could obtain two fresh
horses. Several miles down the river
he found camp of Blood Indians and
there he tried to make a deal. Ormon
had only $12 in cash with him and the
Indian with whom he was trying to
dicker wanted $50 for two horses.
Ormon had contracted all OF his
whisky to a saloon keeper in Mcleod
and he hated to leave any Of 1t behind.
He was loath to let the Indians have
any of his liquor but it seemed there
was no other way out Of it, so he IL
nally offered the $12 and gallon OF
whisky for the two horses. The Indian
accepted.
The Indian agreed to meet him that
night and deliver the horses. The Blood
knew that anyone who gave informa-
ton leading to the capture of a whisky
smuggler would be rewarded by a
share of the fine imposed, and after
Ormon left his camp, the buck mount
ed his fleetest horse and rode to the
nearest police headquarters.
He met the Indian at the appointed
time and place, received the horses
and paid over the $12 and the gallon
of whisky. The Indian took long
swig from the jug and patted his
stomach, as Ormon led the ponies away,
looking back over his shoulder to see
If the Indian was following him. The
buck, however, paid no attention TO
him. Ormon reached his camp and
had nearly finished packing his load,
when he was surrounded by a dozen
policemen. Ormon was dtSarmed and
handcuffed. The policemen were ac-
companied by wagon, which was
driven up and the liquor loaded into
it. Ormon was then told to mount and
the parade started for Fort Mcleod.
Ormon knew, Of course, that the In
dian had informed on him and ne
knew that he faced penitentiary
sentence for giving liquor to Indians.
But he believed that his horse was
faster than any Of those Of his captorS,
handicap at 40 TO /, DAILY had 81 ,OOU
ticket on him at those odds.
He was in Butte at the time and on
the day of the race went underground
in one of the mines. While he was I'M
derground the mine building in which
he had changed his clothes and left
his ticket, was burned, ticket and all.
Ogden Another
Montana was a vicious animal, had
a mean, ugly temper. He was trained
by Jim Lucas, who had trained August
Belmont's horses. Tammany was just
the opposite, gentle and pet.
Lucas was also with the DAILY stable
when Ogden was trained. Ogden was
the grandsire Of Zev who won the
Kentucky derby in 1923 and who, rid
den by Earl Sande, defeated Papyrus,
famous English horse in the 100000
International.
DAILY made money out of his horses,
aside from their winnings He paid
SAL 900 for Hamburg, won $4,000 with
him and sold him for $50, 1000. He paid
$4,000 for Lady Reed in foal with
Hanover. He sold Hanover for $10,500
and two fillies as colts for $54, 600. His
string Of horses, after his death, were
sold for $750,000.