The Hardin tribune-herald., 1937-07-23
II I SKY smuggling from
Montana into Canada flour
ished from 1873 to 1890.
Great Falls and Fort Ben


w Great Falls and Fort Ben
ton were two of the favor
ite starting places for the smugglers,
and the liquor which they purchased
for So in this country brought them
from IS up, in Canada, where the prin-
cipal markets were Fort Mcleod, Leth-
bridge and Calgary. When the Ca
ed smuggler, he was fined $500 If it
was his first 0ffense. For the second
Offense, the fine ws $500 and the third
offense drew . penitentiary sentence.
Selling to Indians was also punish
able by a penitentiary sentence.
There were a lot of smugglers who
made just q few trips and got away
with it, but those who stuck to the
by the Mounted in the end.
There was one among the old-time
Smugglers, however, who after having
been bested by the Mounted and es-
capped by the skin of his teeth, went
back for one final fling, pulled it off
successfully and came away thumbing
his nose at the Canadian minions Of
the law. He was =. Ormon, one Of the
most noted of the old-time whisky
runners. He had been in the game q
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 fall Of 1886 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 trav-
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
double trip from the site of the ac-
mir %rS <In psSyy 1s~-I-&
had his load of whisky. concealed in
the brush.
$12 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 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 saloon keeper in Mcleod
and he hated to leave any of it 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 fl
nally offered the $12 and gallon of
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 a 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 disarmed and
handcuffed. The policemen were ac-
companied by a 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 he
knew that he faced a penitentiary
sentence for giving liquor to Indians