The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1938-06-23
Mene Of tsi
by Captain
G. Elliott Nightingale
Copyright. WNU
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44I ASllNS 1~S'f~ viz
L American and Canadian meth
DDS of handling troublesome Indi-
ans was clearly demonstrated back
in the late nineties when about four
hundred Wood Cree Indians, fear
ing that they would be involved in
the violation of a certain treaty be-
tween all the Cree tribes and the
Canadian government, sneaked quiz
city away from their reservation in
small groups one night and slipped
across the border into Montana.
Upon assembling there, the Ameri-
can peace officers and military men
told the Wood Cree chieftains that
they had better go back to Canada,
because Uncle Sam had more In
dams than he needed.
The Crees refused to depart and
stayed put where they'd camped,
threatening all kinds of trouble if
they were bothered in any way. The
result of this defiant attitude was
that a thousand United States cav
alrymen were soon uprooting the
Crees and herding them north to
the border. While the party was en-
route, messages concerning the re-
turn of the Crees were hurried
through to the Assinaboine authori-
ties, and the Northwest Mounted Po-
lice, requesting that an armed force
be at the border to take charge of
the returning Wood Crees. The mes
sages were to the effect that these
Wood Crees were a murderous lot
and would take some handling if
trouble or massacre were to be pre-
vented.
Upon arriving at the designated
crossing place on the border, the
American colonel of cavalry was
quite disappointed at not finding a
regiment of relocated infantrymen
to meet the party and take charge
1f the 400 Wood Crees. His dis
appointment later turned to rage
and anger for, veteran Indian fight
er that he was, his advices about
the handling of the troublesome
Crees had been totally ignored for
there was not even a squadron of
Northwest Mounted Police to relieve
him of his deportees. Just when
the air was blue with profanity,
with brown spots here and there
emanating from spluttering tobac-
co juice, three Men of the Mounted
walked, not rode, into the Ameri-
can cavalry officers presence.
I'VE have come to take over the
Crees," the corporal announced.
you've WHAT!!!!?., shouted the
colonel. The corporal repeated his
remarks.
"Why ;. Good God, man
where's your troops? Why :.
you'll need a regiment to handle
this bunch of rascals. How many
men have your"
well, sir, there's three of us
here. The fourth man of my party
is packing up our kits. He'll be
with us in a minute, sir, asking
your patience"
-Four men :" clustered the
cavalry officer. "Why it's
murder"
"Not at all, sir" replied the cor
poral. "You see, we know these In
dams, and they know we wear the
queens scarlet. They know, too,
that we have kept all treaties with
them. Ask them, sir. Find out for
yourself"
The colonel did as requested and
without any help or advice from the
Men of the Mounted, the chieftains
of the Wood Crees stepped out and
said that never in all their expert
ence since the redcoat pony SOL
diers had come, had they found
"forked tongue" among them. They
had always been faithful to all trea-
ties, and the chieftains concluded
with the admission that they were
glad to be back on Canadian soil,
and that they would not have run
away if they had not believed that
they would be in serious trouble
with the pony soldiers because the
Swampy Crees had broken a prom
Use and treaty they'd made with
the Northwest Mounted.
Later that week four Men of the
Mounted were leading, not driving,
400 supposedly "bloodthirsty, scalp
ing savages" northward, well into
Canadian territory, finishing the Job
without any untoward incident, and
without the loss of man, woman.
child, or horse. On one side of the
line Indian affairs were handled by
grating politicians who, under Brit
ish law, would be classed as Just
plain criminals and crooks. North
OF the line Indian affairs were han
died by force of intelligent, trust
worthy men whose efforts were I'M
hampered by politicians, men who
could not be bought and sold, men
who kept faith with the promises
they had made when they donned
the scarlet and gold for 60 cents
per day, and found.
The Name JOSenhine