davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1939-05-24
Advertising Club
To Golf and Dance

The Advertising Club of Washing
ton will hold golf tournament and
dlnner-dance Friday at the Ken
WOOD Country Club in celebration
OF the clubs 21st anniversary.
w. Frank Gatewood is chairman
OF arrangements, assisted by George
3: burrus, Alvin @. Ehrlich, w.
Richard Harvey, Matt Myer, Will
liam janet, Regis ODonnell, Will
nam F Slgmund, John H. Ded E,
James Retto, A. D. Willard, IT.. VII
liam B. DELPHI and Louis D. Krakow.
Evening star., 1939-05-24
Mrs. Codd Prize Winner
In Poetry Contest

Mrs. Gertrude Jane Codd won
first prize in a poetry contest spon-
sored during the year by the WASH
ington Catholic Poetry Society.
At the society's closing meeting
Of the season Sunday at Trinity
College the prize winning poems
were read by Miss Helen Louise
Connolly, president. Sister Fran
cesca of st. Cecilia's Academy was
awarded second prize. Twenty-Five
poems by members of the society
were accepted for publication during
the year.
Evening star., 1939-05-24
Purty to Benefit Scouts

Friendship House, 619 D street
Sc, will sponsor lawn party, from
7:3o to $50 pm. tomori ", for the
benefit of the Friendship House Boy
Scout troop.
Evening star., 1939-05-24
Pepco Glee Club Concert

The Potomac Electric Power Co.
Glee Club will give its annual con-
cert at $50 pm. tomorrow in the
Pepco auditorium, Tenth and E
streets NV. The public is invited.
Evening star., 1939-05-24
Ladies' Aid Plans Supper

The Ladies Aid Society of the
Hunting Hill (Md) Methodist
Church will hQe a chicken supper
from to pm. tomorrow at the
church.
Evening star., 1939-05-24

NAMED TO DISTRICT BENCH
James w. Morris, Assistant
Attorney General, who was
named yesterday by President
Roosevelt to be a judge in
District Court. The nomina-
ton would fill the last vacancy
on the court. Mr.. Morris sub
mitted his resignations from
his present post to Attorney
General Murphy.
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31

horse" and Hamilton tipped Little Dog
off to let the Crows win few races
and not to match against the Amer
lean horse. After few wins the Crows
were feeling good and brought out
their fast horse, ready to bet every
thing they possessed. Bringing out
McKay's horse as his own. Little Dog
Little Dog and the Crow chief were
judges An Indian race started with
the word "gol" and the first horse out
won, regardless of what happened
along the course. One thing was sure,
the Grow horse would have to be good
to beat McKay's war" horse. The
squaws held the dogs. Everything was
hushed. The race started with the
Crow boy whipping his mount. Little
Dogs son held his horse in check. The
race was neck and neck to the last 100
yards.
Crow Horse Is Beaten
Then the Piegan boy used the whip.
McKay's horse fairly flew away from
his Grow adversary and won by 60
feet. There was yell from 500 Indian
threats. The Crows were the most
crestfallen and nonpulsed Indians
Hamilton had ever seen. Sullenly they
returned to their own village. The feat
made Hamilton forever a friend Of the
Piegans
Hamilton made known his intention
to go next day to look for the Black
feet camp. Little Dog gave him three
arrows, with instructions to show them
to the Blackfeet chiefs They were Pc
culiarly marked and Hamilton was
admonished not to lose them. Fringe
and five other Indians accompanied
the white men. The Blackfeet were a
hard outfit. said Little Dog. and the
arrows and the company of Fringe
would be passport to safety in their
midst.
After a night camp nearby. Fringe
sent two of his braves ahead to tell
the Blackfeet visitors were coming.
Calf Shirt and Father of All Children
led welcoming party half mile from
the village to greet Hamilton. In camp
the traders animals. Many signs of
Blackfeet enmity were recognized, all
of which Hamilton had expected
Hamilton answered many questions
where he came from and what he was
doing. Then he handed the three ar
rows to Father of All Children. who
scrutinized them and passed them
around. Then Hamilton again drew
forth his official envelope and there
from drew a document-a message
from the Great White Chief.
This brought from the Blackfeet
grunt sounding like a snarl There was
contempt on the faces of many. They
had dislike of anything American.
They belonged on the Canadian side,
in Red Jackets land. Mckay remarked
in English: Bill. I believe we're in
tight place and believe some Of these
Indians know you from the way they
eye you"
Recognizes Old Enemies
Hamilton had fought the BlaCkfeet
in years past, and recognized some of
them, but he evaded all questions which
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31
BY ]. F. McALEAR

William Irvine, stockman, bet
ter known to all his friends in
western Montana as ."Billy" 1r-
vine, has had more experiences in
the early history of Montana than
most any westerner now living.
Billy was born near Post creek, six
miles north of the old St. Ignatius
Mission in 1856, 80 years ago. His
father, Peter Irvine, a native of
the Shetland islands, Scotland,
came to western Montana in the
early days as an employee of the
Hudsons Bay Trading Co.. settling at
the Fort Connah trading post. where
he married Angela Ashley, a Flathead
Indian woman. Billy, being one of the
oldest Of nine children. had to make
his way early in life, never having the
opportunity to go to school. Neverthe..
Scotch-Indian and accumulated a
large amount of livestock and property
in the late nineties.
AS a young man, Mr.. Irvine became
an expert roper, top cowhand and
being trustworthy and dependable, al
ways had a good job with the big cat
tie companies in the United States and
Canada.
Billy made his first trip, drifting
cattle to market via Cheyenne, Wyo,
in 1876. He, with II other cowboys, left
the Flathead Indian reservation about
the middle of May that year with a
herd of 1900 head of cattle and ar
rived at Cheyenne five months later,
Oct. Is. The herd could have been
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31
U2IIHam HU1ne, St0ckman,
Has Had Thrilling Career

taken to Ogden, Utah. the nearest
railroad town, thereby saving some 200
miles of the journey, but by going, to
Cheyenne, It gave the cattle another
as well as saving freight on the. rail-
road, Cheyenne being nearer Chicago,
their final destination.
Included in the caravan on this trip
was a covered "chuck" wagon, the
diner" and pullman for the cowboys,
which was drawn by four . oxen. Each
or eight miles on the free range; At
night one-half of the crew would herd
the cattle while the others slept, then
at midnight the crews would change.
The route followed was through Mis-
crossing the treacherous Snake river
there, then across the northeast corner
of Utah and on into Wyoming through
Laramie to Cheyenne This route was
taken to avoid the hostile Indians on
the Grow reservation. who IN that year
General Clusters brave little army OF
$50 soldiers.
Irvine and his cowboys got back to
the Flathead just in time to eat
Christmas dinner. leaving a lot OF
hardships behind. Other trips to Chey-
enne followed. in 1877. 1879 and 1880.
In 1873. Konrad Kohrs. Deer Lodge
valley stockman, sent Irvine to Dav-
export, Iowa, to return two purebred
horses to the KohrS ranch near Deer
Lodge. Davenport at that time had
population of about 500 people. Billy
Corinne, Utah. with the horses and
made the trip overland to Deer Lodge
in less than month, with a happy
landing, all safe and sound.
Billy was in Missoula in 1866. when
a trading post, operated by Captain
He rode through Billings in 1881 when
there was only a trading post and post
office. He forded cattle across the Mis-
souri, river in the early sos and camped
for the night where Great Falls is now
Flathead short in 1895, Billy trailed
600 head of cattle to Canada to winter
them, where they all persisted in the
terrible storms of that year.
William Irvine married Emily Brown.
in. 1896 and located on his ranch II
miles west of Poison, where he now
lives Charles Allard ST. staked Billy
to his first small herd of cattle.
The Irvine ranch once had 5000 head
Of cattle and 100 head of horses; From
twice each year, buying. enough pro-
visions each trip to provide the ranch
for six months. He was always a good
feeder as was attested by his !260-
he raised to manhood: Little Arthur
grew SO strong he stayed on the mat in
Spokane with Yosef, "the Terrible |
Turk" for 30 minutes, before being |
thrown. This same Turk tossed Evan |
me ne T Tina an Woe
Mr.. Irvine was a close friend of |
Charles Allard ST., and Michel Pablo, |
both noted for their wild buffalo herds |
on the Flathead. In 1908. Billy assisted |
buffalo, about 500 head, which Pablo
sold to the Canadian government. At
the close Of the roundup, roundup
In which Charles M. Russell, noted
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31
Official Envelope Was big Medicine" Enough
to Pass u. S. Scout Through Hostile Indian Tribes

with Fringe and his Piegans, but not
with the traders.
The Piegans guarded the route from
the village, and at a butte where the
trails divided they kept watch of the
Blackfeet until Hamilton and Mckay
were out of sight on their way to ST.
Mary's lake and the Kootenai country
Attacked by Blackfeet
In the late afternoon the traders
killed three Blackfeet who had tried
to attack them. Later at the Kootenai
village it was learned a Kootenai war
rior had been killed by three Blackfeet
and three others wounded shortly be-
fore. The Blackfeet were too strong for
the Kootenais, who feared a general
pers. Seeing McKay's hands were
bloody. the Indians expressed concern.
Then Mckay brought out the three
Blackfeet scalps, the signal for an In
dian celebration
A good trade was enjoyed with the
Kootenais, and Hamilton virtually
commanded sanguinary war between
the tribe and the Blackfeet before he
left them.
Returning to Colonel Wright's en-
campment. his pack animals laden with
robes and furs and Indian gifts for the
ladies of the post, Hamilton was feted
for four days by the garrison. His re-
ports were most satisfactory and his
profit from trade was excellent.
Mckay had told of the three arrows
Little Dog gave Hamilton. Colonel
Wright asked to see them and re-
marked that he would like to keep
them. Hamilton gave them to him,
Wright having indicated he was COL
lecting an Indian museum.
Hamilton never knew the signifi-
canoe of the arrows, but concluded
they were medicine" of some kind
with meaning for the Blackfeet.
But that official envelope with its
varied and rather meaningless papers
were his best medicine on the whole
trip
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31
BY EDNA LAMOoRE WALDO

/" HE BOYS in the hide camp Just
west of the Short Grass hills
in Montana were all out of to-
Il bacco. They had used up all
the discarded butts they could
find. that miserable day back in 1888.
and had finally been reduced to smok-
ing Arbuckle'S coffee. Worn out bv
their growing and wrangling. George
Cartwright Offered to go to the range
store on Box Elder creek for supplies.
On the way. he met Dode Straugh
(Strawnl. a buffalo hunter from an
other camp, who decided to go along.
Before morning Dode had been muir
dered and one of the VESTS famous
man hunts was on. The killing of
Straugh by Dave Lee might have been
ranked as just another frontier scrap
over a card game, had not the cues
ton arisen then and later as to wheth-
er the murder had actually taken place
in Montana or in Dakota.
The story of how the details of the
killing came to be filled in recently is
almost as interesting as THAI of the
shooting itself. A stray news item from
a western North Dakota newspaper
as late as June. 1886. related that the
sheriff of stark county and a Man
dan land man had been locating the
territorial line in an effort to find
where the Range store lay and had
decided that il was in Dakota Repro
duced as part of the Bahamas picture
in a recent book c'Dakota," ELW,
1885, the item came to the attention
of George Cartwright's son, R. G.
Cartwright, now living in Lead, S. D.
The latter sent to the books author
the following story of the Straugh
shooting.
Soon after we reached the store"
George Cartwright told his son years
later. "Straugh managed to get mixed
up in poker game and. being some
soon had things coming his way I
mentioned that guessed I'd go and
find place to unroll my tarp and
Dode asked if he could sleep with me-
Sure" Cartwright replied, "if you
don't kick" and went on out into the
darkness.
After locating his tarp, he stepped
hear Dave Lee say, TT takes either a
d fool or crook to deal hands like
that"
'tD'you mean me?" Straugh demand
ed and. a second later, "Oh don't"
as Lee drew and fired.
Dave Lee. cowboy, had come into
the store on the pro, according to Cart
wright, and was looking for an entire
~ different person. But he was in
kllilng InooQ ana Straugh got in the
way. After the shooting, knowing that
the only other short gun in the crowd
was stuck down in a barrel Of beans
behind the counter, Lee leyeled his
gun at the proprietor, who had been
the game.
Backing out, the murderer gave
Cartwright a grim smile, observing,
We'll, I guess he won't kick you to-
night"
He disappeared and was not located |
for some time until a manhunter and |
early-day Montana sheriff named Tom |
Irwin, who made his headquarters I'm |
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31

would establish his past record. He
knew the Indians were uncertain of his
identity.
He provided a feast, which the
squaws prepared, and proceeded to
trade with the Blackfeet. Fringe, ever
the friend, told the Blackfeet what
Hamilton would trade for and what
would not be considered.
After the trade the Indians invited
Hamilton to stay in their camp for
several days. They wanted him to re-
main until Fringe and his braves were
gone; then the white mems scalpS and
their mules and horses would be taken
to Canada. This they did not dare at
tempt with the Piegans in camp for
they had brought Hamilton and Nc
Kay as guests. They were ugly when
Hamilton announced he would leave
next morning. With Hamilton refusing
to divulge the route he would take,
the Blackfeet became angry.
Next morning. with Hamilton and
Mckay with their backs to their packs
Fringe pointed his gun at a Blackfeet
chief and in ringing tones addressed
the crowd in words they understood
Danger was barely averted. The Black
feet knew. however, that were Fringe
harmed, his father, Little Dog. would
have revenge. Finally Calf Shirt and
Father of All Children shook hands
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31

pers and Indians in past years, Ham
ilton knew the general location of all
the principal tribes.
While Hamilton acted under the
commission of Colonel Wright as an
Indian detective. with the pay of a
scout. he must have some valid excuse
for his appearance in the country of
the various tribes. Trade was logical.
So from the commissary and the suit
lers stores Hamilton selected his
equipment and his trade goods, and
took along as his only companion, Alex
Mckay. a half-breed who had been
with him on many mountain adven-
ture and on whom he could rely in
any emergency.
Five pack mules carried the trade
goods. and Hamilton and Mckay had
personal mounts and their war
horses" led along to be used as fast
mounts in emergency.
First contact with Indians was in
the country of the tribes which had
recently been at war. They were in
an ugly mood. and two lone white men
in their country ordinarily would have
lost their scalps in short order.
In every case, out came that official
envelope. from which was drawn a
paper from which, in the sign Ian
guage, Hamilton interpreted message
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31
L0C0tl0H Of N0uf0nu Line
Let's Co1vb0y Killer Go Free

Miles City. picked him up in Nebraska
irwin knew, he told the elder Cart
wright afterward, that Lee would
start shooting at sight and so he had
paced two local deputies with sawed
OIL Shotguns at windows thanking a
saloon bar on either side AS Irwin
spoke to Lee, the Shotguns we're poked
through the windows and. after a quick
hands
Irwin snapped the handouts onto
Lees wrists. whereupon the prisoner
asked for something to eat They re-
moved two guns from Lees clothes at
the restaurant and. while eating, al
lowed him to have his hands free.
irwin sat opposite the prisoner during
the meal, a gun on his lap. and an
uneasy bunch troubling his mind. The
bunch proved a good one when Irwin
made aNo'hPr search and found a
small derrlNger concealed in the kill
er's sleeve
Dave Lee. according to Cartwright's
story. was he'd for some months at
Miles Cl,y and then. when it was dis
covered that the killing had been done
IN Dakota and that the case would
have to be tried at Yankton. dis
charged, 1t was afterward reported
that Lee returned to Nebraska and
was killed there in a brush with Off
GERS OF the law.
George Cartwright himself was well
known throughout the west, having
gone into the Black Hills in 1877 by
way of Bismarck and the Fort Pierre
trail. From 1879 until 1888 he was on
the Montana buffalo ranges. He told
his son before his death that he had
come across a clipping with a Pennsyl-
vanla date line. stating that Straugh
was one of six members of his family
who had met violent deaths in the
period just after the Civil war.
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31

to fit the moment, something always
to the effect that through me the
Great Father speaks, and lightning
strikes those who will not listen"
Entering what is now western Mon
tana, Hamilton was struck with the
appealing features of the Missoula re-
gion, the crossroads of many Indian
trails, and he determined to return
there later and establish a trading
post. This he did the following year.
Encountering a band of F'lathead
Indians travelling eastward to hunt
this was in eptember-Hamilton and
Mckay remained with them nearly to
the Sun river country. then struck off
alone to look for other tribes.
On the Teton river. Indians were
sighted. Hamilton was sure they were
Piegans He and Mckay made camp
and "forted up to be ready for what
might occur. The band was led by
Chief Little Dog. of whom Hamilton
had had a good account. Little Dog
looked over the camp and signified
that the white men were mo FOOLS"
smoke was had and presents distrib-
uted, and Hamilton provided a feast.
When Little Dog returned to his vii
lage he left his son. Fringe, and two
other braves to guard the camp and
to guide Hamilton to the Piegans next
day.
Welcomed at the Piegan village of
$50 lodges, Hamilton again used his
magic envelope. this time interpreting
friendly message from the Great
White Father. The Indians all placed
their hands over their mouths, their
sign of great establishment and an in
dication that they regarded the paper
as something great. and its possessor
as no ordinary person.
With the Piegans Hamilton traded
for a large number of fine robes and
furs and for some additional pack
animals Crow hunting camp was
nearby and the head men called at
the Piegan camp. Some of them recog-
nized Hamilton as an old enemy, and
black glances were cast in his direction
However, Hamilton visited their camp
with Little Dog, and the Crows came
to the Piegan camp to trade with him.
The Crows brought along their
horses, hoping for some good races and
some gambling booty. They had one
American horse that obviously was
fast Hamilton charged the Crows with
stealing it on the emigrant road. and
they did not deny it. Mckay had an
exceptionally fast horse for his war
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31

DR.. J. w. Severy, above, professor of
botany at Montana State university.
announced last week that the natural
science greenhouse will be ready for
use in spring quarter. The addition of
the greenhouse to the natural science
laboratories at the university will make
study facilities there better than in
most western colleges.
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31
By ELMO

4 N official government enve-
IN lope with some papers inside
no matter what their con-
tents was all the "medicine"
William T. Billy Hamilton re-
quired as a passport through dan
gerous country among hostile
Indian tribes, way back in 1858.
Hamilton's technique, when hos
tiles had him in a tight spot, was
to pull that envelope out of his
"possibles" sack and from one of
the papers therein interpret to the
Indians whatever he desired. "That
way I set the Indians to thinking
of something else than my scalp"
he declared.
Hamilton was born in Scotland in
1922 and as a child with his parents,
he reached ST. Louis by way of New
Orleans at a time when the mountain
men and the fur traders made pic
At the age Of 20, his health shattered
by a siege Of chills and fever, even
yet peculiar to the low country of the
Mississippi valley, he started on trad
ing expedition into the Indian country
with old Bill Williams, who cut a wide
swath in the annals of the mountain
trade. This early taste of the freedom
of the wilderness made of Hamilton a
denizen Of the fur country, and he re-
manned in the mountains until his
death at Columbus some years ago.
Coming into the mountains in 1912
when intimate acquaintance with In
dian psychology was an essential to
ta-
came adept in mountain lore. and was
one Of the most proficient Of all white
men in the use Of the Indian sign
language The Indians called him
Sign Talking White Man" Indians
themselves credited him with being
their equal, and often their superior,
in the sign language.
Hamilton served as a scout with the
troops of Colonel Wright in the Spo-
After the war was ended Colonel
Wright tried II principal chiefs and
head men of the two tribes and Or
dered them hung. The order was exc
cuted in the presence OF some $500
Indians Nine other chiefs were held as
prisoners to enforce good behavior OF
the tribes.
Sends Hamilton to Check Up
A rumor was eXtant at this time
that the tribes east of the mountains
were inclined to be hostile, and since
Colonel Wright and his troops were
charged with the peace OF the entire
mountain country now in eastern
Washington, the Idaho panhandle and
in Montana, he was DESTROYS OF learn
was commissioned to make trip into
the country and visit all tribes as far
east as the Blackfeet and bring back
a report. From his contact with trap
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31

Miss Lesley Vinal, above, director Of
the women's division Of the physical
education department at Montana
State university, will be in charge Of
wOmen's athletics at the university
summer session. Glasses will be offered
In badminton, swimming, rolf, folk
dancing and many other sports Of IN
tereSt to women.
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31

cowboy artist. participated. Mr. Pablo
gave Billy the latest buffalo COW, the
hide of which he now prizes highly.
His late wife, Mrs. Emily Orvine, was
an excellent helpmate for Billy true
daughter OF the early pioneers, as was
evidenced by her participation in the
Pablo buffalo roundup in 1908. She rode
averted a stampede of the big herd of
buffalo.
Mr.. Irvine enjoys good health for a
man of his age, is sturdy, tough as a
pine knot, a true Westerner. a true
friend.
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31
Tusk Unearthed

Along the Little Missouri river be-
tween Alzada and Albion, an ancient
mammoth tusk is being excavated and
prepared for the museum of fossils
and other prehistoric curios at Eka-
laka. The tusk was discovered while
a road crew was cutting through a
hill. 1t is eight inches in diameter and
about 10 feet long. The point is broken
off and has not yet been located
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31
}. N. SPECIAL AGENT
SUCCUMBS AT SPOKANE

NJ. P: Keith, Al, special agent for the
Great Northern railway, died at Spo-
kane. Before he went to Spokane Keith
worked for the Great Northern at
Whitefish. Great Falls and Havre, He
is survived by his father. Tom Keith
OF Chester, and a brother Dodds Keith
OF Chester, sheriff OF Liberty county,
His widow resides at Fortune, where
they own ranch. and his daughter
is a resident OF Havre.
Old working war horses are being
bought and put in pasture in England,
Glacier County chief., 1939-03-31

Dean r. c. Line, above, of the school
Of business administration at Montana
State university returned last week
from a meeting in Butte with members
Of the Montana Association of Com
mercial Secretaries. A course for COM
mercial secretaries will be included in
the summer school curriculum of the
school of business administration.