Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1939-07-29


mous vigiIantes of Alder guIeh.
and operated by Granville Stuart of
|. Helena. The cattle ranged in Fergus
county. Here Teddy's romance began as
IN a short while after he began work
with the DIS he married Mary Stuart,
| the daughter Of his employer.
Starts for Himself
After he worked for the DIS for
several years, he concluded that he
could do better by working for himself.
He bought small bunch of COWS,
built himself home near the town of
Gilt Edge and embarked in the stock
raising business. He resided there until
his death.
His ranch was known as the Three
Deuce ranch from the brand with
which he marked his cattle, "222."
The Three Deuce ranch was known
far and wide as ranch where door
never was locked, where anyone who
came was invited to have something
to eat or to turn his horses into the
pasture and stay all night. No one
was ever asked TO pay for a thing at
the Three Deuce. Teddy Blue believed
in living and let live, and often said:
I'VE are on earth but for a short while,
so let's be neighborly and sociable
while we are here"
Blue believed strictly in the Golden
Rule and did his best to live up to
its teaching. He was a law abiding
man in the fullest sense of the word.
He despised COW or horse thief and
discountenanced trickery in any form.
Teddy Blues friends were legion, his
enemies none, and 1t will be many long
years before Teddy Blue and the Three
Deuce ranch viii have been forgotten
by the residents of Fergus county. 1t
has often been a matter of conjecture
as to how Abbott got the nickname of
Teddy Blue" a name by which ne
was far better known than by his
real name.
Origin of Nickname
asked Harry Rutter, who had
known Teddy and worked with him
before he came to Montana, If he knew
anything about it. He told me that one
time in the seventies near little town
in Nebraska, several trail herds were
camped. A large part of the trailhands
were in town having good time. At
one saloon where quite few cowhands
were congregated, one cowboy was
called on to sing Sam Bass" song
which was very popular on the range
then. The cowboy called upon obliging-
ly sang the song and when 1t was
finished someone asked: who Is that
cowhand who just sang2" Harry said
that at the end Of the bar were four
cowboys. One of them was French
man named Pierre La Grange, well
often in conversation made use Of vari-
Gus French expressions. These four
cowboys were engaged In conversation |
and Just as the question was asked |
as to the singers name, Pierre La 1
Grange was heard to say, "Tete Bleu,"
and the questiOner understood it to |
be the answer to his question and that |
the name Of the singing cowboy was |
Teddy Blue" He told others so and |
the name was fastened on Abbott. |
Soon the name of Abbott was lost |
sight Of and as Teddy Blue" he was
known I feel safe in saying that at /
least one-half of those who knew Alb
bott never knew what the initials
'sE. c." In his name stood for. I knew
him for SIS years and really wouldn't
say for sure whether his first name
was Edward, Edwin or Elmer. He was
always Teddy" to me and was KID
10 him.
I have said that Teddy hated a
crook. He did, and yet at times he was
disposed to give them a chance as the
following incident viii show
During the beef roundup in the fall
Of 1885 there were a good many cow
/
0ne week in September there were
several outfits camped near the city
waiting for cars and their turn to use
the Stockyards to load their cattle. A
good sized bunch of the boys were In
own every night celebrating. Some
we're. hilarious and some got very
trunk.
One of the latter who got so much
IF load on board that he could not
walk, laid down on the sidewalk on
Park street close TO the front of
building and had fallen into a sort
" stupor.
Miles City in the COW DAYS was in
eSted by class of petty thieves and
of the saloons from the big
titles of the east
They hung around the saloons ever
N the lookout to pilfer Picking the
,ockets OF a drunken man was one of
heir chief accomplishments. One Of
his class spied the drunken cowboy
sleep. He bent over the man and be-
an rifling his pockets.
Teddy Blue, who happened to be
oming up the street from the hotel,
aught sight of the thief Just as he
egan to rob the sleeping cowpuncher.
he two and got very close to them Just
S the pickpocket finished his search.
he thief turned and went into q near
y saloon with TEDDY close behind
Inn. The man stepped UP TO the bar
nd called for a drink. Teddy ranged
Iongside Of him and after The fellow
sd taken his drink and started sway.
lid to him: wait a minute, my
lend. Go down into your Jeans and
lg up every damned thing that You
OK out OF that sleeper's pockets and
~ them Srp on the bar"
The crook tried 10 bllisker, bat Teddy
oked him square In the eye and said:
mean IL, fellow. Dig them szp."
The sneak saw that Blue was wear
Il q Colts AS and that &c hung IN
good position to be reached quickly,
M began 10 empty bis pockets. Blue
SIDE him turn them inside out Then
} called the bartender end said.
s@ThEa money and other stuff belongs