The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-06-20

lewis ana llafk IN lsUD as an
Union sent out as much as half a
million dollars worth of furs in one
year and the per cent OF profit was
in the thousands. In fact, during
the 40 years Of its heydey. Fort
Union averaged two to three hun
bred thousand dollars worth Of
business a year.
We put ashore at the old mouth
of the Yellowstone in a hslf-hesrfed
attempt to find the long lost graves
Of Mike Fink and his erstwhile
buddy. Carpenter, whom he had
murdered In cold blood. No story
Of this section Of the Missouri
would be complete without the
saga Of that famous triumvirate
Fink, Talbot. and Carpenter. who
came up the river with Ashley and
Henry in 1922.
Shoots ut Pigs
Mike Fink was q real story-book
character Of the. old frontier, and
he and his exploits were known
from the Falls Of the Ohio Louis
villel 10 the Yellowstone. Though
not very tails feet. Q inches-he
would have made 4 perfect model
for Hercules.
He could drink a gallon Of whis-
key In "a hours without showing
a sign Of intoxication. His boast
was a girl in every port and his
drunken cry was classic! I'm q
salt river roarer and ! love the
winning, a. how. I'm chock full
Of fight" He fancicd himself some
thing Of a wit and would quickly
thrash anyone who didn't laugh at
his sallies.
But Mixes principal claim to
fame was his craftsmanship. Once.
while drifting down Ohio river.
Mike. probably with the best part
of jug inside him, espied a SOW
and nine little pigs on the shore
some 40 or so yards away. Feel.
ing a sudden pang for fresh pork,
he was going to slaughter the lot,
but his friends finally dissuaded
him. So. instead, he calmly lifted
his gun and shot the tails off every
one Of them.
Fall Out Over Girl
He struck up a friendship with
Talbot and Carpenter and the three
were inseparable. Carpenter WAS
as good a shot as Fink and the
two Of them used to entertain
themselves and their friends by
shooting cups full Of whiskey off
each others heads at 10 PAGES.
These two men were the oriEina-
tors Of this stunt. In the moving
picture Of several years ago. THE
Covered Wagon" this stunt was
credited to two other old frontiers
men. Jim Bridger and Jackson.)
Parting from the main body at
the Yellowstone, these three men,
along with nine others, were sent
I'D to the Musselshell to establish
trade relations with the Indians
in that section. While wintering
there, Fink and Carpenter fell into
a deadly quarrel over a half-csste
Indian girl. said to be fathered by
one OF the Lewis and Clark expedi-
ton In 1905.
Friends finally smoothed things
out. but. when they returned to
the Yellowstone in the spring. the
quarrel again broke out and again
friends INTERVIEWED.
They Shot II Out
As 4 gesture Of friendship they
decided to shoot the cup from each
others heads and "skied Z copper"
to see who would get the first shot.
Mike won the toss.
Carpenter must have been able
to look into Mikes black heart. for
he showed that he expected to be
killed by making his will. leaving
all his earthly possessions TO the
third member Of the trio. Talbot.
Friends tried to get him TO flee.
but TO him this was evidently an
affair of honor and he decided to
see it through.
This time the distance WAS TO be
only 90 yards. instead Of the usual
70. While Fink was loading his
gun. Carpenter had q little trouble
making the cup balance on his
head. Hold your noodle steady.
Carpenter" Fink called. somewhat
dcrisively. and don't spill the
whiskey. as I shall want some
presently" With the same DELHI
Grafton with which he had shot the
Negro. Mike raised his gun and
killed his old friend. the ball pene-
trsting his head an inch and q half
above the eyes and right in the
center Of the forehead.
He Confesses
At first Fink tried to carry II
off on the assumption that Car
penter had tainted. and he chided
him for spilling the whiskey. When
he apparentlv realized what he had
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