Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1940-08-09
well as Clarke's that were together in
a corral, were stolen.
Horses Returned Hnme

I q corral, were StOlen-
Horses Returned Home
Clarke's horses, which were branded,
came home the following evening. The
whereabouts of some of the Indian
horses were found. but the horses were
never recovered. Netuscheo was indig-
nant. 1t would have been all right had
the horses been stolen from the In
dian camp but it was an insult to
his honor to have them stolen while
he was a white mans guest.
In retaliation, a few nights later
when Clarke was away, Netuscheo ran
off all Clarkeis horses. The band clat-
tered by near freighters' camp far
ther down the Little Prickly Pear. The
freighters started shooting resulting in
Netuscheo leaving half the horses be-
hind
Recovering these horses and hearing
few days later where the others
were, Clarke took his oldest boy, Hor-
ace, and went to the Indian camp.
The first thing they saw was Ne
horse. Taking the horse away from
the Indian. Horace quirted him. In
stantly, 20 young warriors surrounded
the boy and began a death dance. The
old men rushed up, stopped the pro-
ceedings and saved Horace's life.
Spent Winter in Camp
Clarke spent the following winter
Stunning trading. and while there he
and Netuscheo agreed to overlook the
past and start their friendship anew.
Hostility to the white man was grow
ing. Mountain Chief, head of the Pie
CANS told Clarke he despised the
whites; they were killing off the buff
falo and soon all would be gone; that
they treated the Piegans like dogs
and blamed them for depredations Of
other tribes.
Fuel was added to the flames when,
in July of 1869, a party of settlers
was attacked Is miles from Fort Ben
ton by Indians, Qater proved to be
Crows. Several settlers we're killed.
While excitement in Benton was at
and another Indian came into the
town on a mission from Major Gull
bertson. They were shot down at once.
Clarke forecasted trouble. 1t came
two weeks later when all his horses
were stolen and in the next few weeks
other settlers lost 300 head.
| About o'clock on the evening Of
Aug. IT, five Indians came to the
Clarke ranch. Netuscheo was one Of
them. He greeted Horace affection
ately, throwing his arms around him
and kissing him. A circle was formed
and the pipe was passed around. Sup
per was served the visitors.
BLACK NeaSeIS Tears
| One of the visitors was a son OF
Mountain Chiefs brother who was
killed at Fort Benton. The youngest
Clarke girl told Netuscheo how sorry
| the Clarke family was over those muir
ders and other wrongs the Indians
had suffered. He told her to keep still
and not talk about it. Black Weasel,
another Indian, sat with his hands
over his eyes as she was talking and
she saw he was crying. She asked what
was the matter. Netuscheo said Black
WeaselS eyes were sore. She went for
some eye water.
| Horace, accompanied by one of the
visitors, left on horseback to bring
some horses down from a pasture a
when he heard the click OF pistol.
| He turned and looked at his compan-
ion who held gun on him. My
friend, you are brave" said the visit
ing Indian. AS this was a common
practice of testing courage among the
it. But a little later, when his COM
panlon began singing in the Crow
language-an enemy tongue-he knew
his life was in jeopardy. He turned
and faced his companion who shot
him in the face. AS he fell, two other
Indians emerged from the brush and
robbed him. They left him for dead,
bleeding profusely
Netuscheo, it developed, had recent
ly killed his father-in-l Clarke as
sumed he came to him for hiding. He
went to the door and told Netuscheo
to follow him. NetuScheo did so, and
closed the door behind him. The mem
bers of the family heard a shot Later
it was learned it was fired by Crow
foot who few years later became the
most powerful chief among the North
BlackfeetD Clarke fell. shot through
the heart. Followed more shooting and
the sounds of many Indians and horses
running back and forth.
A Night of Terror
1t was night of terror. A bullet
was fired into the house as Mrs.
Clarke passed by a window A faint
call from the brush was heard. 1t was
Horace. Black Bear, an aunt of Mrs.
Clarke's who lived with the family,
Mrs. Clarke and the eldest daughter
rushed out. Returning with Horace.
they spied an Indian standing by the
house When he saw them coming, he
pointed the muzzle of his gun harm
leSsly towards the stream and fired.
1t was Black Weasel, who earlier had
been weeping. Shortly after, the family
barricaded themselves in a secluded
room. An hour passed in silence. Then
the tramp OF horses was heard again,
and soon the Indians were back in
the house lootirg it OF whatever struck
their fancy. The terroriZed family
heard the invaders discussing what
disposition should be made Of them.
Netuscheo insisted Horace was alive
and in the house. He put his hand on
the door of the room in which the
family covered. Horace stood UP, a
Ratchet in his hand.
Then. in the words of Helen Clarke,
the eldest daughter, "A higher power
came TO our aid in the shape OF
Providence NetuScheo seemed to hesi-
tate. Someone touched him. He NUT
tered, Horace is in there Oh, no.
said Black Bear, he is dead. Four
Bears is dead. He was your best friend.
You have committed a deed so dark
the trees will whisper it. and before