Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-09-14
Bloody Feud Between Families of
Mixed Blood Created Terror When
Old Fort Union Was Wild Place

junction OF the Missouri and Yell
lOwStone rivers, a place Of bloody
horror, according TO the journals
Of Charles Larpenteur, principal
clerk at the fort in early fur trade
days, whose journal, Forty Years
a Trader ON the Upper Missouri"
forms one Of the most important
source books of the history of the
period.
Larpenteur describes a particularly
bloody feud which involved the family
Of Francois DeSchampS and the family
Of Jack Rem, another half-breed. The
Rems and DeschampS at first were
friends, but during a big spree Jack
Rem's 19-year-old son was killed by
one. Of the Deschamps boys, and the
feud was on.
The Rems were the weaker of the
two half-breed families and SO they
nourtshed their vengeance until they
were reinforced by Baptiste Gardepied
another half-breed whose life had been
threatened by the Deschamps, and
who had been crossed by Francois Des-
champs Jr., in q love affair, and by
Lafferrier, the storekeeper, who also
had developed a grudge against the
DeSchamps
Francois fell in love with a suuaw
belonging to Gardepied and kidnapped
her. The elder Deschamps advised his
son to offer Gardepied horse for the
squaw. The offer reused Gardepied
to fury and he swore that either he
or q Deschamps should die for it. He
dared any Of them to fight.
Challenge Ignored
The DeSchampS ignored the cfal-
lenge, but one Of them tried to kill
Gardepied He was prevented from
shooting the aggrieved half-breed
through an open window only by the
interference of an Indian
A conspiracy was now Matched by
Gardepied, the two sonS-in-laws of
Jack Rem, and Lafferrier, trader and
storekeeper at the fort, to kill old
man Deschamps and his eldest son,
Francois. The double assassination was
to take place In the room in Fort
Union occupied by Lafferrier and Lar
penteur, one of the principal clerks at
the fort, who several times in later
years was its active head.
A rifle barrel was placed In the
chimney corner and Lafferrier put his
dirk under his pillow for Gardepied, |
who was to open the attack.
old. was interpreter for Fort Union |.
and ate breakfast at the fort In the
clerks dining room. 1t was the custom |
Of Francois and his father to chat /
with Lafferrier and Larpenteur In their /
room after breakfast. On the morning |
fixed by the conspirators Gardepied !
and his associates encountered the /
two DeschampS in the room while Lar /
penteur was away for walk.
Sought to Make Peace
After the exchange of few pleas
antrtes, Gardepied rose and addressed
the old man:
'Deschamps," he said, 'T want to
know whether you will make peace or !
war with me; you have often attempt
= So d. g.
ask you this question-now what is
your anSwer?"
81 will never make peace with you
as long as there Is a drop of blood
In my veins" replied Deschamps.
Some blood was quickly let out of
his VEINS" writes Lsarpenteur, "for
Gardepied Immediately seized the rifle
barrel and struck a fatal blow on the
Did mans head Then he turned around
10 the son, and with another blow
knocked him down. But this wound not
being fatal one, Francois made out
10 creep under one Of the beds, where
ne begged for his life until the con-
;pirators took pity on him."
1t was nearly year later, on June
%, 1886, that the closing episode Of
his fend took place. The steamer had
arrived from st. Louis and from go to
10 men were at the fort. These were
divided into two parties, one within
he confines of the fort proper, and ]
he other including most Of the half
breeds, at Fort william.
Those at Fort William included the
)eschamps and the Rems The ranks
Il the latter had been weakened by {
aw. who were killed by Blackfeet a
hort time before.
Woman Starts Feud
BY midnight most Of the men In !
9th forts had been rendered sluggish l
r helpless by the grand spree in which {
hey had all engaged. 7
Old Mother DeschampS, however, I
lad kept her wits awake
Now, my sons" said she, IF you '
re men, you viii revenge the death i
( your father" r
The boys at once voiced their ap- '
roval and killed old Jack Rems as
e lay In a drunken stupor They then {
wore they would kin all the half
reeds whom they considered his t
AXE the lives Of the whites in Fort 9
Tnion. Il
The wife and daughter Of Jack Rem a
ed to Fort Union where Larpenteur o
as reused by the cry Of the younger
oman: "Open the door, quick. They .
re fighting-they have killed my Q
ltherl" n
Il had not shut the door," continues
arpenteur, before 8 or 10 Of our men n
anne running In a great fury, swear "
IL vengeance against the Deschamps 81
smily all Of whom they would de-
roy big or small. They raised all !.
ands and in body went to Mckenzie, K
whom they demanded arms and :,
nmunition IN angry tones. This de- i
and was made In such terms that e
-cKenze could not well refuse, fear q
q the consequences, and not being
mself much To their intention. Hav- q,
q been furnished with a cannon,
uskets and ammunition. they went
work. But in the first place an the
1rses and all the company's effects
ere removed from the fort Fort VIII. q
am) and before the fight commenced, :.
e Deschamps were required to turn ~
1t their squaws, who were Asstnni- "
Vine women, whom we did not want "
kin for fear of the tribe. Thinking ~
e fight would not take place as =,
ng as they kept the Equaws, they -
fused TO turn them out. After allow ~
g them what time we thought nee VI
garv To make M their minds on this M