Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1942-03-06
OLD STOCKMAN'S
STORY OF SCARE
SIOUX GAVE HIM
WHEN THOMAS CURRY ENCOUN-
TERED SITTING BULL ON
TRIP TO FORT PECK

Thlf 10 FOkT RECk
Thomas Curry. one Of the pioneer
stockmen OF northern Montana who
was long associated with the late w.
@. Conrad In his extensive cattle in
terests in Montana and Canada and
who served several terms as county
commissioner OF Cascade county dur
ing the later years OF his life. once
had a thrilling personal encounter with
Sitting Bull, famous medicine man
and leader Of the warning tribe OF
Sioux Indians.
At the time Of the meeting OF Curry
and Sitting Bull the former was on
his way up the Missouri river from
Fort Buford with a small party of
associates who had been detailed to
erect an Indian trading post at the
mouth of the Pouchette creek, a small
stream flowing into the Missouri from
the north about 20 miles above the
mouth of the Musselshell river. Pouch
cite creek, the name of which ap-
peared upon the maps Of Montana
territory more than half century ago,
now bears the modern name of Tele-
graph creek. In relating the Sitting
Bull incident, in an interview of 1900,
Curry said:
1T was in 1870 that We made the
overland trip from Fort Buford to
Fort Peck, and then up the river. to
build Fort Pouchette. Various parties
were being sent out at that time from
Fort Peck to build Fort Belknap,
trading post at Wolf Point and one
at the mouth of Pouchette creek. Abel
Fairwell and his party started out with
a mule train for Belknap: w. H. Bill
hey and others went up the river to
Wolf Point in a scow; and Higbee and
his party of six men went up the
stream about $50 miles to Pouchette
creek.
2O0-Mile Journey
THE party Of which I was a men,
Der started out afoot from Fort Blu
ford for Fort Peck. a distance Of about
200 miles. The party consisted Of yell
lowstone Kelly, George Farmer. George
Powell, Tie-Up George, Phillip Rafel
and myself. The night before the start
everything was arranged for the next
morning, and when 1t arrived we found
that Kelly had started alone and he
was not seen by us until the arrival
Of the party at Fort Peck. He was q
strange, solitary character and pre-
ferred to be alone, even In a fight.
oul Pal " lclL FOlG TcCh Ollt lIlOIIl-
ing in September, 1870, and travelled
about Is miles day without any in
cident Of importance until we arrived
at Milk river, except that on the trail
We found the bleaching bones Of six
white men and a California Indian,
who had been killed several years be-
fore. They were gold hunters and had
been ambushed and massacred by the
Sioux.
I'VE were pretty well tired out when
we reached the Milk river, and while
climbing the hill we put our guns in
the Red River cart, which carried our
bedding and provisions for the trip.
Powell and were about 800 yards
ahead of the cart, and just as we were
about to reach the top Of the hill we
concluded to wait for our guns, for
we were in a country infested with
wandering bands of Sioux war parties.
When the cart caught up with us and
just as we were taking out our guns,
six painted Indians appeared on the
brow of the hill and came rapidly
toward Us.
Sitting Bull and Black Moon
'At glance we recognized one as
Sitting Bull and another as Black