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THE FLATHEAD COURIERUGHDEAD•RTUNESGAMB-—_J OSIEPy (CHARLES N. PRAY FEDERAL JUDGEI of Faro; Old Time Died Ingh roll-unbling tlon In urse of ran and eh the 'd went lln, the e scrap lam at go, and Butte, he was Jour-id laid Springs Emil Butte - route, led, for of dol-ssource-rpH _______^ _____I of the Nez Perces Indians,HE home and hunting groundi, age of 9 of the le west, his bat-e greennumber estab-ln the lzed by of tbe rs ago and at i at his s play, abllsh-by .atwhen first known to white men was on the east side of the lower Snake river and on the Salmon river and its tributaries. They were divided into the lower and upper Nez Perces, the former living in Imnaha valley, about 25 miles from Lewiston, Idaho, but claiming the Wallula—now Walla Walla—country as theirs. This is said to be an exceptionally fertile region, and soon attracted the attention of would-be settlers, who thought it could be put to more profitable use through cultivation, than if left as forage and hunting ground for the Indians.Then came a repetition of the continuous story whew a strong nation deals with a weaker. Through treaties with our government, the lands of the Indians were constantly reduced in extent, and they, who had always roamed at will, were to be confined to the narrow limits of a reservation. It was opposition to the last treaty on the part of the Lower Nez Perces, that led to the Nez Perces war.Among the Loiyer Nez Perces the title of “chief” seemed to be hereditary. We first hear of Joseph, then Old Joseph, then the Joseph who conducted the remarkable flight of his people, and all of these were chiefs.The third Joseph was the son of Old Joseph, his mother being of the Cayuse tribe, who had always made much trouble in Oregon, and who were the perpetrators of the Whit man massacre. The members of this tribe were notoriously deceitful, and it was claimed, by those who saw him, that Chief Joseph— as he is now designated—combined in his features of the mildness of the Nez Perces with the slyness of the Cayuse.Old Joseph’s advice to his peo-pie was “Be at peace if you can— but never trust the white men nor their friends.” Later events prove that he took this advice to heart. Although the majority of the Nez Perces were induced to accept til* last treaty offered them, Chief Joseph, White Bird, Looking Glass and others refused to sign it. They were called the “Non-Treaties.” Among this people there was „ peculiar sect, T^e Dreamers, who exercised great influence over Chief Joseph and his followers.The Dreamers taught that the earth was perfect at its creation, and that any attempt to change it throughBy Martha Edgerton PlassmannDaughter of Governor Edgertoncultivation or the building of schools, churches, etc., constituted a profanation, and this was what the white men were constantly doing. It was the religious duty of the Indians, therefore, to fight the white men.About this time occurred the Canby massacre by the Modocs. and the news of it reaching the Indians'1 made them restless. Gen. Howard, fearing an outbreak of themg the trail, but was unsuccessful. Howard said of them: “The Indians had been well led and well fought. They had defeated two companies in a pitched battle. They had eluded pursuit and crossed the Salmon. They had turned back and crossed our communications, had kept our cavalry on the defensive and defeated a company of volunteers. * * * * In battle £fth regular troops they had held out™ 1“ funds, be played the game of chance, whatever form It might take, to the limit. Like many of his bre-thern, before the railroad came In,’ Sam’s word was a8 good as his bond. He never failed to pay a bet or redeem a marker as long as there was a dollar In his purse. In his day he won and lost fortunes without emotion.On one occasion he gave a well-known Utah mining man a marker for $45,000. When the winner was leaving the city, Sam met him In Sam Martin’s clubrooms on Broadway and paid him the bet in cash—$45,000 In bills—probably every cent he had, but he kept his honor as a gambler unsullied.Swede” Sam was born In Sweden. Of slender build, well above the medium height, always well dressed, with a predilection for new derby hats, Swede 8am was a notable figure.When gambling was finally put under the ban In Butte, 8am removed to Helena. Later his mind failed and he was committed to the Montana state sanatarlum at Warm Springs. He showed occasional signs of improvement.Nez Perces, held several councilswith Chief Joseph, White Bird, and Non-Treaties, and triedECIALTYSets of Teeth Id Bridge Workof teeth in Butte. More today than wet. Finest Gold Crowns and Bridge sd without pain. No delays. Writeh and mar your appearance. Don’t at once. We can help you. liable dental work will permit. All tlon.SIDEthe other _______ M1BUto convince himself that they would go peacefully on to their reservation But the lasf council s hardly ended before news arrived of Indian outrages in the neighborhood, perpetrated by White Bird’s band.This was the beginning of open warfare, on the part of the Lower Nez Perces, as Chief Joseph was persuaded to cast his lot with his people. General Howard sent telegrams all over the country, warning the settlers and calling for help There was quick response from the army even so far away as Georgia.I he Indians were headed east, and there was great uncertainty as to the course they would take. In Montana citizens in great numbers hastened to volunteer, but it has been said that their enthusiasm waned when the time came to take the field.1sJhe outbreak took place June 13, lo77. Gen. Howard made Lewiston his depot and base of operations. The first detachment sent out by Gen. Howard was ambushed by Chief Joseph and put to flight. Gen. Sully was called in counsel by Howard, and the two generals de manded the surrender of the Ind lans, but they refused.Then followed the long pursuit of the Nez Perces, begun with the defeat of Perry, followed by a second engagement, when several Indians were killed, and over 700 ponies captured. It was hoped the Indians could be prevented from crossing the Salmon river, but this they did in their own fashion, described by Gen. Howard: “They make skin rafts and load them; tie tour horses abreast to the rafts with small ropes; put four naked Indians on the horses, and then boldly swim across.”Near the Clearwater the U. S. soldiers were greatly annoyed by Indian sharpshooters, who sought to prevent their getting water from a spring At night some of the officers risked their lives by going to the spring and bringing water to their troops.A battle took place at the Clearwater. The Indians were routed but retreating, took a position at the beginning of the Lolo trail, where they were out of the reach of the guns of the soldiers. Howard tried to prevent them from follow-for nearly two days befoft- they were beaten, and after that were still able to keep together, cross a river too deep to be forded, and then check our pursuing cavalry and make off to other parts of Idaho.And then he concludes prophetically, “The result is a long and tedious chase.”On the wearisome ascent of the trail the Indians easily outdistanced their pursuers, although their way was marked by broken-legged ponies left to die. The United States cavalry found the trail a veritable Via Dolo rosa, their progress impeded by underbrush, fallen trees, and the dense growth of lodge pole pine.The Indians passed Warm Springs, slipped by Capt. Rawn, who had been orderer from Fort Missoula by Gen. Gibbon, whose headquarters were then at Fort Shaw, and entered the Bitter Root valley. Historians tell us the inhabitants of that valley, with one or two exceptions, welcomed the Indians, and loaded them with provisions, guns and ammunition, all for a price, as is the custom of wartime profiteers.Thus encouraged, the Indians leisurely moved up the valley, crossed the mountains, and turned southward by Bannack and Horse Prairie. Meanwhile Gen. Gibbon was making forced marches to reach them, and did so at the Big Hole river. Here there was an engagement, that is a story in itself. General Gibbon, and several other officers, were wounded, and some killed. The attack having been made on the Indian encampment, and they taken by surprise, men, women and children were killedand wounded. The main result of the battle was to protect that part of Montana.After the battle, again Chief Joseph rallied his forces, and hastened toward the Yellowstone National park, which he entered the day General Sherman was leaving there. He encountered two parties of visitors, one from Radersburg, that of the Cowans, which included a woman and a girl, and another from Helena composed of young men out for a good time. Of the latter, one man, professor Dietrich, was killed. One or more of the Cowan party were killed and Mr Cowan and A1 Oldham shot. Mrs. Cowan, in recounting their experiences, does not attribute the attack upon them to Chief Joseph, but considered it the act of irresponsible young braves.Gen. Howard was still in pursuit of the fugitives, and had notified Gen. Sturgis to head them off, as they were now {raveling northeast from the park. This Gen. Sturgis attempted to do between the Yellowstone and Musselshell vers. There was a battle, but not a decisive one± and Chief Joseph and his followers continued northward, although another general—Miles— was hot on their trail.The Indians reached the Missouri river safely and crossed it at Cow Island. The several generals had now abundant cause for anxiety. In the direction the pursued were taking, was Sitting Bull, and about twelve hundred warriors, it was estimated. Should the two unite it might require months to subdue them. Meanwhile there was no knowing what vengeance they might inflict on the white population of northern Dakota and Montana. It would be a veritable reign of terror.If, on the other hand, the Nez Perces failed to unite with the Sioux, they were very near the Canadian line. Once over it, their pursuit must cease, and, so far as the United States soldiers were concerned, their long and difficult journey would be for naught.Fortunately, Gen. Miles overtook the Indians near the upper end of the Bear Paw mountains and, reinforced by General Howard, compelled Chief Joseph and his followers to surrender. They were later exiled to Indian territory.This remarkable flight of a tribe had endured for seventy-five days.In that time their pursuers, under General Howard, marched 1,321 miles, and the Indians, encumbered by their women and children, covered a greater distance, through a country with which, for the mostPRESIDENT OOOLIDGB PICKS A DARK HORSE FOR NEW JUDICIAL PLACELaw Partner of Chief Justice Lew L. Callaway and Congressman-at-Large From Montana in Old Days: Will Sit in Eastern Montana.Charles N. Pray, one of the best 1klt;’wn, Dwyers in northern Montana, for three successive terms congressman-at-large, and a run-?e,UL!n the.Ia,,t 8enatorial race, £™l.£een 8t1lt;T,e‘1 by President Coolidge as federal judge for the new Judicial district recently creat-f*’ Mr- Pruy is a very popular f“d.the appointment is expected to give general satisfaction. He expects to go to Washington In a few days for a conference with the president, after which he will return to Montana to take up his new duties. He will probably be assigned to the eastern part of the Falls ** headquarters in GreatJudge Praywas born at Pottsdam, N. Y., in 1869, the son of John R Pray and Julia A Sweet Prav. His ancestors on both sides were sol-d ers in the revolution. His parents died when he was young.s a boy he plafed on the shores of Lake Champlain, and as he grew ??.o\became an e*P°rt boatman. In 1888 he was graduated from Middle-bury college in Vermont. His athletic ability made him pitcher of the college baseball team.Hon. Charles N. Pray, Who Has Been Appointed Federal Judge For New Montana District.part, they were unfamiliar. Gen. Hr -* —’ J ’-loward praised in highest terms the military skill of Chief Joseph.To fully appreciate what the latter accomplished, it is necessary to follow his course. Beginning close to the Washington lihe, near Lewiston, Idaho, he journeyed to the Lolo trail, passed over that into Montana; made a detour through Yellowstone park; crossed the Yellowstone, the Musselshell and the Missouri rivers, and almost reached Canada before he capitulated.Missoula—Locomotive engineers of Missoula have $250,000 Invested end deposited In the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers' bank In the country, according to J. L. Hendrick of Cleveland, a representative of the financial department of the brotherhood.Then young Pray went to Chicago where he was a reporter on s newspaper, making many notable friendships, among thsm Eugene Field, the poet, and Tracy Drake, hotel owner. In Chicago he attended law school while be contlnuod bis newspaper work and was graduated from the Chicago College of Law In 1891. He practiced law In Chicago from 1893 to 1895.In 1896 Mr. Pray came to Fort Benton, entering a law firm with Colonel Donnelly. Then In 1898 he was elected county attorney of Chouteau county, holding the position four terms and making an unusual record. June 30, 1901, Mlos Edith Wackerlin of Fort Benton became his brideMontana elected Charles N. Pray to congress In 1906 and re-elected him In 1908 and 1910. In 1912 h» was the party nominee for re-election, but that was tbe Bull Moose rear, when the republicans lost all along the line.Returning to private life, Mr. Pray and L. L. Callaway, now chief Justice of the Montana supreme court, formed a law partnership In Great Fulls which continued until Chief-Justice Callaway was elected to the supreme bench. In 1*16 Mr. Pray was the nominee for United 8tate» senator.Pendleton—Miss Nora Ellis__acquitted by a Jury here of a charge of murder In the first degree for the slaying of Gordon Mettle, who. according to the girl’s testimony, was once her suitor. Miss Eilis admitted the killing on the witness stand. The defense was temporary aberration resulting from the girl’s alleged rongs at Mettle’s hands. Mettle ■as killed by a rifle bullet.Cascade—Nearly 5,000 head of cattle were shipped from this station during 1928.T. C. Power Motor Car CompanyHelena, Montana.Distributors 8TTJDEBAKER MOTOR CARS, REX TOPS, ENCLOSURES andMOHAWK TIRES.Montana and Northern WyomingTHE FOURTH ANNUALA NEW OIL LAMP FREEBorns 94% Air.P. Johnson. 60$ W. Lake St. Chicago, I1L, the inventor of a wonderful new oil lamp that barns $4 per cent sir and beats gas or electric tty, Is offering to give one free to the first user In each locality who will help Introduce It. Write him for par tlculan. Agents wanted.MONTANA OIL EDITIONWill Be Issued In February ByGREAT FALLS LEADERGREAT FALLS, MONTANA.. be comprehensive and wlU have an extensivedistribution, reaching all over the United States and iw«-i. The rlflinir nHro nf miflo anlt;l • Kl~ AMS.O.HUSETBs x«a« Ml uvrr uw tniiea MIA tea All _______rising price of crude and a big drilling program outlined for th^ spring in Montana are factors contributing to the interest in thisoomlnir Mff imnit.coming big issue. /hrder your copies■at nug aosuMr, 5c each. Write for advertising rates.THE LEADER COMPANYGREAT FALLS, MONT.
Newspaper Details
Polson Flathead Courier
Polson, Montana, US
Thu, Jan 31, 1924
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Geri L.
NA, 14 Aug 2024
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