^m. |p|S|sii|P ppp||

: Saturday, September 7, 1940 MONTANA OIL AND MINING JOURNAL PAGE SEVEN I

III ? # Ill The Strong-Willed Station Keeper of the Over­ land Stage Line Couldn’t Stand Inactivity; Al­ though He Banned Liquor from the Overland Joe Slade’s Weakness With Fanatical Fervor, Over-Indulgence in Whiskey Was to Send Him to the Gallows at Virginia City; He Turned to Drink and “Shooting Up the Town” When Driven by Boredom From the Quiet Monotony of Ranch Life; Although Hanged by Vigilantes, He Was No Criminal Nor Member of Plummer’s Outlaw Band ii ♦- By ELNO Ripley Returns In CBS Series this distant, and at that lime, almost Joe Slade stood, drunkenly sul­ unknown wilderness. Major Owen on à len, listening to Sheriff J. M. Fox -"•M his annual visits to Oregon, and from intone the indictment in a mis­ ÆM British Morale Excellent, other .sources, had accumulated an ex­ demeanor complaint. It was the cellent library of several hundred vol­ morning after a riotous night in umes. which he kept open for use of Virginia City—a night turned wild Says Kin of Montana Pair his friends, and being one of the most by one of the many roaring forays genial and companionable of men, it of Joe Slade and his csowd. Slade £ is not surprising that Port Owen was 9 a favorite resort for the early settlers in past years had honorably car­ and hardy mountaineers—or that the ried the complimentary title of British morale is high and the Brit-. happ we are ready, well defended captain. He was an unusual man. major is oft and kindly remembered by '•S* P ; ish people will never live under nazi and ps everywhere and don’t for- those who have reason to remember He would have been an outstand­ : domination, according to a letter re- get v till have a navy and air force his kindness. Times have wonderfully ing character in any generation. , ceived recently by Mr and Mrs. Jas- , “Kt : :.eth has been with his battery ! changed since the days of which we Destiny placed him upon life's . eph Vezey of Harlowton from their just year. He is still in Kent, up e write. Maj John Owen left Montana stage and gave him a part to jplay i cousin. Jeanice Alexander, who lives ever;, :.ight having a pop at the enemy, . ■ to spend his remaining days amidst —and the talent to play it—in a ! somewhere in England. ; when possible; he was home on his tlie scenes of his boyhood, and Fort H^^MÄikrough to the end, KL ...Æ JIliiiJtL . A porUon of the ater loi , 24-hoar leave Tuesday. It takes three I hour- each way but he enjoyed the ; Owen, that contains a history in Itself, faithful wSSÊÊKÊÊIÊÊÊÊtL. JL---- "The raiding airplanes nave not passed into the hands of strangers and j rest i., bed and went back very cheir- rapidly fell into decay, but in recent be would have occupied a glamorous ■EaFgaBPBKlUÜl touched tins distri. ; >et. but. of course. ful. fA page in western history. Mark Twain SBhK / they may c2m*L at any tlme , "1 od prices are beginning to g . mfmtâ i years action has been taken to restore : WÊ ! the old fort. mortal,Has made by aSlade chapter famous. In "Roughing If not im-It.” ^ ^GsÊÊÊÊ' ÉÊÊSSêSI^I shelterare prepared, in the havegarden a niceso when air raidany . j n(hnrj j 'here^ iie vels tlienientv crops of ofcvei fruit v- ______Some time about 1849 or 1850 a But Slades moral armor had one fini warnings come we just pop down there etc , thl_, v al KarJ a number of trappers and hunters who weak spot. He could not stand a life j "The Germans have a nut to crack look. . ;, r than it' î^r, a, n“n,b*r of >ears hud followed of comparative inactivity. The sheer j JHnHHPQ this time. We have got 240 planes of. have ol vt get able- Wfe-aE :A m. trapping and hunting in the mouii- force of momentum carried a strong SKWwH theirs down in a month. Twenty-three i Moot: as well. M I“*1}5, relinquished in » great measure will and an Inclination to personal . „ „ down in one day The last few have "Ct rude lias to do most of the \ -- |l% f°rm,e.r occupation, and turned force and action across the line that _^a,^îph?,hd*Jîf,****** been over 1 suppose they are piaymg gard. now that Kenneth is away. ™P‘,Lat!mmîirt«MnndÜîh«'t th the 1,11 ‘ !mr*ÏSΫJtr-ä&RTJ“ * 1 STtÄrK; m SSSUWSÄmffidihorou,«.annually loss or self-control carted with It a Not ae 1 "** I '! ".t,,!" h.rS. n "oTtf I ml are al! ready, w2 fight to the Iasi man; a mlmillons factory, with long hours; 1 — WKi m ( mrula1 a'nd°Orètro'tf frontler lo C*U‘ ‘fa?e the rights [ Ä u“SÄ Jÿ the mtkt otat tod here will : doe, - f '°£ÄÄr ,m j0MpB ho„. ol others that he uhrtttlhgl,SSf» wes writ- ! £ Ihergfl^.ud.ence, Mu.lc «Jto .U| »«Jf* arOust0wafting,1 ^sometimes day.^ with ^very* third^Sunday off. n,!^UOutlaws and Legend has It that he cut off Jules' “J. after L^ c no ouUtcte help to thrman- ‘he Bitter Root valley was built In I of _large . herds, ,of , fine. . cattle.■ petty toughs who ^ company and the travelingÄssaKiSÄ public “4 Mrried ihOT riih hto ssjsrr*ssjffirjffi Sm.lSk^£H5Sfi’ ceived similar treatment, from Slade «toy versions were «*, to later gj* StuTSu Sf' Ä TÄSZS Ä stole, T ÄÄf»? .. .Si", “fur m. himself or at his orders. vs&sswirsÄ°itth‘disg&i i^w.rr-ot?^“'ïïS°wÂpS; .*s!£trfiïs:éæä Slade was honest. He was faithful to his word and to the trust reposed versions of the affair, historians found' har«Khir»s orythe lo’mr inurnev to with his Jigging and stringing destined for Oregon. The troops dnt* C. E. Irvine of Deer Lodge, who In him. He required similar qualities it easy to blacken Slade's name. But Sfrf/, * “ Ä I Wh n the slatTng rink creze died rame as far as the Snake river ™»ie to Montana about 1851 or 852 In his men. He was a gentleman among long after Slade had died those who j XS 'LCmLiZTLr?Lrv i out the brothers agam were put U) Usk «hen winter raught them, and they SotP.e between 1850 and 18o4, gentlemen, and he could be as tough had known him along the Overland1 Sî?îffpî!î. i^fîT f^.' v~nr. u> find employment and again Van built quarters on the bank of that a” old Mexican tiapper by the name as the situation might require. He had route were ready for a fight at any afrerVeuLeedeathaof he^husCd, tolvedlhe6 Âl^with'^ h is “surges u on' river "aN.Bt"^ mite, above Fori ^^^^^‘-.ow^Emanuel ” generally the full support of his employers and derog tory 1 ference to his deeds. Orton died, leaving six sons. The that they open a musical Instrument HaU. wagons into the Bitter Rootbroug ht the unquestioned loyalty of his sub­ A Male “Carrie Nation” mother’s last wish was that her sons store The brothers pooled their sav- Tlie camp was called Cantonment fro“, Fort HaU or Salt Lake vailClty ordinates. The dangers, the hardships and the never be separated by business or ad- i togs and launched the new enterprise. Loring and the place was long known These wagons were brought through His word was law. He enforced his responsibilities of employment with venture This is the story of how that, At first it was rough sailing, two other by that name. Major Owen remained £he Bi_ Hf)lp Drairip ana Lpr the Bi'e edicts fearlessly. Of course, he earned the Overland required clear minds and; wish was fulfilled dealers doing their best to discourage at Cantonment Loring until the troops Hole ,n0untaln8 and down the Bitter a hard name for himself. But he cool-headed action Liquor was taboo. | it is also the story of how the firm them. resumed their march in the spring of j^,, valley 0)d Kmnn„Pi SDenl a llfe. spread fear among the lawless ele­ Slade became the he-man predecessor I name of Orton Bros, became known Walter and Fred were sent away to 1850. when he relinquished his sutler- ttrne in lhe mountains and knew the ment of the region, and brought com­ of the later famous Carrie Nation as | throughout the northwest, of how sue- learn piano tuning ana regulating, and ship, and spent the summer on the ■ country perfectly from Mexico to the parative peace and safety to the stage a saloon buster Banishment wasiCess was wrested from seeming defeat,! Walter manned tlie ship. emigrant road, trading with the eml- British possessions. He died near Port line and its patrons. Slades edict for saloon men and liquor i snd of hqw the mother’s influence, Then came the panic of 1893-94. It grants bound for Oregon and Call- 1373 Jules Reni, a French Canadian, was peddlers who did not "lay off” the long after her death, continued to appeared as though the firm could not fomla. jg March, 1853. the territory of a leader among the toughs. He was Overland crowd. I ____shape______the destinies of her sons through weather the stringency and credit was In the fall of 1850, he went to the Washington was organized, and Isaac implicated in one way or another in When a new route through the Black the "love of music, strained to the breaking point. The Bitter Root valley and having baught 1, Stevens appointed governor of the just about every lawless event to the Hills was established by the Overland, During the panic of 1893, ruin was Kimball Plano Co. came to the rescue the improvements of the Catholic same. He was also interested with an country; at least, he assumed as his Slade was transferred to a station near faced by Orton Bros. Desire of the at the last moment, explaining in a fathers, erected a trading post at that expedition fitted cut from St. Paul, own every difficulty of the toughs Port Halleck. It may be that tills brothers to realize their mother’s hope letter that they understood the diffl- point and christened it Port Owen, a Minn., to make the first survey to de- with the stage company. He clashed time Slade was begin Ing to slip; at prevented the long line of business culty and would support the firm. In name which It bore until it was aban- termine the practicability of a route with Slade frequently. Slade was not any rate, he and men took pos- failures from becoming one longer for the summer of 1394, the company sent doned. The fort was constructed of for a Northern Pacific railroad. The a man to bear malice, but Jujes nursed session of the officers’ quartersuarters ata the they knew that if their business be- the firm a shipment of 100 pianos. A a stockade of logs placed in an up- expedition arrived in what Is now Mls- trivial grievances until his vengeance fort and so comported themselves that came bankrupt they would beebme sep- salesman and his wile came to spon- right position, with one end planted soula, in the fall of 1853, bringing with account grew large. they earned the lasting enmity of the arated. scr the sale. They were the father and in the ground. The stockade was neces- it a number of men who afterwards Jules entered his house one day fol- officers. They followed Slade to Den- When______their mother_____ died,___ the Orton______mother of Bud Fisher, ______famous cartoon- ___sary^ __to protect____ the______Inmates and ____their becamer citizens______of Montana, among____ lowing a corral fence conversation with, yer, placed him under arrest and re- brothers—Al, Will, Fred, Waiter, Jim 1st, who created “Mutt and Jeff.” The property*^ from the Incursions of the whom "were Capt. C. RHlggina ofMls- Slade and others. Slade started to fol- fused to release him until the Over-, an(j van—cast about for some means boy traveled with them numerous war parties of the Blackfeet soula, and Thomas Adams and P H low. He was unarmed. 1 land1 land companycompany agreedagreed toto removeremove himhim S of0f accomplishing theirtheir mothermother’s’ s wish.wish. A few weeks after the successful sale, Indians, that continued to make raids Burr, who were for a Ion g time resl- “Look out, Slade!” called a bystand-) from‘ the Black. ’ ”Hills ” division.” vanVan solved the problem. Easily the a representative of the Kimball com- Into the valley up to 1855. dents of Missoula and Deer Lodge er. “Jules is going to shoot you. ) Out of employment, Slade joined the j leading musician in Montana at that pany visited Butte and asked how ;vas ,he clLstom to drive the horses counties. As Slade turned he was struck by. goldId rush to ViririniaVirginia CityOitv inin 1863.IRfik AA ! timeHm» and aa born leader, he took the many pianos Orton Bros, could handle, insm,. the stockade each nlaht durim; in the fall nf 1853 lient inhn Mni Jules’ bullet. Jules fired five shots,, natural money-maker, he prospered at responsibility of keeping his brothers Ai many as you wish to send,” Will ?feSI)ring smnmer and fall ofeach lan i member of he «MduSfn i^chare^tato slade’s^body^Slade^was ! low^water*1»* ÄTonÄ ^Uier He ca“cd them t0gether and told hlm- ÄLÄve'Äem ftSn Mn?sffi to^he Staee stoUon d souri river and was Enable to reach ^d‘ - ' °ne hundred?" asked the salasman by the Blackfeet; and even this pre- in the Bitter Root valley, and to make toi« ^n^ thatgfilade1 was dead or Fort Benton Slade was the onJv man “We're going to form a band. Fred, in a Jocular tone. caution did not always save them certain observations and explorations h V wirawi ns t n 1 c U f or^ilsburial intheterritorv who ^oiüd Loersuod^ you play “Ie tuba- wm- y°u plaV tht‘ "Yes. if you want to send that many,” One night a party of Blackfeet came during the winter. His party consisted dying, ^ve lnstructio^ for nhi buruu. m tne torritoir wno coihd be pereuad^ ^nor trombone; Walter the alto. Al Will told him. to the lort. and with knives and sticks of a few soldiers and citizens, amon rising“I’ll fron! his bimfh“tohweM-done of charted country With agcrew o^te^n-' and IwWiL1 pla7 the cornet- Jlm wil1 How do you want them shipped?" dug up some of the logs forming the the latter being Messrs. Adams an ™ mv^Rteh mSSdi” ’ stershe Sdhis^vover^i?famUmr p!ay the baßs a™“” inquired the representative. stockade, and drove away all of the Burr. Lieutenant Mullan erected four your e^s arrived tpminVnifHaving faith In their older brother, Then was put Into execution the idea horses belonging to the lort. buildings of logs at a large spring at The Overland supermtondent arrived terrain smd delivered the stoanded car-j the others consented. Instruments were upon which the brothers executed their In the fall of 1852, while hauling the mouth of Willow creek. In the Ä^a^ÄdÄ ÏSSf1'a ic^!VireMtv Vd ßfrXk C^ex‘! ordered on a and arrived ^ chain store plan. Will directed: hay. a young man named John F. Bitter Soot valleyandnamlng Jules nloUnrofited him handsomely^ jday. Saturday night the Orton broth- "Send a car to Bozeman, two cars Dodson, from Buffalo Grove. Ill. was place Cantonment Stevens, in honorthe fold was erected. Three times Jules, ploit profited mm handsomely. ers ^d piayed at a dance. Pour ol to Great Palls 30 days later, then about killed and scalped by the Blackfeet in 0f the commander of the expedition was drawn h^n and held wniiene ( Virginia City and Bannack were at, them had never before played a musi- 30 days later ship two more cars to sight of the fort. Judge Woody had in At this time Port Owen (1853) with I time held in constant terror by Cal instrument, except the old-time Helena and then ship a car to Mis- his possession a diary kept by Dodson a few cabins built near by Indians and the the third time he promised to leave pfununer and his road agents. N P., dulcimer. Endowed with rare musical soula.” from the day that he left Illinois In halfbreeds, and Cantonment Stevens Ul®. country- t „..u. L?n,gford states authoritatively that talent, a heritage from their father, Fisher s sales methods were used and the spring of 1852. üp to the day he comprised all of the buildines In the Slade was taken to SLL^uis for 1 siade was a member of the Montana ft was natural for them to rapidly the Bozeman car was sold in 10 days, was killed. The last entry that he Bitter Root valley treatment of his wounds. He returned vigilantes to eliminating the Plummer gajn a name for themselves as a musi- Ail the sales were successful and from made In it was on the day before he ... to duty with eignt suii in n». band. 1 cal organization. that time on Orton Bros, had few was killed, and was as follows; "Sept. The™ «r» nni« miwi »mvi« tow would Mter the execution of five of the The father was a master violinist financial difficulties. 14th, 1852. 1 have been fixing ox yokes ^ d anurmls5, but°°25uo5ü off those «if* dS^ Jt?omh he road agents at Virginia City, Jan. 14, 0I the old school. A few weeks after "What are the rules for your success and hay rigging. Helped haul one load without backbones 1 25U,00° f lb not Jeave ^e country though he ; 1864 a pe0ple.s court was established his arrival at Virginia Citr he was in business, based on your expert- of hay. Weather fine.” The next entry wunoul backbones, might stay a*ay from übe stage Une wlth Alexander Davis, an attorney, as known to every miner prospector and ences?” Will was asked. Here was the was in the handwriting of Major for a while: he knew that he would, iudgC( ^ j. M Pox as sheriff. The trader as “Orton the fest fiddler In answer. Owens-apparently made the next day, n.l.,,- m kter He senf wordhtoJ the c0^ ^ n° standing in Idaho terri- Montana.” He olayed at many dances "Bulldog tenacity. Honesty, based and m these words: "The poor fellow n6l6llâ WOltlâfl sooner or later. He sent wora to jne law since Idano had not yet and early taught Van to play the dul- uP°n a square deal plan. Always try was killed and scalped by the Black- FYench-Canadlan.that he would kUl exLended iegai jurisdiction across the Cimer the stringed Instrument that t0 give Just a little more than you feet in sight of the fort." These facts Tpllc nf Dplipf < I him on sight, but that he would not mountains—the area was to become a was the forerunner of the piano Van promise. Pay close attention to busl- are only cited to show with what trials, ■ “11^ Ul IlClICl go out of his way to make the °P‘ part of Montana territory before Idaho aiso mastered the comet and boss viol ness- Pare down detail work to the dangers and privations the early set- p„A1|| M r portunlty. got around to looking after It. The and the other boys learned to play the minimum. Carry quality goods. Satisfy tiers ol Missoula county had lo con- riOill IlCUrillS „ , ulw .ri1 oiîï naan,, court was the result of the Vigilantes’ dulcimer every customer. Use conservative meth- tend. „ u . „ . „ thl mnttoentel divide^ desire for a tribunal of legal process The family moved to Butte from ods. Concentrate on one business Make After Major Owens purchased the ***** f-®-' 5°^soil,w dte-‘40 replace summafy Justice. ; Virginia City In 1879. the year before no wildcat Investments. Treat all eus- property since known as Fort Owen. ÎÎ!}5na' Montana, says of her relief where he learned ^ would be When a Teetotaler Drinks the father's death. In 1882 all Butte comers with courtesy. And, above all. he made many Improvements. He cn- f ^hav^heen «irk fnr rhrep vonm nnH playing the „ be Slade established a wilderness ranch! people were taken up with the skating remember service Is the b.ggest word closed land and commenced farming— * r* nw.ff ««a used to kill the division agent. As he a dozen miles from Virginia City. But I rink craze and Van for months had in ehe business world. rebuilt the grist and sawmills, and to .ÎP~. JP5 _ returned eastward Slade received sim­ the quiet life palled, and he spent most: been playing at theaters and skating ♦ after years, lore down the old stockade * a^° w“ nervoi« ilar warnings at every station. He of his time in town. Missing his usual- j ------— Tim Fare Chfimpai]€Si Qre, with pack horses, usually won^sun ^Chlnese Herbs tion a few miles east of the fort. Hur­ pentence and promises were soon for- of road agents only a short time before pensatlon benefit checks were filed by going down In the spring by Clark s Chine» Herbs rying on, he learned that friends had gotten in another foray. Business men, without the least show of emotion. Everett E. Lofgren, attorney for the forlc and the Pend d Oreille lake, and to an^or>o^Jtaring from any ailment. Jules under arrest at Chansau’s when they learned he was in town, They turned away to tears as the box unemployment compensation commis- retumlng during the latter part of the! "MRS J. B. ROBERTSON, ranch. Slade stepped from the stage would lock their stores to avoid his was Jerked from under Slade’s feet. . summer by an Indian trail over the 916 9th Avenue, and grabbed a pistol from the belt violence. A messenger bad been sent to the On* ^ Coeur d’Alene mountains “Helena, Montana. of a bystander with the remark: Slade naId fines many times in the; ranch toT Sfiide’s wife, whom he dearly fl d Port Owen was the nucleus around You have the same o pporiunity as “I need this!” neoole’s courtf and seemed trulv neni- 1{>ved. She arrived a few minutes too Evolve riatm which the early settlers gathered, ob- this woman, and may f ind the same Reaching the corral where Jules was ^for Chlstdeeds Each^ew offense tote to see him alive. Hysterically she taining supplies and sought protection wonderful relief. Wong Sun's Chinese held, Slade fired at his eyes. The un­ gainst the Zaire'community upbraid€d 1113 frlend»- ln the hour of clanger. It was known Herbs are available at the Wong Sun familiar gun shot low, and wounded reduced the dl^ree if loyalty of fir- "Why didn’t you shoot him?” she to*be^SalSwe^fir w&^iSien^SS\î*r and wlde, i0T ^ hospitality to Con,piny. Billings. Helena, Great Falls Jules in the mouth. Jules fell back as If mortally wounded. mer associates. When, at last, he cried, "so he wouldn't have died like were jjqj available for work.” j ^he early settlers and adventurers in, and Missoula, Montana. flaunted the authority of the people’s a dog! I'd have done it had I been Lofgren said field auditors of the ------court the executive committee of the here. commission now have investigated Vigilantes met to consider the situ- Slade's body was sealed in a tin statements of over 500 claimants whoj atlon. For the first time the committee coffin filled with alcohol and taken drew benefit checks and that he would was split by differences of opinion, to his ranch. In the spring of 1864 it ask Jail sentences be imposed In each; WANTED Slade was not a wilful criminal—mere- was taken to Salt Lake City, where a case where the law Is violated, i ly a man who could not handle him- simple slab marks the grave. The law prohibits anyone drawing! Your Mortgage ' SCRAP self when intoxicated. The Nevada üntü the last of them died Slade’s benefits for any week in which he had committee was sent for. Informed of old friends were loyal to his memory— earnings of more than $5. All claimants will be buried with you If you own one of oar special Mortgage the purpose of the meeting and know- memories of his days on the Overland drawing benefits also must be able to Redemption policies. Costs one to one and a half percent more ing Slade’s reputation as a rowdy, the when he was a good—if necessarily work and available for work, Lofgren interest, but isn't a clear deed to your home or farm for your Nevada men came up the hill 600 strong-arm—citizen. That his rugged, said, IRON strong. In the face of this showing, fearless strength—that also was bu 4 family, worth It? the executive committee, by majority: weakness—had led him into evil—not First__ Freshman___ —I wonder how old BRING IT IN NOW! vote, could not do other than decree criminal—ways was always a matter of Miss Jones is. Slade’s execution for the peace and regret. Second Freshman—She must be aw- WESTERN LIFE welfare of the community . The major- Slade’s execution was the only act fully old. because I heard she used CARL WEISS MAN & CO. i ity emphatically rejected the idea of of the Montana Vigilantes about the to teach Caesar, INSURANCE COMPANY 218 Fourth Street South banishment. necessity and Justice of which there ♦ HELENA R. B. Richardson, President MONTANA Great Fails, Montana Informed of the proceedings. Slade was ever a difference of opinion among Prohibition enforcement cost the; was at first skeptical, but when be law-abiding men. United States almost »1,000,000 monthly. 1