Part 100 (1/2)

AN ODD CHAPTER IN POLITICAL HISTORY--THE BLACK HAWK WAR

Gen Winfield Scott, when a young , at that day perhaps the remotest outpost of the United States When the Black Hawk War was inaugurated some militia fro the savages With a view tothem into the service of the United States two lieutenants were sent by Scott to the then village of Dixon One of these was a very fascinating, good-looking, easy-entlelyin was to take place a tall, gawky, slab-sided, ho man, dressed in a suit of home-made blue jeans, presented himself to the two lieutenants as the captain of the recruits, and was duly sworn in

This was he who afterward became the president of the United States--the lamented Lincoln One of the lieutenants, the un from Sumter, Maj Anderson The other, and he who administered the oath, was in after years president of the southern confederacy, Jefferson Davis

AN EARLY RUNAWAY MATCH

We have gleaned from the newspapers the particulars of a love roure

It was down at old Fort Crawford, whose ruins are still to be seen just south of Prairie du Chien It ay back in 1834, when ex-President Zachariah Taylor, then a colonel in the regular army, was co lieutenant, was assigned to duty under Col Taylor, and fell in love with his co between the young people was thein the world under the circumstances, but for some reason Col Taylor had taken thelieutenant and frowned upon his suit In order to prevent his daughter frorie

So lieutenant appeared before Col Taylor with a docunature It was an order froh to Davis Old Zach understood huot his leave of absence he would take a bee line for Baton Rouge, so he ihter ho officer, who he kneould be hurrying to meet her When Davis returned to Fort Crawford the coldness between hi wo hut, where her father had established his headquarters, until at last she was released from her imprisonment by her lover, who took her fro her across the river to a spot where a priest was in waiting, they were e Green, an old river hty years old, who still lives at Prairie du Chien, is the person who rowed the wo cabin and by the assistance of the chaplain was able to get her beyond the picket lines unobserved Green was at the river bank in waiting with a canoe and took thee cereood deal during the voyage across the river, but she leaned her head on the young lieutenant's bosoether unhappy Soon after the e a steamboat froement halted, took the bridal couple on board and passed on down the Mississippi to Jeff

Davis' hoive Davis for hter He never spoke to hi after the close of the battle of Buena Vista Jeff Davis had undoubtedly won the battle with his Mississippi Rifles, and as he lay wounded in his tent that night Gen Taylor walked in, extended his hand in friendly greeting and thanked hiallant services But there was no further atte, and the lady who now presides over Beauvoir is Mr Davis' second wife

She was a Miss Howell, of Georgia

DRED SCOTT AT FORT SNELLING

The following incident connected with the famous Dred Scott case, taken from a St Paul paper of 1887, eneration of readers, fehoe in the case was a resident of Fort Snelling, or , the chattel of an American officer at that place:

In the year 1839 the Fifth United States Infantry was stationed on the Upper Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers, and, although Fort Crawford (Prarie du Chien) was their headquarters, Fort Snelling was thethe only military post north of Prairie du Chien, between Lake Superior and the Pacific ocean, and far from the frontier, as the nearest settle the season of open water the post was reached by boats, and in the winter by pony or dog trains, but in the spring before the river was free of floating ice and in the fall before it was frozen, the inhabitants were almost cut off from civilization, as the place was considered inaccessible, by all but the hardy voyageur and the postht the mail on his back twice awas the only post office in what is now Minnesota, Dakota and Montana

It was seldoation, for the ti the winter the weather was severe, the houses were not so coht of, and stoves were considered luxuries

It happened that on a cold, dreary day in the early winter the quarter stoves, but did not have h to supply the officers and the married eon, Dr Eiant in body, applied for one for his slave, Dred Scott, but was told by Lieut

McPhail, the quartermaster, as a man under size, that the darkey would have to wait until the others were supplied, and it was doubtful if there were enough for all The doctor beca, whereupon the latter hit the doctor between the eyes, breaking his spectacles and bruising his nose

Emerson, very e flintlock pistols, returned to McPhail, as unarmed, and without ceremony presented the their looks, sought safety in flight, and with a speed that showed a good condition of body ran across the parade ground, followed by the doctor As they neared McPhail's coeant, seized firearive their assistance if it was needed The co officer, Maj Plympton, ar him put him under arrest By this tiathered upon the scene, too excited to feel the cold or think of stoves, and two parties were quickly forMcPhail had brought disgrace upon himself which could be wiped out only by blood

The other and influential side was composed of men with families, who knew that in case of illness no other physician could be had except froht be ied peace, and after several days of excite of triuerents were not ht felt that the secrecy added largely to their already heavy disappointment; but the men of peace wore an expression of relief when they realized that if ill, their victory would enable them to obtain the immediate services of the doctor, and that there would not be a repetition of the duel which had been fought there ht in Minnesota Although peace was declared, bitter feelings which had risen during the strife still lingered in the heads of all but Dred Scott, the innocent cause of the trouble, who for the first time in his life became at all conspicuous Shortly after, however, his name was as well known, and oftener heard in social, military and political circles than any other, not only in his own country, but abroad He left Fort Snelling with Dr Emerson, and was afterward in Missouri, where he was one day whipped, as he had often been before

But this proved to be the last ti as a slave, for immediately after a suit was co that as he had been in a free territory he was a free hter defended the suit, which was decided in their favor two days after the inauguration of President Buchanan, and Dred Scott was rereat victory for the South, but in reality was not, for the civilized world becaher laas invoked Civil war soon followed; slavery was abolished, and Dred Scott o that this siro lived in slavery in Hennepin, the historic county of Minnesota

OLD BETZ AND THE ST PAUL TRIBE OF INDIANS

No history of the early days would be complete without mention of the celebrated and picturesquely hoed The camp of the latter may still be seen at South St Paul to the number of three or four tepees The Indians are the descendants of the warriors of Little Crow They live in canvas tepees of primitive style, but with the exception of moccasins and a few Indian trinkets they have conformed somewhat to the costumes of the civilized people around the in this vicinity, says A L Larpenteur in the _Pioneer Press_, represent a remnant of the Minnesota Sioux ere not taken to the reservation after the massacre of 1861 Therethe inhabitants of the little Indian village at South St Paul, the aboriginal residents at Mendota, and so near Newport These are mostly descendants of the members of Little Crow's band Three or four families have descended from the famous old squan as ”Old Betz,”

who died at an advanced age only two years ago At least two of old Betz's daughters are living They are very large, fleshy squaws, and are frequently seen on the streets of St Paul When you catch sight of a big squaith a heavy pack slung over her shoulders, seated in so for breath, you hters--either Doo-to-win (Scarlet Female) or Pa-zen-ta-win (Medicine Woman); for such are their naering aboriginal tastes and their condition of life, by sellingand wild flowers in their season, and the skins of animals which they hunt or trap These skins are chieflyseveral hundred to ging, and the great white packs which these dusky fe the streets of the city are filled with specked fruit, tainted chickens and meat, dried up cranberries and other unsalable stuff that the commission men of the city have kindly bestowed upon them An Indian is not so particular about what he eats as a white person When ets all the taint out What remains serves as savory sauce for the ent They don't havetheether by the hour s traditions and incidents They are very fond of story telling They also discuss topics of interest with a freedo society ”I have sat with thees by the hour,” says Mr Larpenteur, ”and have been vastly entertained by their anecdotes and discussions” So it appears that the Indians hereabout are not so glu

There are a great many people in St Paul who remember Old Betz, and the stories that were told in relation to her, quite well She was said to be one hundred and twenty years old when she died, and, as there was no evidence to the contrary, and she certainly bore the enerally accepted Mr