Fifty Years In The Northwest / With An Introduction And Appendix Containing Reminiscences, Incidents And Notes

by William H. C. Folsom

The following incident connected with the famous Dred Scott case, taken from a St. Paul paper of 1887, may prove of interest to the present generation of readers, few of whom are aware that the principal personage in the case was a resident of Fort Snelling, or more exactly speaking, 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 the most important, it being the only military post north of Prairie du Chien, between Lake Superior and the Pacific ocean, and far from the frontier, as the nearest settlement was several hundred miles away.

During 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 postman, who brought the mail on his back twice a month from Prairie du Chien. Fort Snelling was the only post office in what is now Minnesota, Dakota and Montana.

It was seldom that a stranger made his appearance after the close of navigation, for the timid did not venture so far from the comforts of life. During the winter the weather was severe, the houses were not so comfortable as now, storm windows and furnaces were unthought of, and stoves were considered luxuries.

It happened that on a cold, dreary day in the early winter the quartermaster was distributing stoves, but did not have more than enough to supply the officers and the married men of the command, and not all of the latter. The surgeon, Dr. Emerson, a giant in body, applied for one for his slave, Dred Scott, but was told by Lieut. McPhail, the quartermaster, who was 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 became very much excited and insinuated that McPhail was lying, whereupon the latter hit the doctor between the eyes, breaking his spectacles and bruising his nose. Emerson, very much infuriated, rushed to his quarters, loaded a pair of huge flintlock pistols, returned to McPhail, who was unarmed, and without ceremony presented them to the head of the little quartermaster. He, not liking 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 company quarters a friend of his, Lieut. Whitall, and a sergeant, seized firearms and prepared to give their assistance if it was needed. The commanding officer, Maj. Plympton, armed with a cane, ran after the doctor, and upon overtaking him put him under arrest. By this time the occupants of all the quarters had gathered upon the scene, too excited to feel the cold or think of stoves, and two parties were quickly formed. The smaller party consisted of the young men, who, anxious for a fight, insisted that by running McPhail 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 from Prairie du Chien, and the roads were such that it might be impossible to get one at all; therefore they urged peace, and after several days of excitement they were able to unfurl the flag of triumph.

The terms of settlement between the belligerents were not made known, and those who had hoped for a fight 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 many years before, the first and last duel ever fought 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 time the poor fellow intended submitting as a slave, for immediately after a suit was commenced for assault and battery, claiming that as he had been in a free territory he was a free man. His master dying, his widow and daughter defended the suit, which was decided in their favor two days after the inauguration of President Buchanan, and Dred Scott was remanded to slavery. This was considered a great victory for the South, but in reality was not, for the civilized world became aroused in behalf of freedom, and public opinion, the higher law, was invoked. Civil war soon followed; slavery was abolished, and Dred Scott made free. It was half a century ago that this simple-minded negro 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 homely squaw known as Old Betz and the tribe to which she belonged. 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 them.

The Indians living in this vicinity, says A. L. Larpenteur in the Pioneer Press, represent a remnant of the Minnesota Sioux who were not taken to the reservation after the massacre of 1861. There may be nearly a score of families in all, including the inhabitants of the little Indian village at South St. Paul, the aboriginal residents at Mendota, and some red men living near Newport. These are mostly descendants of the members of Little Crow's band. Three or four families have descended from the famous old squaw known 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 squaw with a heavy pack slung over her shoulders, seated in some doorway down street panting for breath, you may make up your mind that it is one of Old Betz's daughters—either Doo-to-win (Scarlet Female) or Pa-zen-ta-win (Medicine Woman); for such are their names.

They obtain a livelihood suitable to their lingering aboriginal tastes and their condition of life, by selling moccasins, ginseng and wild flowers in their season, and the skins of animals which they hunt or trap. These skins are chiefly muskrat skins. They bring several hundred to market in the course of the season. Then the squaws do the begging, and the great white packs which these dusky females carry upon their backs as they trudge along 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 meat is tainted he boils it until he gets all the taint out. What remains serves as savory sauce for the meat. The Indians are intelligent. They don't have much to say to strangers, but among themselves they are quite sociable, and sit together by the hour smoking pipes and recounting traditions and incidents. They are very fond of story telling. They also discuss topics of interest with a freedom and intelligence worthy of a modern white man's debating society. "I have sat with them in their lodges 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 glum and reticent as red men in general are credited with being.