CHAPTER VII.

FIRST SISTERHOOD FOR THE WHITES IN MONTANA.

HANGMAN'S TREE.

By this time Helena ha made such progress that her future as a substantial city could no loner be doubted. Hence the project of bringing in a Statehood for school and hospital purposes commended to engage the serious attention of the Fathers in charge of the Catholic portion of the community.

Father De Smet, whose good offices and cooperation had been solicited by Father Kuppens in 1867-68, became interested in the matter. The more so since the request concerned a region which had been the field of his missionary labors among the natives. He promised to do all in his power to have Sisters go out to Montana as soon as the people should be ready to receive them. In the summer of 1869 Father Van Gorp, who had replaced Father Kuppens, renewed the application with the same assurance on the part of Father De Smet. Upon receiving this favorable answer, Father Van Gorp began at once top make ready, and purchased several lots along the east side of Ewing Street, as the best site for the object in view.

While Father Van Gorp was thus preparing the place, Father De Smet was busy trying to obtain the Sisters who were to occupy it. He happened to met the Rt. Rev. J. B. Miege, S. J., the bishop of Leavenworth, Kansas, who had arrived in St. Louis on his way to Rome, to attend the Ecumenical Council of the Vatican. He came across him on the street, and there and then, after a few words of greeting, urged the Bishop to send Sisters to Montana. Bishop Miege bow referred him to the Community of Leavenworth, saying: "Tell the Mother I am willing the Sisters should go, if they can be spared." Father De Smet lost no time. He called upon several wealthy ladies and solicited from them sufficient donations in money to defray all the traveling expenses of the Sisters to Helena, Montana. This accomplished, he took the first train to Leavenworth, and

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the day of his arrival sought an interview with the Council of the Sisters of Charity.

In grateful remembrance of the timely assistance rendered to the Sisterhood by Father De Smet some eleven years before, the Rev. Mother and her Councilors received his application with favor, and five members of the community were soon selected and made ready for the long journey. The chosen ones were Sister Julia, the head of the band, sister Bertha, Sister Loretto, Sister Mary, and Sister Regina. Miss rose Kelley, who is till remembered in Helena as a young lady of rare musical talents, was also one of the number. At Father De Smet's request, the little colony assembled in the parlor, and after his "inspection" eh seemed to be delighted with this good spirits. There only remained for him to secure the railroad tickets. This was promptly attended to, and the Sisters were soon entrained and speeding to their destination.

The Sisters left Leavenworth on the Feast of St., Michael, September 29, and reached Helena October 10. The pen glides smoothly and pleasantly over the journey, and spans the while distance in less than two lines. But what a long, weary stretch for the travelers!

It was late in the evening when they landed from the coach, and though eagerly expected, no less unexpectedly did they arrive, for they reached Helena before they were known to have set out from Kansas. Those were still the palmy days of bull-transportation in Montana, and if the U. S. Mail had been carried on bulls it might have improved the service. Father Van Gorp happened to be out in the southern part of the district on missionary duty when he heard that a band of nuns had passed through on the stage bound for Helena. He at once started for home and, arriving ahead of the stage, was just in time to receive and welcome the pilgrims. Being the first colony of Sisters to come into our territory since its settlement by the whites, their arrival was an event of no little importance not only in the local history of the Helena church, but in that of Montana.

Divided into three couples, the Sisters shared at first the hospitality of three Catholic families, one couple being made welcome in the home of Mrs. Brown, another in that of Mr. and Mrs. L. F. LaCroix, and third in the residence of Mr.

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and Mrs. H. Galen, the hosts vying with one another to make their honored guests feel at home. A few days after, however, all the members of the little colony found themselves together under one roof in the temporary quarters hastily prepared for their accommodation. Accommodation, however, is here much of a misnomer, as the structure where in the Sisters were to be sheltered for the time being was the old Gazette shanty which we described a little above, and which the Fathers now vacated and turned over to the Sisters. But, notwithstanding the drawbacks, it was a great comfort for the Sisters to be all together and able to follow their community life. This alone was enough to make up for all the inconveniences of the dwelling.

Beyond securing the ground nothing had been done in the line of buildings for the permanent home of the Sisters, it being considered the better course to leave this part of the project to the Sisters themselves. For once on the place, they could better decide what would suit their requirements. Soon, however, laborers and mechanics were at work digging, blasting and hauling material, and before long a frame structure of moderate dimensions began to loom up on what had now commenced to be called Academy Hill. Some of the Sisters, in the meanwhile, went out to solicit contributions for their new home. They traveled from one camp to another throughout the Territory, their appeals meeting everywhere with a response hearty and substantial from the miners.

The buildings were ready for occupancy by the latter part of December, and at the beginning of January, 1870, St. Vincent's Academy, the first institution of the kind for the whites in Montana, was opened for the reception of pupils, both boarders and day-scholars. Whilst providing for the girls, the younger boys were not forgotten, the old Gazette printing office being fitted up into a class-room for their benefit. Thus, with the opening of St. Vincent's Academy, a day-school for boys was also inaugurated.

The good Sisters had not been many days in their new quarters, when it fell to their lot to get a glimpse of western ways, the impression of which even quarter of a century has not yet obliterated from their minds. In what they called "Dry Gulch," some three hundred yards from the new Academy and

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in full sight of the inmates, there arose a grim, solitary tree, with a stout limb, that projected from the trunk almost horizontally ten to twelve feet above the ground. The tree was a peculiar growth in many ways, but particularly in that it brought forth, now and then, fruit of an uncommon kind. A casual glance at it one morning by one of the Sisters sent a shudder through her whole frame. The tree had borne fruit during the night, and a human being could be seen dangling from the ugly branch which we have described. Between three and four months later, the deadly plant had become still more prolific, for two human forms were now hanging from the same limb.

For those of our readers who may not be familiar with the early history of Last Chance or Helena, we may add here by way of explanation that the tree in question had been selected by the Committee of Safety or Vigilantes of the district as a handy and inexpensive instrument to deal with summary justice to evil-doers. It became historical as "Hangman's Tree," a goodly number of "undesirables" having been sent out of the country by the short road of the fatal branch. But were they in very case really guilty of the crimes for which, ostensibly, the wretched victims were made to suffer? And was the punishment meted out deserved in very instance by the misdeed for which it was inflicted? Perhaps so; still who knows but some such summary sentence will yet be revised and even reversed at the Judgment Seat of Him who "will judge our justice"!

That these remarks are not made at random can be seen from the account of one of such executions which is here appended and which the writer had, somehow, the chance of copying from official sources. The narrative speaks for itself. We reserve our comment.

The Grand Historian's address runs as follows:

Among those who were hunt in the fatal tree in the adjacent gulch was one who came to us recommended from the Committee and Lodge in Virginia City a friend and Brother. He passed, while here, under the name of Trosha, or more commonly, Frenchy. He has been examined in Virginia City Lodge, and was vouched for in our Lodge by several brethren who had met him there. For a time he made himself one of the most zealous and efficient ministers, of justice; was employed by the committee of Safety as special night

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policeman. In the Lodge he had acted as Tyler on several occasions; and always prompt, ready and willing to do any duty required of him. Some brethren from Oregon, who subsequently visited our Lodge, and had known him there some years before, made inquisition about him, and intimated doubts of his bring a Mason. A special committee was at once appointed to examine him and ascertain his true claims to the character he was acting. Meantime, I forbade his admission to the Lodge, and brought upon myself his fierce displeasure. In several conversations with him, at various times and places, I detected him in contradictions, which he made awkward work in attempting to explain, till he seemed to realize that he had unwittingly betrayed his true character as an impostor. To make our convictions doubly sure, we suspended judgment till answer were received from Louisiana and other jurisdictions where he claimed to have been made or affiliated, and thorough search had been made through their records. The answers received left no room for doubt, and the judgment upon his Masonic claims and standing was unanimous. His loss of standing among the Masons led to his loss of standing in society and fuller investigation into his general character. He was discharged from his place on the police, and could find no employment anywhere. Regarding me as the author of his calamities, he was often heard indulging in threats of bodily vengeance against me. Of this, however, I knew nothing at the time, and only after the execution did they explain to me the singular circumstance that I had observed him about my cabin at a very unusual hour of the night, without any apparent cause or satisfactory reason. With a fatality that seemed to court destruction, he still lingered in the a community where he was an object of aversion and suspicion to every honest man and good citizen, and sand rapidly, into debauchery and crime. It was not long before he was detected in a bold robbery of a very aggravating nature. The offence itself seems hardly to have merited the extreme punishment that he received, but the false part that he had played . . . . with much additional evidence as to his former life and connections, satisfied the judges that he had been and still was a member of a gang o road agents, acting the part of spy, and that there was no country to which he could safely be banished same to that one from which no traveler returns. The high reputation that Masonry bore in those earlier days, the protection that the same afforded, through the general conviction that a blow aimed at one of its members, would be avenged by all, rendered it an object of the highest ambition to gain admission within its charmed circle. So far as I have ever known, this was the only instance where imposition ever attained even to partial suc-

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cess, and the final result in this case was not calculated to encourage a repetition"

The pair seen dangling from Hangman's Tree were executed April 30,. 1870, charged with holding up, robbing and almost murdering a few miles from town a rancher whose name was George Leanard. When made aware of his doom, one of he two asked for a priest, and a priest was sent for at once. But there was no priest to be had, as the two Fathers L. Van Gorp and C. Imoda, happened to be both out of town on missionary duty at this very time. Father Imoda, however, had gone on a sick-call a short distance off, and might be home at any moment. On hearing this, the leaders who had the execution of the two wretches in their hands, were considerate enough to suspend further proceedings, and waited between two and three hours for the arrival of the priest. But as he was not forthcoming they now resolved to delay no longer.

A large crowd had gathered and followed the wagon on which the two men were being carried to their death, when Father Imoda arrived, overtaking the mournful cortege one block west of Rodney, about half way to Hangman's Tree. A brief halt was made, that the one who wanted to see the priest might have a chance to do so. The Father tied his mount to the nearest fence and climbed onto the wagon with the poor fellows and, while riding with them tot he fatal spot, gave the one who had asked for the priest conditional baptism and absolution as best he could under the circumstances, and stood by him till the last moment. This one's name was Peter Arthur L. Compton, as appears from Father Imoda's record before us.

We need not mention the name of the other, it being unnecessary. But how did he make ready to meet his God? We find nothing stated of him in this regard. Hence it may be surmised that, for some cause or other, he felt no need of any priestly service. Was it to verify the dreadful words of our divine Savior; "There shall be two men in one bed"--the bed here was that of a wagon--"the one shall be taken, and the other

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shall be left." No man can tell, as God's means and ways of saving men are as infinite as his mercy, indeed. Still, as there are specified ways and means of salvation of His own appointing, how can nay one expect to be saved through different ones and, as it were, by an altogether special dispensation?

The new school had a fair attendance from the start, the sons and daughters of some of the leading non-Catholic families being among its pupils. The accommodations were soon found inadequate and within a couple of years they had to be enlarged to nearly twice their original capacity.

Of the five pioneer Sisters who came to Helena in 1869, Sister Bertha is the only one still on duty among us. Sister Regina passed to the Lord at the Mother House in Leavenworth, May 5, 1875, at the youthful age of twenty-six, shortly after being recalled from Montana where her health--never very robust--became seriously impaired. The rest are pursuing the duties of their calling to one or the other of the branch houses of the Order elsewhere.

Just as appetite comes sometimes with eating, even so the starting of a Sisters' School in Helena seemed to excite and whet out people's desire for a Sisters' Hospital. And with good reason, after all, for while the number of children was comparatively small in the new community, the number of miners falling sick or becoming disabled by accident and in need of care and skillful nursing was considerable. Hence steps were soon taken for the founding of a hospital.

The buildings were erected in the summer of 1870, ground for that purpose having been secured by Father Van Gorp sometime before. The location, a most desirable one in every respect, lay west of the Academy and beyond the little church. In the meanwhile another colony of Sisters arrived from Leavenworth and a couple of them soon after set out to solicit assistance for the work, the people everywhere responding liberally to their appeal.

By the end of October the new Hospital, a neat frame structure of moderate dimensions, was completed and ready for the reception of patients. Under the name and patronage of St.

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John the Baptist, it first opened its doors November 1, 1870. The members of the Community in charge of the new institution were Sisters Julia, Modesta, and Mary Teresa. Sister Julia, as we have seen, was at the head of St. Vincent's Academy, and by passing no to the management of St. John's Hospital, had the privilege of being the first Sister or Superior of the first two Houses of the Sisters of Leavenworth in Montana.

The Sisters spoken of in this chapter as the founders of the First Sisters' School and First Sisters' Hospital for the whites in Montana, belonged to the independent branch of Sisters of Charity. Because of the zealous and efficient work of its members, the new Community has become closely connected with our subject as a conspicuous factor of the progress of Catholicity in Montana, and it is but right that we should give a brief sketch of its origin. Hence the following outline, whose every particular has been kindly furnished to the writer by the Rev. mother Xavier herself, one of the Founders of the Sisterhood:

In 1812, the Rev. Father Davis, one of the pioneer priest of Kentucky, conceived the idea of founding a Community for the purpose of supplying female teachers for the Diocese, under the auspices of the Rt. Rev. Bishop Flaget. The zealous Father soon commenced the good work by congregating together a few pious girls of the surrounding country, who has long wished to devote themselves to God in the religious state.

With his Bishop's approval, Father David formed his young Sisterhood according to the Rule and Constitution of St. Vincent de Paul for the Daughters of Charity of France, not varying in the least from either, with the exception of a few additional clauses, which the difference of this country from that of France made necessary.

The Sisters commenced their labors near St. Thomas' Seminary, Bradstown, Kentucky, but in a short time removed to their new convent, Nazareth, two and one-half miles from Bardstown, which was then the Episcopal See.

Ina few years Nazareth became the Mother House of a large Community, and as early as 1820 it had established branches in Scott County, Louisville, Yellowbanks, Elizabethtown and Bardstown. In 1840 a colony of Sisters was sent to Nashville, Tenn., the first establishment outside of Kentucky.

In August, 1819, Father David had been consecrated coadjutor bishop of Bardstown, but this did not prevent him from continuing

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the care and instruction of the Sisters of Nazareth, over whom he presided more than twenty years as the Episcopal Superior. As time advanced, the colony of sisters of Nashville had increased to more than twice their former number. In 1852 six of these Sisters having determined to transfer their allegiance to the Rt. Rev. Bishop Miles of Nashville, the other members were called to Nazareth, the Mother House in Kentucky. From these circumstances originated the sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas, the first six having made their novitiate and profession at Nazareth, under the guidance of the Rt. Rev. Bishop David, their founder.

In a few days the colony of seceders found that they had made a mistake in locating in Tennessee, as they saw no possibility of extending the works of charity contemplated in the Rules of St. Vincent beyond that State. This matter was often discussed among themselves, and finally resulted in a general wish to remove to the Northwest Territory, where an extensive field for the exercise of their duties presented itself.

About this time a Metropolitan council was convened at St. Louis, Missouri, and Sister Xavier Ross, who was at the head of the Nashville colony, availed herself of this occasion to see on or more of the suffragan Bishops of that See with a view to secure a home for the Community. Upon her arrival in St. Louis she sought an interview with Father P. J. De Smet, with whom she had a reading acquaintance, and laid the whole case before him, confidently asking his advice. The Father informed her that Bishop Miege, of Leavenworth, would attend the Council, stating at the same time that one of the Bishop's intentions, as he had learned from the Bishop himself, was to procure a colony of Sisters to teach in Leavenworth, and therefore he advised her to see his Lordship and confer freely with him on her affairs.

Being called upon by Sister Xavier, the Rt. Rev. Bishop, who had already been notified of her object by Father De Smet, informed her that he would receive the whole Community most willingly. By the end of February, 1860, the former sisters of Charity of Nashville has passed under the jurisdiction of Bishop Miege, and from their new home became known as the Sisters of charity of Leavenworth, Kansas.

Of the six members who had been authorized by their Ecclesiastical superiors to transfer their allegiance to Bishop Miles of Nashville, two died before the colony removed to Kansas, while a third one returned to the Nazareth Convent. Thus, the three others, namely, Sisters Joanna, Vincent, and Xavier Ross may properly be called the founders of the Leavenworth Sisterhood.

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The three last mentioned are still living and not unknown in Montana, having passed some years in Helena. Of the younger members of the Nashville colony, that is, of those who had joined the original band of six, previous to their moving to Kansas, several also survive and live in Montana. They are Sister Josephine, in charge of St. John's Hospital; Sister Placida, who presides over the Orphan Department, and Sister Ann, on duty at St. Vincent's Academy.

The Sisters of Leavenworth have today a membership of three hundred, and conduct thirty establishments, eight of them being in our State.

With this brief account of the Sisterhood that was destined to do so much good in the cause of Catholicity in this part of the Northwest, we return to our narrative, and crossing over the Range, take up the local history of the Deer Lodge Mission and its dependencies.