His Name was Joe Duchamp

JULY 13, 1900

SHREWD WORK OF JOSEPH DUCHAMP

By a little sharp diplomacy, Joe DuCahmp catured a Mr. and Mrs. horse thief and secured a stolen rig and they are now both on their way to the pen.

About two months ago, Louis Soucie called on Mr. DuChamp, at his farm 12 miles west of the city and wanted to sell him a span of horses so they could move to the city and work. Mr. DuChamp bought the team giving them a cow in part payment. On the way to town they sold the cow. Last Saturday, Mike Burns called Mr. DuChamp into his barn and showed him a fine rig he had just bought for $60 cash. Joe told him he believed the team was stolen and that the man whom he had bought them of and who left the barn as he came up was Louis Soucie and the thief. Mr. Burns called the man back, Joe confronted him with the charge and made him give back the money. Joe then went up town with Soucie to his wife, who met them on the sidewalk near Langseth's store, (corner of LaBree and Third Street). It was raining hard and while Joe was trying to get the wife and baby out of the rain, Soucie skipped. Joe locked up the horses, then visited Mrs. Soucie who confessed to the stealing of the right from JJ Bell of Devils Lake on July 3. Joe immediately phoned to Crookston, where he believed Soucie had gone and as a result, he was arrested Saturday afternoon and confessed to the stealing of the team he sold to Joe two months ago from Fred Stuart, livery man at Little Falls. Mr. Stuart was wired to and arrived in Crookston on Sunday morning accompanied by Sheriff Rider. The immediately drove to this city and fnding Joe here secured all the particulars, but as Joe had sold the team he paid Mr. Stuart $75.00 from the money he owed Soucie on the former deal. Monday morning, Mrs. Soucie was arrested and taken to Crookston where Mr. Soucie was under arrest, and both of them to were taken to Little Falls for their trial.

Word was sent to Mr. Bell at Devils Lake who arrived Tuesday noon and secured his team, paying Mr. DuChamp a private reward plus expenses.

It displayed shrewd work on Joe's part and as it was through his instructions the parties were arrested, there is not a question but what he is entitled to the state reward.

Seems like an operator, doesn't he?

MAY 1904
Reservation land being sold

5 12 Eleven townships of the Red Lake Indian reservation is to be held at auction in Thief River Falls on June 13. The 160 acre tracts bidding will start at $4 per. It is expected to take about a month. Starts with section 1, township 154, and range 43.


Removal of dead Indians on the eleven townships will be awarded Saturday afternoon. The dead Indians who were members of the Catholic Church, about 20, will be buried at the Catholic cemetery at the Red Lake Agency. Others will be buried at the suitable point on the banks of the Red Lake River just across the reservation line. There is, at present a list of 82 dead Indians, but it is thought at least 100 bodies will be removed. A number of local people will put in bids


BIDS FOR THE REMOVAL OF DEAD INDIANS

The contract for removal of the dead Indians on the Eleven Townships has been awarded to Joseph Duchamp at $14.50 per body. Ed Langevin had the lowest bid at $14.49 but it was rewarded to DuChamp.

The contract will have to be completed inside 20 days. Mr. DuChamp has already commenced work. He has purchased Ole Peterson's gasoline boat and will use this to move the bodies up river. There were 19 bids ranging from $75.00 to $14.49 per person.


In a later paper, it is said the Minneapolis papers have long strings about the work of Joe DuChamp, OF THIS CITY IN REGARD TO THE REMOVAL OF THE DEAD INDIANS. According to the articles, Joe has all kinds of petrified Indians which he found on the reservation and is selling them for cigar signs and hitching posts. (Joke)

JO Duchamp killed near Mavie when auto over turns. Pioneer settler, aged, 72, unable to straighten car out, goes into ditch in November of 1918.