Fleming: Frontier-style justice, death
In 1878, when the Arapaho tribe that had been living near Fort Collins was confined to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, young William (Billy) Provost and his brother John Provost went with their mother to her new home. Her husband John Provost, an early settler in Laporte, elected to remain in Laporte in order to retain his property here, as the government had decreed.
John, who spoke English, took a job as interpreter at the reservation. There resided in the village a beautiful young maiden, Soeteiva (Little Bird), and both Provost youths fell in love with her, Ansel Watrous wrote in his Larimer County history. Billy was the one to pursue the courtship.
The tribal custom was that the prospective groom would bring a horse to the bride's father as a "bride price" to win her hand. Alas, Billy did not have a horse. But Eagle Wing, Little Bird's father, would accept no less than the fine horse he demanded. So Billy went to a Native American friend of his who provided him with a horse.
Once again, alas, for the horse did not really belong to Billy's friend. Instead, it was the property of one Clement Bernard, who also yearned to wed Little Bird. Somehow learning about the situation, he showed up and claimed his horse. No bride for Billy.
Eagle Wing threw Billy out of the lodge. Young, impetuous and overcome with grief at the loss of his beloved, Billy put a gun to his head and ended his life on July 24, 1879.
Hearing about his brother's suicide, John went looking for the man who had deceived Billy by giving him a horse that did not belong to him. John also sought Bernard, intending to kill them both to avenge his brother's tragic death. When he entered the Indian agent's office, he found both men there; opening fire, he killed Bernard. Alas once more, for several of Bernard's friends were present. They immediately surrounded the killer, preparing to lynch him, but the Indian agent intervened and sent Billy to Camp Sheridan, where he was held under guard awaiting trial.
At length, the trial took place. In a curious turn of events — perhaps a reflection of the culture of frontier justice — John was acquitted of the crime. Watrous says he relocated to Michigan, "not troubled by regrets over avenging the untimely death of his brother."
We do not know whom Little Bird eventually married, or whether she married at all. We do know from local newspaper reports that John Provost was heartsick about the death of one son and the disappearance of another. "Love, jealousy and revenge," wrote Watrous, all played a part in bringing the Provost family such great sorrow.
Contact history author Barbara Fleming at email@example.com.