The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-05-27

SANDERS I BRO. Dsiig sstsfss.
e. .; MnsI, D:sIL nss:s!ss.
HARRINGTON WtLkl8. OsSig 4soe.
II. LiscHsk CO., Daily Der bs.sArst.
ADvsSfuRg WTTG f1s InDIAus
lProa the Dss noisss liova) ctssss.
A gentleman by the name Of Jame
II. Harper, living 10 the vicinity o
Wiscstta, had . iuost narrow escapt
from = band OF hostile Indians, fev
weeks since. We received the par.
ticulars from his own lips, and ",
have the utmost confidence in tho mar.
ration. Mr.. Harper had been in tn,
northern part Of the state on business
anil while there he disposed Of hia
team, intending to rsturn home u
foot While travelling toward home,
be was obliged ~ cross . prairie
about thirty miles in extent. This
prairie 10 situated in the vicinity oi
the Brush Fork Of Coon vivsr. Fos
many miles mot : houss was visible
on the desolate prairie; but the soil.
tsry pedestrian, unconscious Of dan
yer, continued on his journey.
Alter travelling about ten miles on
this prairie, he cav at distance, .
party OF men whom hs supposed t.
hunters; but hs soon lost si ght ol
then, and pur.usd his journey with.
o.. A. pretending the danger that
awaited Ia N. Ai6er procseding about
half : mile fhrshsr, ard = hs ap-
proscl,sj the B. ,ow Of the hill, he dis
covered the ssms psrty which before
had attracted his .'ttsntion. They
proved to bs band Of Indians lying
10 wait Tor him. They we're ten in
numler, and their chief was y French.
man or halt breed.
Upon his approach they pres. ~seo
their guns o. il to fire, bat immsdia. ..
ly lowered them, and surr0undsd their
intended victim. Mr.. Harper saw
that resistance wss useless, and re
manned passiv We while the Indians rol,-
bed him Of more than o600 in gold.
They took sll tho money he had il
his possession except $40, which frOu
being ingcniously secrstsd on his per-
son, they wsrs unable u 6nd. He
was then taken sboat six miles from
the road, aud preparations were made
to torture, and, perhaps, murder him.
A strong Indian, Of hsrculesn pro-
portions, was stationed ~ q guard
over him. lie held in his hand =
g.ittering knife, ready " strike il the
prisoner should give any intilnai iona
oi escape Or resistance.
The other Indians. having stA,,kel
their guns about one hundred aud tif-
ty yards from their victim, returned
aud formed line with the intention
OF forcing Mr.. Harper ~ run the
gauntlet. Each one had his knife
drawn; aud from every indication, il
WAS evident that the purpose was to
conceal their robbery by . brutal
murder. Mr.. Harper wast then inform
ed by one OF the party who could i'm
perfectly speak English, that hs must
run for his life through this line; ,lnd
il hs reached the place where the guns
were stacked, hs should receive no
further injury.
This was most critical and peril.
GUS moment with Mr.. Harper. To
run through this murdsrous line, up
peared b, him n equivalent to certain
destruction. A race for life. unsrmed
and deienseless, and surrounded With
merciless savages, IVES no otlsee than
sacs to death. He determined TO
..E 4 Lis escape, or die in the a.
-. s. He resolved TO make . l,old
'livsrsncs, rather than suf-
suor. !or q . be mutilated BY the
~ IlmselI :; aians. At lsnxlh the
.n.ye. % ~ 'nc 70. y him 70 start
word was given .. IN the energy
Nsrving himself With o.. ":.
he could summon, Mr. 4 - ~
the rapidity Of thought tu,. on
HE gsard; and struck him . ol
blow that sent him rssling 10 70
earth. Then instsad Of running The
gauntlet. the prisoner broke thro' the
line over the bsdy of his PROSTATE
enemy, and fled, with thsspssd Of the
wind, aoroas the prairie. Occasieaal-
ly hs turned his head to watoh ths
novements OF the indiana; and he
was GzaEi6sd TO know tl,at they had
not slartsdiD. punsit. Afhsr proceed.
ing . hall = mils, ~ again locked
back end bs.hsld The ssvlgss clustM-
ing aroand IT, body d thsir fallen
compenios.. Mr.. HAspsr still soa-
tinusd his flight with unshaAsd vigor,
until hc arrived q . settlement twen-
~ miles nom the sppos Of danger.
The gentleman, whose psrilous ad-
venture with the indians - have int
besn naSvating, i shout tAir.y.two
ysars Of age. He y mna ofs1hlsGic
cloold, and u great nssenlas peWs;
aud withal, he possssss he tEaso ocsfs
svs ol . pi9nssr. Ts thees qsalioes
10 owes his delivsrance. Our read
srv are assured that ~ sissan11Anos1
which We have attsmptsd 70 describe
aso tsuthfal in every particular.