The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1862-01-24

A Splendid sCAsmcc fer Ger. Hal.
heck - ss0rdcr No. 3.Ssu8
now THE IOWA boys DIDN'T DO RI
FSpeciuI Cor. Chicago Tribune.

3 49, - ST. Louis, Jan. &c.
A few, days SINCE, while company 6 of
tho Iowa Sd, under command Of Lieuten-
ant Lefingxell, was in the occupancy Of
Florence, guarding the North Missouri
Railroad at that point, negro came DASH
Ing towards the camp about eleven O. clock
at night, mounted upon high-spirited
horse. He was about to pass the guard,
who sprung forward and caught the bril-
dle-rsin Of his horse and stopped him.
The negro Immediately threw himself
from the animal and in q cringing. obse.
quious manner observed: "Massa soger,
please let ne go into dc camp and see the
Iilinoy soger." The guard informed
him that they were Iowa soldiers, and de-
sired to know what he wanted. He hung
down his head for a moment, seemingly
musing over some disappointment, and
then continued" Massa soger. look at
dis collar Ise good Niger, Please let
me 20 in The guard now discovered
that he was ironed, and Immediately call
ed the officer of the guard who took him
| to the guard-house. In the morning hs
was taken before Lieutenant Lefingwell.
around whose quarters the entire com.
nland had already assembled; and never
did men look upon scene more degrad-
ing and humiliating than that which was
presented to them in the person Of this
| slave Around his neck was band Of
iron half an inch thick and nearly one md
= half inches wide, not locked but secure
| " rireted. Three iron prongs Of lightn-
ing-rod size were welded to this band at
equal distances apart. and arose above his
head about nine inches, with an outward
inclination. The iron had lncerated his
neck, and the wounds had partially. healed
under the protection he had given TO them
by holding up the band with his hands
during the three preceding days that he
was concealed in a corn field, but while
riding the horse he .could not hold it up,
and it had opened the wound, from which
there WAS bloody, mattery ooze trucking
down upon his naked shoulders he
men stood around, gazing upon the scene
before them IN mute astonishmcnt, and it
was not until the negro bad repeated his
4 petition two or three times that they
could realize the fact that the cruelty
Of the scene before them was the act Of a
slave master, living but a short distance
from st, Eouis, the enlightened emfefi-
um of Missouri. The negro observed
please, massa soger, take dis collar off
+ my neck. Use good Niger; I'll do
anything you want me to. DE Illinoy So
gers cut de collar off 'er Ben" The
Lieutenant Immediately ordered it TO be
stricken of, when an old file was procured,
which could not be made to work upon the
baud only in slanting manner. After a
labor Of over three hours it was removed,
the men taking turn about--two holding
the band while one used the file. The
band is now in the possession Of Lieuten-
ant Lefhngwell, who holds it as one of the
trophies of the Iowa Sd, and the negro is
now officiating III his quarters as SER
want.
| The master of this contraband residos
about ten miles from Florence. 1t APP
pears that the negro had carried this iron
band upon his neck nearly three months
as punishment for assisting his wife Il
make her escape into Illinois. Genera
Halleck, or some other prudent com
mander, may order this band to be re-riv
eted upon his neck. and the property
surrendered to his master but from what
| have seen Of the Iowa soldiers, believe
that blood would drip from the end Of
their bayonets before they would do it
The contraband always gives the Nilsson
ri troops a wide berth, and generally makes
for the Illinois regiments, under whose
broad shield of bayonets he feels secure.
ENFIELD.