The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-05-20
Deputy Commissioner.
Indian Massacre on the Overland Route
A Race for Life

Hon Gordon n Mott. Federal Judge the
newly elected delegate to Congress from Neva
da territory. gives the following particulars of
a most horrible Indian massacre. and remarka-
bic escape on tn r,ute west of salt Lake
Judge Mott left Carson city on the coach that
arrived here on Tuesday evening last, aud was
the only passenger to Reese river. where an old
gentleman named Levert,on, and his two sons.
aged respectively twelve and fourteen years,
got IN. h0and for Their home, IN Iowa. On
SUNDAY. the 22d ultimo. when approaching a
station eight miles west of Deep creek, one
hundred aud sixty m.its beyond Salt Lake city.
it was discovered that the house was filled aud
surrounded by Indians. The driver refined his
team In towards b. usual stopping place, until
quite near. when something excited his suspi-
cion. and be turned back into the road.
AT The same moment the Indians opened FIRE
upon the coac1. discharged some six or eight
rifle shots. aud perfect shower Of arrows
Judge Mott aud the two boys were at the time
in the coach, with the curtains close buttoned
down. The other passenger was on the box
beside the driver After going about half
mile, the driver called to Judge Mott to come
10 his assistance. which be did. opening the
curtains and climbing around On the box
There a horrible : -ht met his view The pas
senger was shot through the head. and had
fallen down into the boot. while blood and
brains were bespattered over the entire front
part OF the coach. The driver was shot through
the body IN the region Of the heart, ut still
mantully performed his duty. Judge Mott as
sisted the driver down into the boot under the
seat where he continued to assist and advise
the management of the team until be died.
which was lss than half an hour.
The race now became Que OF life and death
The Indians We're in pursuit. some on foot and
some on horseback firing a long and as far as
they bad any hope of hitting the coach. but al
the end OF half dozen miles the imprOmptu
driver had the satisfaction of seeing the last
one fade from sight in the distance At the
end OF eight miles is Deep Greek Station. bur
when it came in sight a new alarm presented
itself. \ herd of animals were on the plain
near by. which the Judge took to be Iadian
ponies. AID supposed that their owners were
lying in wait at that station also He deter
mined to cut three Of the horses out Of the
traces, put the boys on two of them. and mount
The third himself. when he was satisfied that
they could 0utrun any Indians
Having got ali in read iness. opened his knife
and communicated his Plan TO the boys. he told
them 10 halo as loud as they could. thinking
thereby to make the occupants of the house
show Themselves. The rusc was successful. as
a dozen white men made their appearance. and
the coach was driven I'D and delivered into
their care. The driver vas found to be dead.
bat the other man was still alive up to the time
Judge Mott LETT. when was near twenty-four
hours after. although his brains were Oozing
from the wounds in the top Of his head. 1t
was subsequently, learned that the Indians had
killed. stripped and scalped two men at the
station before The cosch came M
The telegraph was at once put in reauisition. !
and in an hour or two troops were moving east /
ward from Ruby Valley and westward from
Salt Lake. toward the scene of the tragedy -
There vas a fair probability that the Indians !
would be overtaken ami punished. The ar
rows. many of which were sticking in the /
coach. were pronounced Sboshone arrows
Rocky Mountain Nsies, april 9.