Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-12-06
A Desperate Murderer.

A correspondent of the Leaveuworth
(Kansas) Times gives the following &C
count of desperate character who trav-
eled down the Missouri river on the same
boat with him about the middle OF last
month
On the 18th ult., two deserters from
Fort Sully got on board and were car
ried down the river to within Few
miles of Fort Thompson, when, at their
own request, they were landed on the
opposite shore. On landing at the Fort,
man on board named Dunley informed
the Post Commander, and the deserters
were pursued and arrested. When 1t
was ascertained that Dunley was the
informer, the writer adds, the rest of our
party were very indignant, and talked
OF putting him off the boat, etc., which
caused continual quarreling, until the
night of the murder. On the evening
of the 10th, we camped about stxty-hVe
miles above Fort Randall. About one
half the party went on shore to sleep,
having built a large fire, the rest stay
ing on the boat. Between one and two
o'clock in the morning, those on board
the boat (mvself of the number) were
awakened by the cries of those on shore,
who were rushing to the boat some OF
them half-naked. They informed US
that Dunley had killed one man aud
wounded another with an axe, swearing
he would kill us all. The wounded
man, who managed to crawl down to
the boat, now told US that he was awaS-
ened by the cries OF Eaton, the MUIR
dered man, aud on looking up saw Dun
ley striking Eaton on the head with an
axe, The murderer now turned on him,
aiming at his head but struck him on
the right shoulder, cutting him in
frightful manner. He lodged the sec
oud blow, and escaped to the boat. we
had but one rife among our party, and
the owner rushed to get tit was gone.
The murderer had come on board the
boat while we were sleeping and taken
it, AMI with it plenty of cartridges.
All was quiet for few moments, none
of us daring to show ourselves. At last
Dunley called to US from the bush, and
said if we did not leave in five minutes
| he would shoot every one on the boat.
! Having no arms but one revolver, and
not being able to see him, while he
could see us, our only chance was to get
away, which we did, he shooting at us
as we did so, but fortunately without
injury to any of us, although he did
some close shooting. The wounded man
lay in dreadful agony, and knowing that
If we remained about until daylight the
murderer would try and kill some more
of us, we started for Fort Randall, where
we arrived about five O'Clock next even
ing, and sent the wounded man to the
hospital, but his recovery is doubtful
The last seen of the murdered man
Eaton, he was lying on the ground,
mutilated corpse. He was an old Cali
fornia miner, but had no money, and
was returning to his home in Illinois
The wounded man, Mccullough, lives II
Minnesota. The murderer formerly 0
New York, is young man, about TWEEN
ty. three wears Of age. He had broth
err, aged fifteen or sixteen, in the party
The brother was sleeping with him tina
night, but did not feel him get up, anc
was apparently as much afraid of hin
as any of the rest. The commander a
Randall sent out a party of India'
scouts after the murderer, and they me
him some distance above Randall, where
he fought and whipped them back. H
will undoubtedly be captured, eithe
dead or alive, as the commander ha
sent out party of soldiers after him.