The Placer herald., 1869-12-18
AN EVENTFUL HISTORY.
A Man with His Scalp in his Pocket
Dangers Of the Far West.


Dangers Of the Far West.
| A few days since an Eoglishman named
William Thompson arrived here from the
west, on bis way 10 Buffalo, where he hao
friends living. lie was 10 destitute circum
stances, but through the kindness Of many
OF our citizens, his immediate wants were
fully supplied and bis pockeis were well fill
ed with money to enable him to care for
himself 10 the future. This man ia indeed a
living wonder lie has been fearfulIy wound
ed in several places bv the lndlans, aud
calped, and the fact that he carries his
seal in his pocket is the best possible EVIL
dence Of the truth Of his statement. lie
has furnished ns with son,e facts connect et
with his recent history, which We append
substantially in bis own wolds:
| came.,o this coua'ry in 1864, and went
ives. in the employ VI the Unlun Pacific
Railway Company, where | remained until
August 6, 1867. at which tim had charge
Of gang Of .aborers. One day news came
10 the telegraph operator that the wire was
cut on the line of the road. Al abou, p
NJ, | ~as ordered with a detachment of SIX
men, including the operator, to 90 and re-
pair the wre. We bad proceeded about
ak miles from the station. to place called
PUN Creek, when the hard car in whi,l,
we we're riding WAS thrown from the track
and upset. Then came a yell and a volpy
OF sb"ts. We were surrounded by nj leas,
| 100 Indians of tribe known as Chey-nnes
Four Of nv comrades fled, leaving an Irish
man aud myself 10 do the best we could
lie fought until he was killed He was
found IN the morning with his tongue cut
out, his eyes torn from their s)ch cts, and
six arrows stuck in bis body. lie was scalp
ed also.
About the time my comrads WAS killed
my ammunition gave out, and felt rs though
90 chance for my life was left. received
blow on the head, and fell, | had prevl
ously boen shot 10 three places. guIshot
wound IN my right arm, fracturing the bone
above the elbow, an arrow shot 10 my neck
and another in the small Of my back. The
Indians were upon me in an instant, and
The ony hops left was TO f-ign death, which
| did. They kicked me, struck me on the
head with wh,p-slocks, scalred me, tcma-
hawked me, and left ms for dead.
About ihs time the freight train came
along, which attracted their attention.
got up aud ran the distance OF q mile OF
theresbou,s. when | became exhausted, and
lay down. bles'lng very freely. Then came
crash. The engine aud several Of The cars
were thrown from the track, the engineer
aud fireman we're killed, sralped, and thrown
into the fire box, and burned to ashes. Tie
attacking Indians puodered the train, car
RED The freight 10 the river, Il distance o
two miles, burnt the cars, and disappeared
about noon the next day.
All this time lay in the grass, not being
able to hsl p myself. Fortunately aid came
soun after in the shape of Government
train, accompanied by a band oi Pawnees
They chased the party that had done So
much damage, overlook and killed sixteen
Of them. aud took number Of prisoners.
My scalp, which had been dropped in the
flight, WAS recovered.
| WAS taken To Omaha, cared for by the
Union Pacific Railroad Company, and re-
NAMED in hospital there two years. Since
WAS sralped, however the road has chang
ed hands, aud | am now thrown upon the
charity OF the world. My head is not heal
ed up, and have no means Of earning a
| livelihood
Mr. Thompson desires US 10 tender his
mos. heartfelt thanks to the members of the
ne,ropoli an police, who very kindly dld all
in their power to make HIM comfo' table
and colerted a handsome sum for him. 10
The people Of our city who contributed
money to his ri u, h. SAYS God bless you.
Detroit Tribune, Dec. lst