Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-29
,EFR0STIER TRAGEDY.
A Thrilling story from Texas.

One Makes Elfs WAY TO St Joseph.
FROM the st. Joseph Mo Gazstte, July IS.
We had cali yesterday from young
man named William Mac Moore, former
ly from Ehzsbethtown, KY, who related
10 US The particulars Of one of those hor-
rjble affairs which frequently occur Oh
the frontier: Dir. Moore left Elizabeth
town about two years ago, and went to
Texas, where he worked ct different
kinds OF employment. In June last be
engaged to drive team for ]. G. D.. |
Blackburn, contractor for the govern
mens delivering goods at Fort Sill. A
train consisting of fourteen wagons left
Smith Paw Valley for the fort, there be-
ing fourteen persons engaged as drivers.
ATTACKED BY INDIANS.
About 5 o'clock on Sunday evening,
June %, the party had reached a small |
stream which was skirted with a strip of
timber, about thirty miles east of the fort,
when they were suddenly attacked by q
band OF some two hundred and fifty
Cheyenne indians Part of the teams
had crossed the stream, two Zone of them
the team driven by Mr.. Mac Moore, had
not yet come up, and one had stuck fast
in gully or ditch. A number of the
divers had dismouuted from the
wagons, leaving their arms in them, to
assist in extricsling the latter. No one
for moment dreamed that foe wss
near. The indians had posted themselves
in the timber on both sides of the stream
and Kept carefully concealed until The
party were completely in their power.
. Than thoNy Eachira Strf with hnrr III
yells, and in moments time the unfOr-
tunate teamsters found themselves COM
pletely surrounded, Resistance seemed
hopeless, and yet to yield was almost GER
tain death. A few of those who were in
their wagons fired dozen or so shots, but
apparently without effect.
KILLED, WOUNDED AND sCALPED.
The contest was speedily over. Seven
of the party were shot dead ON the spot,
another was badly wounded and then
scalped AMI tomahawked, and ak, includ-
ing bIac Moore, taken prisoners. Mac
Moore is unable to tell what was done
with the train ard stock, as Immediately
after bis capture ne and his companions
were securely bound and removed from
the spot. The savages moved in south
westwardly direction, and after going
come distance camped for the night. The
next day after the capture one of the
party, while attempting to escape, was
shot and killed.
BURNED AT THE STAKE.
On the following Friday the saVages
came to the conclusion to torture two of
the teamsters, Jack Jones and Thomas
Hayward, and about O'Clock in the eve
| ming proceeded to carry outtheir purpose.
The unfortunate men were brought out
and securely bound hand and foot to a
| stake. Their tongues were then cut out
it is supposed to prevent them from
screaming while burning-and their ears
cut off. A pile Of fsggots a foot or SO
high was then placed around the stake,
and so arranged as TO burn very
slowly. The entire band then formed in
8 circle, and INDUCED in the luxury of
tormenting their victims before the work
of torture commenced. The other pris
oners were then brought out, and forced
to witness the hOrrid spectacle. The fag-
gots around Jones were dry and buried
more rapidly than had been intended,
and his sufferings were speedily termina-
ted, the stomach ard lower part OF the
body being first consumed. Hayward
died in about half an hour, and his
agony was terrible. Mac Moore says the
remembrance of that fearful, heart
sickening scene will never be efflced
from memory.
DETERMINED TO ESCAPE.
Satisfied that they would soon BE- called
upon to sba,e The fearful fate Of their
companions, the remsiniDg plisouers-
our informant, Henry Brown and Harvey
JacksOn-deteIminei TO make an escape
at all hazards Tney we've closely guard
ed, however, and for some days no Op-
| portunity presented itself. On the night
of the Oh of July heavy rain SET in, and
the anxilusly looked for chance came.
The Indiacs bad indulged pretty freely
in ''fre water" during the afternoon
and evening, and slept very sound.
| About II o'clock Mac Moore discovered
that the buckskin thongs with which he
was tied, dampened by the rain, began 10
give considerably. With little eXer-
lion, he succeeded in getting his haads
! loose, but was uuSble TO release his feet.
| Henry Brown also discovered his bonds
giving and finally succeeded in re-
| leasing himself entirely. He then quietly
approached g sleeping savage, drew
| knife from his belt, cut the bonds of his
comrades, and the three quietly FASTENED
| away. After travelling some Two miles
together, the three separated, for safety,
| and started for Fort Riley. Moore reached
the latter place on Wednesday, having
walked one hundred and twenty FIVE miles
| in two days and half. His feet were
| terribly lacerated, snd he had no clothing
| on except two shirts and 8 pair of draw
ers. Blown reached the f0rs four hours
| later in the day, and jackson came in
next day. All the parties were greatly
| exhausted, ard probably would have
perished had it not been for the assistance
OF aome friendly Pottawatamie Indians,
with whom they fell in On Tuesday.
jackson remained at Fort Riley, his
feet being so sore that be could Lot travel.
| Brown started to Denver. On WedGes-
| day, the 18Th of July, Mac Moore started
on foot for LesvenwOrth, and walked
the entire distance, reaching that
| place on Saturday last. The same even
ing he took the cars on the Kansas
City, st. Joseph aud Council Bluffs Rail
road, and came to 81. joseph. That night
be stopped at the residence of G. Il.
Buchanan, Esq, whose wife is q relative
| of his. On Sunday he went to the house
of Mrs. Bash, on Bush street, who is a
relative, where he is now stopping. He
is an honest locking man, and tells his
story IN a straightforward manner that
leaves not a shadow of doubt rs 20 lis
truth. He hss certainly within the last
month passed through scenes as terrible
as it ever falls to the lot of humanity to
witness. All the party who started with
tue train were young men; but he was
unacquainted with the names of many of
them.
WHITE MEN WITH TIE INDIANA.
Mr.. Moore says that nearly one fourth
of the party of Cheyennes was composed
Of white men, and many of the Indians
themselves spoke Elgll.h. Aiming them
was man named Stanley, from Eas ern
Texas, who said that he had killed thir-
teen men and intended to Kill five times as
many more The whites dressed like the
Indians-were fully as bgr0ar0us, and
seemed to enjoy ths terrible torture of