Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-29
a Talk with Cn,nnnche BiII.

From the Davenport tlowal Gaaette.l
There has been stopping in this city for q
couple of days past, one Of those characters
who have made for themselves a celebrity for
their bravery and daring on the plains of the
far west, among the Indians and the buffalo; in
recounting whose deeds hair breadth escapes
aud peculiar life, the pangs of romance arc
| filled. The person to whom we refer is no less a
| character than "Camanche Bill" who is re-
| puted TO be the slayer OF no less than one hun
| dred and eighty-three Indians. He has been
nine years on the plains, part of which time he
| has been in the employ of the government as
| scout. He has hunted and killed Indians for
| the pleasure and sweets of revenge, and hunted
| and trapped of necessity. He is now on his re-
turn to his old life in the west, having been on
a visit to his early home in Minnesota. He is
| about twenty-eight years of age, of slender
| build, sandy compleXioned with prOiusion of
| hair that he wears long on the neck. His dress
| is Il pair Of buckSkln pants, oTnamented from
| the outer seams with row of steel buttons, u
| coarse Shirt an old coat and broad brimmed
| hat His eve is piercing keen, and he has
| grip like dozen blacksmiths. In response to
| our questions he said:
"Niy name is George w. Porter. | have been
| on the plains since '62. | was in the Minnesota
| massacre, near New Um the 18th of August of
that year. All my folks were killed, except me
and my little sister three years old, whom they
| took prisoner"
"Where was youP
81 was away at the military station on bust
ness; went the day before. The first knew of
the massacre, was coming along the road on
my way home, when saw little ways ahead of
me wagon filled with women and children, that
the settlers had sent to the station for protec-
ton. just then | saw the Indians POunce upon
them, and lodged into the woods. lcOuld hear
the hatehets crushing into their heads, They
killed EN- ALL every one"
'What did you doW
"They scalped em, and when the coast was
clear, got OUT, and pretty soon along came
company of cavalry, and we buried them"
"Why didn't you follow after the lndians~
81 had no horse, and the captain didn't want
his men to 90. You see that was in '62, and
everything was topsy-turvy."
Odd you visit the scene of the massacre at
New Ulm?"
eyes. | went there the next day, and saw my
father and mother all scalped and cut up, and
my sister was gone. | swore by the eternal God,
| would never rest until | had had reVenge-a
bloody revenge"
''Dd you get any traces of your sister,"
"Why, yes, they was the Yankton Swanee and
Sioux Indians, and knOwed them pretty well.
! learned that they. had her. | knowed what
they'd do with her"
"You have not been successful in your efforts
TO secure herp
"No; you see, single-handed and alone, a man
don't stand much chance. That's what l had
been doing all the time. Once, in Arizona,
was right in sight of her. The way knowed it
was her was had been on the trail of the band
of Sioux that had her long time, and she was
the only white person they bad. This was in
'65, and then she looked just like mother. |
waited and watched and watched, and picked an
Indian off every little while, when he'd get
mile or two from camp, but twas no use. They
kept too good a watch over her."
Were you ever captured W
Yves, The Blackfeets captured me and jim
Brauden in "a, when we were out hunting. They
came on us with rush, but they didn't get us
though until had killed one young buck"
"What did they do with youW
"They marched about twenty-five miles to
their camp, and there they stripped us of every
thing we had, and tied us up to stake and let
the women pound us with clubs. They did this
every day for eight days. We were tied with
buckskin thongs, and one night it rained, and
we slipped out of 'em when they got wet. Jim
got away all right, but just as was gittin' my
things on, old squaw woke up and gave the
alarm, There was but four Indians in camp.
The rest had gone on hunt. run, with only
my knife. They came up to me, and | had a
desperate fight One shot had hit me in the left
arm" exhibiting scar). 81 cut and slashed the
buck that got hold Of me, and finally give him
one under the ribs so he won't tie any more
thongs, And he cut me, too, here, and here,
and here" Showing scars in his arm, neck and
hreast1. "rhe other buck never came near, for
I'd got this bucks gun afore he'd reached us"
The rest of "Camanche BilPs" story; how he
followed his sister among the Camanches, and
had fight with the white chief of that nation,
and other equally interesting accounts we shall
have to omit, But if our readers wish to see
genuine frontiersman, they should call upon the
hIudian fighter" himself.