Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-18

A recent number of the Paris Figaro tells a
thrilling story, which had not then been pub
lisAed in this country, although the event oc-
CURED within forty miles of New York and one
of the prominent actors in it, Mr.. Henry Pierce,
is said to have been a well known Greeley man.
1t is very well understood, says the Figaro, that
the Indians along the line of the Pacific railroad
think the locomotye is terrible monster sent
by the great spirit for the determination of the
red man. Frhey have tried to destroy it by throw
ing trains from the track, but, failing in this,
one of the fiercest of their chiefs, a Cherokee
named Naha, the Mocking Bird, determined TO
adopt another method. Figaro continues the
story as follows:
Accordingly on the second of June last he
concealed himself near the rails, and with eX-
traordinary activity bounded upon the foot
board OF train No. 81 from San Francis
co to New York. He then slipped along
the train until he reached the locomotive, where
he killed the fireman with his tomahawk,
stabbed the engineer with his knife, and after
scapng them, jumped on the tender, brandish-
ing the scalDs and bowling out "a savage war
song.
The settlers along the line became terrified as
they saw the train which now dashed along at
fearful speed, driven by the ferociOus engin-
eer. The passengers all cried out for help.
Their situation was extremely perilous. In fact
they were running into the Jaws of death. FL
nally an officer of the navy, Mr.. Henry Pierce,
determined TO sacrifice himself to save his fell
low passengers. Armed with a long dirk knife
he ran along the footboard of the train and
jumped upon the engine The chief uttered a
war cry and brandshed his tomahawk, and "a
hand to hand struggle was commenced over the
hn1in nj IA ppin a hp HrnTn
The passengers put their heads out of the win
dows and with an anxiety which may easily be
imagined tried to see the fight. In about min
ute Mr.. Pierce fell MORALLY wounded under
| Mocking Bird, who, in the twinkling Of an eye
| scalped him. But while he was trumphantly
| waving the scalp of his victim in the air, Mr.
| Pierce, who was still living, had sufficient
| strength to jump up and plunge his knife into
| the Indians breast, killing him instantly. He
| then crawed 10 the valve handle, shut off the
| steam, and the train was stopped. The passen-
| gers ran TO the assistance of this brave officer
but it was too late; he died two hours after
ward"
The failure Of the New York papers to record
this remarkable occurrence can only be explain
ed by the suggestion that the Greeley organs
were unwilling to acknowledge the loss of SO
valuable a leader, fearing that therparty would
be demoralized thereby, and the administration
| papers could not bring themselves to admit
that Greeley man was capable of such hero.
ism. And so, through the despicable cowardice
of one party and the narrow jealousy of the
other, deed of splendid gallantry is only saved
from oblivion by the admiration of foreigner,
who heard of it by chance. Such instances OF
heroic self sacrifice are too rare to be lost from
history. Where were the independent jour
nals?
In the following passage from. Thackeray' IS
''Virginius," the author had personal aud polit
ical quarres in his mind, but his suggestions are
quite appropriate to the present attitude of Gree
ley and the democrats:
"What can be finer than lorgiveness2 What
more rational than, after calling man by eV
cry bad name under the sun, TO apologize IL
regret hasty expressions and so forth, withdraw
the decanter (Say) which you have flung at
your enemy's head and be friends as before
Some folks possess this admirable this angel
like gilt OF forgiveness. MI wonder can You and
do as much. Let US strive, my friend, to ac-
quire this pacable, Christian spirit. My belief
is that you may learn to forgive bad language
applied TO you; but then, you must have deal
OF practice and be accustomed to bear and use
it. You embrace after a quarrel and mutual
bad language? Heaven bless usl Bad words
are nothing when one is accustomed TO them,
and scarce need ruflle the temper on either
side