The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-08-03
A Frightful Recital-The Story of q
Black Hills Miner.

Inc reporter IN MS ROUNDS THIS morning
dropped in at the Keokuk Northern Pack
ct Line Company's Office. There he found
a small crowd assembled listening to the
recital of returned Black Hitler, Will
liam jenkins, by name. He tells fright
full tale, and exhibits wound in his left
side which must extend into the transverse
colon, to corroborate it. He tells it in
rambling yet graphic manner, the SUBJ
stance OF which we endeavor to give:
On the eighth of last August party of
of Capt. Olin, of Oil City, started out
from St. Louis for the Black Hills. There
were fifty two men in the party, including
our informant who went with them in the
capacity of steward We shall attempt no
description of the route they pursued.
Suffice il to say that they arrived in the
Hills about six weeks after leaving St.
Louis. After prospecting about for some
time, finding no traces of gold, they final
ly found spot in the western portion of
that disastrous country, where they found
a stream, supplied from five constantly.
flowing springs, and traces of the precious
metal. There they decided to halt. The
captain of the party gave the place the
name of Missouri Springs. They went to
work, built large log house of two rooms,
capable of accommodating the entire par
ty, and after its completion began the
search for gold. They met with good
success, and soon made shipment to the
East. There occasionally appeared at the
settlement a white man whom our in
formant calls a silent hunter" who
acted in friendly manner. From what
escaped him at different times, they
learned that he was fugitive from justice,
and had been rowing about for years.
No sign of Indians was seen until the 18th
of last month. On the evening of that
day jenkins was out behind the house pre-
pairing supper, when suddenly from some
unseen hand, an arrow was discharged,
which struck him in the side at the place
previously mentioned. He ran into the
house, and the arrow was withdrawn by
one of the men. He related what had
happened. A portion of the party imme-
diately started out and secured the sur
rounding country for two. miles about, but
no traces of friends or foes could be found
A short distance from the house,waS cave
in the bluff, which had been used as "a
habitation during the building Of their
rough cdifice. The wounded man said he
thought the arrow came from that quar-
ter, but a thorough search failed to reveal
anything that would corroborate his sus-
picion. The party repaired to rest rs
usual, the wounded man climbing to the
roof to escape the mosquitoes, he said
He soon fell asleep. During the night he
was awakened by the noise Of scuffle in
the room below. He glanced down through
the cracks in the roof, which was made
of logs, and scene of horror met his
gaze. The room was filled with Indians,
engaged in slaughtering his companions.
He became so frightened that he was pow
erless to move, and so remained until long
after the tends had departed. During tns
frightful slaughter he noticed four white
men among the assailants, who numbered
between forty and fifty, one If whom was
the stranger who had frequented the house
The fiends, when they had completed their
clothing. Of their victims, their
three wagons, and carried them
away. they made no effort to
destroy the building, and did not even en-
ter the store-room Of the place, which was
a small room at the back of the main por-
ton. Some two hours after the departure
of the destroyers, two men crawled out of
the bushes in the vicinity, and approached
the house. They called to jenkins, who
descended to the ground and joined them.
They related the story Of their escape.
During the struggle they had jumped out
Of back window and had hidden them
selves, the Indians not following, either
because they did not see the fight, or be-
cause they were satisfied with the work
within. The three then entered the house
and surveyed the scene. Forty seven men
lay dead upon. the floor, some Of them
horribly mutilated. Two were missing,
and they proceeded to search for them.
They entered the store.room, where they
found the objects of their search, one of
them unframed, the other slightly wound
ed. Only one Of these two had been In
the store-room during the attack the other
had sought refuge thera during the
slaughter. We remarked to the narrator
at this point that il seemed rather singu-
lar that forty Or fifty Indians could over
power fifty two white men and not re-
ceive any injury themselves. He said
that the attack was q complete surprise.
The Indians had broken in on them
while they were asleep, and killed most
Of them before they were awake. After
celebrating for some time the survivors
decided what to do. The Indians had
overlooked, three horses and a wagon.
These they would make use of,
and start for. home. Travelling ID
the wagon until their horses were
nearly played out, tlrW sbandQned it, and
proceeded, after aday 81 two,of rest, on
horseback. After enduring great hard.
ships, they finally reached Council Bluffs,
with the assistance Of some returning pill
grims like, themselves, who overlook