The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-08-18

A Black Hills Romance.

scouts, an old man known as Jimmy
Kannon, 10 the hero OF romance,
which IL told by himself substantially
as followE A few years ago Jimmy
was lettering about Fort Laramie, re-
ceiving his s5 a day as Government
scout and interpreter. One evening the
post was startled by the report that an
emigrant train had been massacred
about two miles and Q half from the
fort. Worse than all q white woman, a
Miss Mary Brand, had been carried off
BY the Sioux. Ksnnon volunteered as
guide for a company Of cavalry. Atdark
the cavalry halted for the night in
rayine about ten miles northwest Of
Fort Laramie, on the Rswhide trail
All the white men in the train on the
Platte had been massacred, and no one
had been lef, TO tell the story except one
man, who died soon after being found.
He had been 6shing with Miss Brand
some distance from the main camp when
the Indian attack was made.
From him Kannon learned enough to
satisfy him that the Sioux had gone ov-
or 10 Rawhide river. There he resolved
20 20 alone and ahead Of the soldiers,
and IL possible effect a rescue. He
reached the Indian camp about mid.
night, and secured his pony to bush in
the valley, and soon afterward crawled
into the Indian camp. His long resi-
dence with the Indians taught him
where TO look for the captive. lie was
soon lying fiai on bis face in the rear Of
the lodge containing Miss Brand. He
found one old Squaw sitting in front Of
the lodge humming doleful dirge, and
on raising the edge Of the tepee or
lodge, he discovered another old hag
seated near . small FIRE feeding feeble
flame with straws. He also saw the cap
tive white woman lying with her head to
the outside Of the tepee less than two
feet away. lie whispered words of eau
ed up in alarm. This startled both oi
the squaws, and the one on the outside
walked round to the rear Of the lodge
whore she met sudden, n silent death
at the hands OF the old scout. The 9th
er squaw, suspecting something wrong
gave the alarm.
Quick asa fash Kannon raised up the
edge OF the lodge and drew out the cap
tive, and throwing her upon his shoul
dsrs made dash out into the darkness
The camp was soon in an uprosr. Bu
Ramon made his escape with his horse
although an arrow had pierced his body
through. lie took. a course eastward
down the Rawhide, while the Indian
started toward Fort Laramie, which wa
due southwark from their camp. Find
ing himself getting weaker from loss o
blood, Kannon drew forth the arrow
which had parsed through his body anC
projected out in front, and filed hi
buckskin shirt around the wounds will
vet mud, and then continued his flight
At daylight he found himself on tn
head Of Dry Cottonwood Creek, twelv
miles from Laramie. But the Indian
were between him and the fort. He KEEP
out Of sight, saw them meet and engag
the soldiers he had left the night before
and made his way to Fort Laramie with
out being discovered by the Indians.
The result is soon told. Kannon wa
taken into the post hospital. spd hi
nurse was Miss Brand, the rescue
white woman. She stood by the side c
the prisoner until he recovered, and, be
ing without friends or home, all havin
been taken from her in the massacre, sh
married the old scout. Mrs. Kanno
lives in Keytisville, a station on tn
North Missouri Railroad. Jimmy Kar
non IL now with General Crook, and
one OF ihe most trustful scouts. He
the lsst survivor Of the massacre of ii
Alamo, where his parents were killed.
His early life, up to the time he reache
the age Of manhood, was spent with Ii
Comanches, who, with General SAM
Anna, massacred Davy Crockett and h
brave band at San Antonio.