The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-09-21
A ROMANCE OF THE WEST.
A Gold Miner Saves the Life of an Indi-
an, and is in Turn Rescued from
Death by the Grateful Savage.
from the Columbus News.1

street, between Long and Spring, and
asked for something to eat. He had an
honest, intelligent appearance, although
not clothed in the richest attire. He
said he had eaten nothing since the day
before, and was very hungry. The ba-
ker gave the man good meal, and, be-
ing Intercepted as to his history and
present condition, he related the follow
ing narrative, which is so romantic and
that we report it for the ben
eft of our readers
The man gave his name as Geo. Saun-
ders, stating that he is plasterer by
trade, and that his mother lives about
miles from Big Run station, on the Ma
rietta and Cincinnati railroad, in Athens
county. Saunders says he left his moth
er's house January 3, 1875, and went to
st. Louis, where he remained for short
time, and then started for the Black
Hills IL search of gold, arriving there
about the first of June. He went to work
and up to the 2Sth of July
last had succeeded in mining large
amount of gold ore worth about SIS per
ounce. 1t may be stated that the ore
referred to is what is known as surface
ore, not quartz, and is very rich indeed.
Saunders was in camp of thirty per-
sons, who divided themselves into pairs,
and erected small wooden huts, two mi
ners occupying each. Saunders occu-
pied a hut with man named Smith.
Their means of sustenance consisted of
buffalo meat, vension and fowl, with
some salt, which they carried with them
from the settlements. They had no bread
of any kind except few crackers which
they carried with them, but the supply
of which was soon exhausted.
During last winter, while the snow
was SO deep as to render it necessary for
them to remain in their huts for long
period, an Indian one day came to the
door of Saunders hut in an almost ex-
hausted condition, stating by means of
signs and gestures, that he had been out
hunting and got lost in the snow. Saun-
ders and Smith fed and sheltered the
wayfarer for several days, and when the
snow disappeared the Indian went on
his way rejoicing, apparently very CRATE
full to his preservers.
On the 28th of July last the party were
surprised by band of two hundred In
dams, supposed to be Sioux. At the
time of the surprise Smith had gone from
the hut for bucket of water, and Saun-
ders saw no more of him from that day
to this. The miners, although taken
completely by surprise, made a desper
ate resistance in a hand to hand conflict.
They had nothing but their knives to
defend themselves with Twelve of their
were killed upon the spot, and
the rest were overpowered and taken
prisoners. Saunders, with others, was
tied upon horse, his feet under the an
NAL and his hands behind his back.
They were tied with wet rawhide thongs.
Their captors then set out upon the
march, and the prisoners were kept in
the saddle from Friday evening until
Sunday morning at o'clock. The saw
ages then went into camp, and the pris-
oners were taken from the horses and
tied to trees. Four of these unfortun-
ates begged for meat and drink, for
which the Indians burned them to death
at the stakes, pricking their naked flesh
with burning sticks.
One Sunday afternoon, strange In
dian came into camp, and Saunders re-
cognized him as the savage whom he had
befriended the previous winter. He was
about to speak to him, but the latter sly
ly motioned him to remain silent. About
10 O'Clock that night, this Indian crawl
ed up to Saunders, N manner peculiar
to the savage, and after cutting linn
loose, motioned him to follow him, which
he did. After travelling two or three
hours, they came to halt, when the
Indian, leaving Saunders for few mo-
ments, returned with magnificent black
stallion, saddled and bridled, and tell
ing Saunders to mount, gave him the
direction to take to reach Denver, and
bid him make the best time possible,
which he did. Before leaving the saw
age told him to follow certain trail un-
til he should come to cross trail, where
he would find five stakes and some meat
close beside them. Saunders did as di-
rected, and about g o'clock on Monday
he found a buffalo head, from which he
made a good CD meal, and soon after he
came to a small prairie stream, where he
Stacked his thirst for the first time since
the Friday previous. Saunders got no
thing to eat or drink from that time I'M
til he arrived in Denver on the Wednes-
day following, at P. NJ.
Saunders had been stripped by the In
dams of all his clothing except pair of
buckskin pants, and in that condition he
had ridden the entire distance. He had
an excellent beaded buckskin shirt on
when captured. AT Denver, Saunders
traded the horse for suit of clothes.
The stallion was splendid animal, of
extraordinary bottom and remarkable
speed, and would undoubtedly have
been worth large sum in this market.
From Denver Saunders worked his
way on stock trains to Detroit, Mich,
and from thence he managedto get con-
ductors to pass him as far as Shelby
Junction, Shelby county, on the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad From, fhara Ia