Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1875-1878, 1876-05-31
DEATH OF J. C. DODGE.

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DEATH OF J. C. DODGE.
sI.Anotherl Victim. of the Noble Red
,Man-.One of Bismarck's best Cit
izcns Riddled with Bullcts..Thc
4 Tramp TO tho Hills...A Tedious
4 hat Successful trip.Its Sad End.
About the first Of April j. c: Dodge,
|jWm. McCorry, Belmont Clark, John
Leasure, Charley Anderson, Ed McDon-
aid, and others, numbering in all 20
with ten or twelve teams loaded with
Isupplies, &C., left Bismarck for the
Black Hills They crossed the Missouri
Just as it was breaking up, and found
themselves water-bound on numerous
oscasions. The roads were simply fear,
full but the party pushed on ever on their
guard, however, for there were but eigh-
teen guns in the party, reaching the:
Hills On the 4tti of May. On the way
they saw Indians several times but as
they were constantly on the. alert and
never camped at night without throwing
! up rife pits, they had not been molested.
On the night of the Sd Of May Dodge
and one other left the train. and went
into Rapid City returning to the train
that night about two o'clock. They saw
a few Indians in the vicinity and that
day picked up four Indian ponies but
did not anticipate any danger. Next
morning Dodge missed calf and went
back to find it. He was urged to take
his gun but said he would not need it
as he would be gone but few minutes.
He was gone longer than he ought to
have been and John Leasure under.
took to follow him, but was driven back
BY the Indians. Returning, party Of
six went out, but they likewise returned
with no tidings of Dodge. They went
on to Rapid City when party of six
teen went out, and on securing the
country thoroughly they found his life
less remains in the immediate vicinity
Of the point where Dodge reported 1ndi.
ans the night before. He was shot
through both hips, through the chest
and arm. once through the head and the
top of his skull laid open by another
shot. He was not scalped, nor was his
body otherwise mutilated. The Indians
took his revolver and belt and his mon
ey, but nothing more. The body was
carried to Rapid City and on the sixth
of MAY was buried with Masonic honors.
Nj. Dodge was member of the Board
Of County Commissioners Of this county
and man Of considerable property.
He was member of the Bismarck Ma
sonic Lodge, and was esteemed by all
who knew him. He was brave, gener-
Gus and true to friends, and to the right
under all circumstances. He leaves a
wife. whom he married in Minnesota,
about year ago, and scores of friends
to mourn his loss. .-.... ......... =.
Mr.. Langscine, Of Escanaba, Mich,
who went to the Hills with Dodge and
who was one Of the party who discover
ed bis remains, speaks in the highest
terms of Dodge. He says he was eyer
on the alert for the welfare Of others,
always cautioning others of danger but
ever ready to take great chances himself,
and frequently went back alone several
miles from camp for stock-at one
time twelve miles.
Dodge, it will be remembered, was the
leader of the party of Bismarck men
who went to the Hills in December last
arriving there on New Years Day, who
returned after two weeks spent in pros
pecting, bringing specimens Of gold and
a report which resulted in taking at
least half of the male adults from this
vicinity, and thousands from elsewhere
to the hills. Our people placed implicit
confidence in him and in his statements.
and not one of those who went from here
because of his report are dissatisfied.
They found every thing as he represent
ed. He determined to return to the
Hills, as he said TO the writer, to spend
his DAYS there, and did return with the
result stated. '.'s.-~
Mr.. Dodge took four thousand pounds
of supplies for himself to the Mills and
A like amount for. Judge Ford of Bis
marck, of which he and his partner,
VIM McCorry, had full charge. Theirs
! was the first train loaded with supplies
to reach the hills after the severe storms
in Marck, and had Dodge not lost his
life he would undoubtedly have done
we'll. '... -.
OF course Mr.. McCorry took charge
of the property and at last advices was
disposlng of it to advantage. Judge
Ford, however, will leave for the hills
this week to look after his interests.
Dodge also took lot Of cows to the bills.
Some af the party wii.5 went with Dodge