The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-06-02
BLACK HILLS.
Am Interview with q Returned
Gold Hunter.

A STAR reporter this morning hao
talk with z. Mott, who has just returned
from the Black Hills. Mott, who is at
present stopping at the Farmers Hotel,
in this city, related the following to the
reporter:
Col. Paddock Mott took company Of
thirty three men from this city to Kear-
ney junction, Nebraska. At that place
he was rejoined by Danno, Goehler and
Geo. Smith two days later. At this place
some DISPUTE arose between Mott and
Danno in reference 10 meeting them at a
certain time, and Mott lett the party
with ten men and Joined Captain
Barada, of Richardson County, Nebras-
ka, with thirty men, who was laying
over at Nebraska for the purpose OF re-
cruiting sufficient number Of men to
make 1t safe to 60 through Custer City
to the gold fields. Mott and Captain
Barada's party left Kearney Junction.
On the ensuing Friday, while Danno
and Goehlers party were to join james
Woods splendidly Quilted party from
Nebraska City, which was to leave the
Tuesday following, Motifs party passed
| through to Loup City, and from there to
Burned Willow on to Custer City, keep
ing good wal ch on the march, and IN some
places double guards. But one Indian
was seen.
On the Goth day of April Custer City
was reached. A terrible state Of affairs
was found to exist. The Indians in the
heart of the country, the miners in
panic, starving for want OF food. many
of them without arms, having bartered
them away for a few scraps Of some-
| thing to eat, living in constant torment
oil agon ziEg apprehension. Old miners
We're leaving the camps at every oppor-
| tunity.
Dead bodies were strewn all through
the canons and hills. Many of the
miners were carrying water in
their hats and pouring 1t in the burrows
oil the marmOts and prairie dogs, for the
purpose OF drowning them out and
catching them Tor food. No gold was
found In the Hills excepting little that
was on exhibition i'll custer City, and
which was proven to have come from
| Montana. Seeing the condition OF
Things, Col. Mott and his men left the
Hills on the 5th OF May, having been
there five days.
he reached the Red Cloud Agency,
one hundred miles distant from the
Hills, without loss of lille, but was con-
stantly shadowed by the red devils all
the way. One man, Murphy, was
wounded In the arm.
A party of sixty-tive, which left at the
same time, but going i'll different direc-
tion-by I heyenne trail-were attacked
within two miles Of where Motifs train
were encamped for supper, and ten men
Killed, seven wounded, ana eighteen
horses killed or driven away.
At Red Cloud Agency Mott received
the first Intelligence OF the fate OF Dam
tno and Goehier's party, who separated
from Mott and his men at kearney Juno
tion.
A number Of half,byeeds brought il
the ssnJ1rt mat every one oil them were
ibutchered in the Sand Hills, betweei
the Middle Loup and Snake Rivers, hit!
miles east OF Red Cloud, in Nebraska.
The attack was made while the part,
were pushing through the immense SAND
hills that abound there. b. all the pos
siple information cleaned by Mott while
on his return to this city he has no rea
son to doubt the truth of the sad report
that Stones party has been destroyed.
AT Red Cloud, Sidney, and Kearney
Junction the report came in that Stone:
lparty had been terribly cut up, il no
entirely destroyed. 1t is we'll to state
that Stone and his men, twenty-five il
number, did not reach Kearney Junction
until eight or ten days after Mott hat
lett Tor the Hills.
While returning from Custer City
Mott should have met Stone and his pan
ty some where between Re Cloud ant
Custer. Not doing so, apprehension
were felt that they had been attacked
by Indians and destroyed, which the Sc
luuel proves was the fact.
The following are the names of tn,
men who constituted MOTIFS party, ant
who Joined Capt. Barada at kearney
Junction and came out OF the Hill
safely:
Charles Merkley, Vine street, Cincin
lnati; John Cromwell, Xania, o.; John
Ruth, Ex- -Mafshal, Wyoming; o.; job.
Discher, Clam Lake, Mich; Wm. Muir
phy, "Jewsharp Bill" "Red Shirt Bill,'
springfield, o.; Charles Phillips, of Gin.
einnati: Charles Hontoa, Kentuckian
aud German, name uhsnown, wh(
lives in this city.
Iu conclusion, Col. Mott said: con
fess to little bitterness ofteelng, " hel
lrefecting on The conduct OF the Western
press, In feeding the insane excitement il
regard to the Black lliIls, ant
not forget to hold them responsible TO
their murdered friends, and tn
, trafticking dealers who have magni
fed and scattered broadcas
every idle tale and lalse report concern
ing the tabled Eldorado. 1t is safe tt
say that not One-half OF the men who <,
Into that desert country will ever return
lThey will fall snte prey t,
disease, starvation aud treachsrous In
dlans.
From talking with old miners, Mot
finds that on an average il will cost ST.
in greenbacks to every dollar in golt
that is secured. 1t is fraud.
| kilograms from West and Wiuiski, o
the party OF forty-nine reported killed
were received by their friends In thi
city yesterday. They are both wounded
but alive. No mention is made Of thei
/ mn N