The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-02-02
4 pe,1oM1Ac DEED.


valley OF the Somo ~
miles northwest of Laramie, echoed
with the iendish yells of a band of
blood thirsty Cheyennes, asthey charged
down upon the camp of two white
hunters. Several volleys were fired,
one of the men killed, while the other,
after fighting until his companion had
breathed his last, managed to mount a.
mule and escape from the red demons,
who then bounced upon the corpse,
scalped and mutilated it, burned up
the effects of the hunters, and rode
off. The details of this demoniac deed,
as cleaned from the survivor, we give
herewith:
On Jan. 18th E. T. Oliver and Max
McKnopf, of this city, started north on
a hunting and trapping expedition,
taking with them a mule team, wagon
and camping outfit, traps, guns, etc.
They proceeded in a leisurely manner,
hunting and trapping along various
small streams until Saturday last, Jan.
9th, when they reached the valley of
the. Cottonwood, a small stream which
empties into the North Platte, west Of
Fort Laramie, from which post they
were then distant about 40 miles.
They camped on the bank of the stream,
and just after sunset, while they were
preparing their supper, they were start
led by the
sHRnL wAR-wHoOP
Of the C~heyennes, and a band of seven
or eight red devils dashed upon them,
discharging a volley from a distance of
not over sixty yards. At the moment
McKnopf was bending over the camp
fire, just outside of the tent, while
Oliver was at the door Of the tent.
McKnopf fell,
BADLY WOUNDED.
Oliver was unhurt, and, Selling his
rifle, returned the fire of the Indians,
who then scattered, one of them hiding
in the brush of the creek bottom,
another taking a position behind a
large rock on a bluff lear by, and the
rest disappearing. The two Indians
whose whereabouts Oliver knew, then
began a desultory fire. McKnopf
saE CALLED FOL HIS GUN
and ammunition, and rolled. arou nd to
the real of the tent, while Oliver, after
handing him his rifle, laid down inside
and sticking his head out, fired once
or twice at the Indians. McKnopf,
again asked for ammunition, Oliver
replying that he had given it to him.
Just then another ball struck McKnopf
who rolled heavily against the tent,
and after saying
"sHooT THEM TONI"
breathed his last. Seeing that his
partner was dead, Oliver resolved to
escape or sell his life dearly, and
stepped outside to get his knife, which
was lying by the fire, only a few feet
from the tent-door. AS he sprang
back into the tent a bullet struck
him in the thigh, irflicting a severe,
but not dangerous wound. A moment
later he seized his rifle and ammunition,
and darted a away to the spot where
his mules were lariated. Quickly cut
ting a lariat, he mounted n Of the
animals and rode away, the other mule
following. After
RIDE OF % MILES
he reached the ranch of T. A. Kent,
where he was cared for. The man in
charge of the ranch went that night to
Phillips ranch, and induced the COM
mander of the troops stationed there to
detail twelve men, who at once pro-
ceeded to the scene of the fight, reach
ing there at daylight Sunday morning.
They found the body Of McKnopf.
which the Indians had
sCALPED AND MUTILATED.
The tent and camping outfit had
apparently been piled upon the wagon
bed and fired, everything being burned
except the running gear of the wagon.
The body of McKnopf vas conveyed
to Kent's ranch, where it was buried on
Sunday evening. Oliver remained at
the ranch until Tuesday, when he was
brought to this city, arriving yesterday
noon. He is now confined to his bed,
but will be about in a few days.
Max McKnopf was aged about 40
years; was a sober, industrious man;
has been in this territory about three
years. living in this city most of the
time and having been in the employ Of
the railroad company. He went to
Carbon in the fall of 1875, returning
here last spring. He leaves a wife and
four children, the Oldest, Johnny, hav-
ing long been an employe in this office,
where he is known as one Of the most
faithful, obliging and industrious hands
we have ever employed. We tender
the sadly stricken widow and her
fatherless children u deepest SYM
pathy in their sad bereavement.