Litchfield enquirer., 1877-02-22
A MYSTERIOUS TREASURE.


 A MYSTERIOUS TREASURE. ga STRANGE STORY OF LITE AMONG THE ABo- Y Aasnoi1fitislis'-' RrsrSaasE naii io SnoiHlq:s 1a sd1 fo es iiew -2a-3asQ eslt lo .a7ag' a l. DETROIT, Feb. 9th, a1877.s B
 Within two weeks after the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox the gov ernment had portions of three brigades of cavalry on their way West to the Indian country to serve out the few remaining months of their three years enlistment. The Michigan cavalry brigade, reduced to about l, 1000 men, were marched through to Colorado. As the men had only a short time to serve, spirit of indignation prevailed that they were not discharged in Washington, and assertions were both frequent and numerous. About the mid dle of July, 1865, scout with the com- mand named Charles Burton, became an- gered and disgusted with some general order, and he induced five private soldiers to desert the service and follow hlm. It was his intention, no doubt. to organize a gang of rough riders and become prairie robber. The five soldiers were all Mich iganders, but four of them deserted Bur- ton the first night out, and returned to the command The fifth, private Henry Reynolds, was ready for anything desper- ate, and within week the two men had picked up enough stragglers, teamsters and half-breeds to make up 8 band of thirty six men. By hanging around the camps of the cavalry for. week or so the outlaws succeeded in stealing horses enough to mount the whole party, and the band was we'll provided with arms and ammunition. There was no railroad across the Great Plains at that time, and Burton's object, as soon as unfolded, was to haunt the overland trail and rob friend and foe. The band was large enough to have successfully attacked anything weak CT than government train, but before they had struck blow quarrel arose between Burton and Reynolds. The men took sides, two were killed, and the, sol- dier rode away at the head of six of the party, while the rest remained with the scout. What became of this last party no one knows or cares. but the career of the band of seven was brief and bloody. ATTACK BY INDIANS.
 They were on the south fork of the Platte river, Long's peak, when attacked by war party of Indians. During the half-hour's fight four of the men were killed and the others captured. Two were burned at the stake, leaving Rey- holds as the sole survivor. He ayers that his life was saved by his making certain Masonic signals. which seemed to be read fly understood by the chief of the war party. The soldier tells straight story of his life for the next year. There was little incident or excitement, he being 8 prisoner in an Indian village, fairly treat ed but closely guarded. He was very handy at carving pipes. mending saddles and brldles and making moccasins, and was kept at such work most of the time. In 1867 he was sold to another band for two ponies and pound of powder, and during that summer he was taken into Arizona, near the head waters of the Rio San Pedro. He was in Q measure content with his situation, being we'll used and having the same fare as the Indians; still a good opportunity for escape might not have been neglected. In the spring of 1868, while yet on the San Pedro, he fell and broke his right arm.. The Indian doctors had not the skill to set the broken arm, and the band looked upon the white man as useless burden, since he could no longer use his best hand Part of the warriors wanted to sell him for what he would bring, while others desired to hold a grand feast and to torture him. Rev holds could speak the dialect very well, and having overheard enough to convince hlm that he was to be put out of the way by sale or death. he determined to escape. Reynolds had no other tie to bind him to home and civilization than an aged moth. er at Grand Rapids, and until his life was threatened he had no great anxiety 10 es- capWfrom the Indians. He was leading a free, wild life, had sufficient for all his wants. and had accustomed himself to the habits and customs of the red men. At the time of the accident he was in love with a squaw named Wind-That- Whispers, and perhaps might have been adopted into the tribe and become husband and father.
 ESCAPE FROM THE INDIAN VILLAGE.
 About the time he found out that he was to be sold or tortured the squaw came to him and revealed the plan, and it was agreed that they should run away togeth- er. The preparations occupied but few hours. The village was situated on the west bank of the Rio San Pedro, and one night after everything had become quiet ;he squaw stole horse, rife and a quan- ,ity of food, and the two crossed the stream and headed for the Wahsaton intending to get into Mexico. Good progress was made during the hours of darkness, the squaw guiding the horse and the soldier sitting behind her. At break of day they discovered that they were being pursued but, burdened as he ohn1 hn Ln1E m hour ahead of pursuit. He was aban- toned there, and the fugit1ves sought safety in the gulches and canyons. They were hunted for day or two, but the h. Hans finally tired of the search. Left in hat wild region, with scarce a hope of 9ver seeing white face and fearing to see ! dark one, Reynolds says they lived anong the mountains until June, 1870. Game was plenty, and by means of the fife and traps they secured an abundance of food. Bands of Indians frequently passed through the mountains but the pair lived comfortably and in safety. 1
 WONDERFUL DISCOVERY.
 Tn the fall of 1869, while they were hunting tor some warm and secure place n which to pass the winter, the squaw made wonderful discovery. She found, ,p the western base of the mountains and It bend in ravine or gulch, a cave which had been fashioned from the earth md rock by human hands. Within dis ance of fifteen miles of this cave were the 'uins of three Aztec villages, with faint evidences that road had once led from one'of the villages to the cave. The cav- ty. Reynolds says, was walled mp, and it 'ook him and the squaw whole day to .emove the work of the ancient masons md effect an entrance He says there were hundreds of bodies in the cave, OF he black dust of hundreds of bodies. As Q his further discoveries he is silent, but 1e has exhibited to several wealthy resi- lents of this state curious and valuable ornaments in gold, such as have never 1een seen before.
 GOING AFTER THE TREASURE.
 In May, 1870. the squaw died, and bout that time body of Indians made 'ach search after Reynolds that he turned his steps eastward, and after weeks ,f fatigue and adventure made his way Tk