Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-03-29


M to the troops, which they did.
Instead of saying to McMnrdy not to
drive so fast, as he swore on
nv trial, [ said to him Drive OF,
as my aim was TO get out OF sight
before the firing commenced, when
we dia. We Wer. about half mile
ahead OF the company when we
heard the firing, and bad driven over
the ridge of rolling ground and down
on the low fiat The firing was SIM
ultaueous along the whole line. The
moment the firing commenced Nc
Murdy halted and tied his lines
across the rod of his wagon box.
stepped down coolly with bis double
barreled shotgun, walked back to
Knights wagon, who had the wound
ed men, and was about twenty feet
in the rear when be raised his piece
and said, "Lord, my God, receive
their spirits, for it is for the King
dom Of Heaven'e sake that we do
this" H. hen fired and killed two
men. Samnel krignt had "a muzzie
loading rife and he sho1 and siled
the three men, and tbon struck the
boy on the head who fell dead. i
drew d five sbooter from my b IL
which accidentally went of, cutting
across McMnrdy buckskin pants.
McMurdy said brother Lee, You
are excited take things cool. You
was near killing me. Look where
the bullet cut" pointing to the place
on his pants. At this moment |
heard the scream of child. look
ed up and saw an Indian have lit
tie boy by the hair Of the head, drag,
ging him out of the hind end OF q
wagon, with knife in his hand, get
ting ready to cut his throat. l
sprang for the Indian with my rovoi-
YER in hand, and shouted at the top
of my voice. stop, you fool u The
child was terror-ssricken his chin
was bleeding. supposed it was q
cut of the knife, but after wards learn
ed it was done jy the wagon box as
the Indian vanked the boy down by
the hair of his head. | had no soon
err rescued this child than another
Indian seized little girl by the hair.
| rescued her. As soon as | could
speak | told the Indians they must
not hurt the children ; that l would
die before they should be hurt that
we would buy the children of them.
By this time the Indians had rushed
up around the wagon in quest of
blood, and dispatched he two runa-
way wounded men. In justice TO my
statement | would say that if my
shooter had not prematurely explod-
ed | would have had hand in dis
patching the five wounded. | had
lost control of myself, and scarcely
knew what l was about. | saw an
Indian pursue little girl who was
fleeing; be caught her about 100 feet
from the wagon, and plunged his
knife through her. | said to McMur-
DIV that he had better drive with the
children to Hambln's rancho and give
| them some nourishment, while /
would 60 down and get my horse at
the camp. Passing along the road |
saw the dead, strung along for dis
lance of about half a mile. Women
and children were killed by the In
dans, and no other white man with
them. When | came to the men they
lay about rod part. Here | came
up with Higbee, Bishop, and Smith
and the rest of the Company. As |
came up Higbee said 10 me. let us
search these persons for valuabl s,
and asked me to asset him; he gave
me hat to hold : several men were
| already engaged IL searching the
bodies. | replied that ] was unwell
and wanted TO get upon my horse
and go to the rancho and nurse my
self. Ny request was granted.
Reaching Hamblin's rancho, and be-
| ing heart sick and worn ont, laid
down on my saddle blanket and
slept, and knew but little of what
passed during the night. About day
break in the morning | heard the
voices of Col. Damo and Isaac
Haight. heard some very angry
words pass between them, which
drew my attention. Dame said he
would have to report the destruc-
ton of the emigrant camp and com
pany. Haight said, "How,as an In
dian massacre ~ Dame said be did
not know 80 we'll about that. This
reply seemed to irritate Haight, who
spoke quite loudly saying, How the
hell can you report it any other way
without duplicating yourself" At
this Dame lowered his voice almost
to whisper. | could not under
stand what be said and the CONVEX
sation stopped. | got up; saw child
rem and among others the boy who
was pulled by the hair ont of the
wagon and rescued by me. That
boy took home and kept until DR..
Forney, the Government agent. came
to gather up the children and take
them East. He took the boy with
others. That boys name was Viii
liam Fancher, His father was Cap
tain of the train. He was taken
East and adopted by q man in Ne.
braska named Richard Sloan. He
remained East several years and
then returned to Utah, and is now
convict in the Utah peneitentiary,
having been convicted the last year
for the crime OF highway robbery.
He is now known by the name of
"Idado Bill" but his true name is
VIM. Fancher. His little sister was
also taken East, and is now the wife
of q man working for the Union Pa.
cfic Railroad Company, near Green
River Bay. The man has yet got
scar on his chin, caused by the cut
on the wagon box, and those who
are couious enough to examine will
find large scar on the ball of his
left foot, caused by deep cat made
by an ak while he was with me.
got breakfast that morning, then all
hands returned 10 the scene of the
slaughter TO bury the dead. The
bodies were ali nude The Indians