The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-03-07
The DAILY NTELLICENER.
w ednesday, March z, 1877.
A Fight fer Life.

BE- NJ. Henry Tilley. Of Ness county.
We learn the particulars Of an Indian
fzht which occurred about four weeks
ago. in what is known as tie Gone,
at the mouth of sand Creek, about %
miles vest Of Ness postoffice, IN which
DR.. Ticbnor killed four Sioux Indians,
and was himself wounded. The doctor
ard man named Dickinson were out
in that section Of the cpuh,Ty poisoning
wolves. and had built q Temporary lug
out in ~ which TO store their skins and
provisions. 4 few days previous to
the fight Dickinson had taken their
team and gone into the settlement after
provisions. leaving the doctor 70 run the
camp. The doctor vas asleep IN his
dug-out on the morning Of the third
day OF Dickinson departure, when be was
awakened by slight noise a. the door.
Thinking the intruder was a skunk or
~oIf. be took up his gun and opened
the door, to be confronted by man and
that man was Sioux brave. bat al that
time il was So dark be could distinguish
little more than the outlines. He de
mansied his business, when the brave
turned and fcd: and ar the doctor step
ped outside To get shot 1T him. he
was greeted with q volley which drove
him back into the dug-ont. Bsrricading
the door as best he could, he awaited
daylight
In the meantime, the Indians mum
bering about forty, as near as he could
tell. had moved further up the creek;
bot with daylight. one of them. whom
Tichnor thinks was the chief, from his
dress. came te the dug-out carrying a
white rag, and in broken English de-
manded his surrender Tichnor told
him there were three men in the dug
out, we'll armed and prepared to fight,
and refused TO surrender. TIE chief
commenced 10 threaten, and told the
valiant doctor he would have his scalp.
This the doctor thought to be o decla-
ration Of var, and shot the red man
dead in his tracks. close by his dug-out
The entire band then rushed in. but
were driven back by several well-di-
rected shots The next manuuvre by
the assiiauts was On attempt TO smoke
him out by burning buffalo chips and
the wood work Of the dug-out. From
his position in the dug out he could not
ssee the Indian who was experimenting
the confiagrstion department, and know
ing that it stop was not put to it
he was "a .goner," he made dash at
the outside. kicked the buffalo chips
aside, and exchanged shots with the
head fireman. who was making tracks
for his comrades. killing him instantly.
and received bullet through the low
er part of his person. This man fell
within five feet Of his dug-ou door.
Then commenced a long-range shoot
ing match, in which tho doctor is con
fident he killed two more and wounded
one. This was kept up during the day.
but toward nightfall terrible snow
and wind storm came up, driving the
red men south aud showing the brave
man in. Had it not have been for this
they would eventually have got him.
for his wound, though not dangerous.
incapacitated him for fighting. He lay
in bed for three days. suffering severely.
At the expiration Of sixteen days the
weather moderated, and he started Oh
foot for tho settlements, reaching them
in safety. and bringing trophies of one
of the most remarkable fights on on
record. Though wounded bat once, the
doctor received several bullets through
his clothing, and during his subsequent
stay picked forty bullets out of the
walls of the dug out -H,yes CITY
.Seatiad.