The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-11-19

CALIFORNIA BILL, THE SOLE
SURVIVOR, TELLING ThE
STORY.


parties, and other sulj cis kindred to a
\ mining centre has heen suddenly chan.
ged hy the return to the frontier Of Viii.
liam G.. Fehon, better known as Cali
lfornia Bill whose reputation as scout
is widespread on the plans His return
brings to mi"d the Indian massacre OF
April l6 1876, known as the Red Canon
massacre, from which, in party Of five
men and two women. Cllifornia Bill
alone escaped. The party, consisting of
Andrew Me'z and wife, John Burgesser
of Carson. Nevada, Mr.. Gresham OF
Missouri, NJ. Simpson of Colorado land
a negro WON m 8 arled from Custer City
for Cheyenne April Ia. 1876. They
were attacked by Indians in Red Canon
TWO days afterwald, and all the above
we're killed outright, or received wounds
4 that soon resulted in death. Californis
Bill received number of wounds, but es
capped. These wounds, however, have
made an invalid of him. Though as yel
! not really recovered. he has returned to
the frontier, full Of fight. He has rela
ted the story of the massacre, particulars
OF which have not before been published
| 81 s,artel from Custer City on my way
tout of the Hills To. Chez I've on the NOR
ming Of the l4rh of April. The frs
night we spent in Pleasant Valley. The
early hours passed in spinning yarn over
frequent bowls Of grog and well filled
ipipes, and while all were apparently IN.
concerned not one felt safe. Next NOR
ming we moved on, reaching Big Springs
/ early in the afternoon of the 18th, and
there going into camp. / felt assured
that,he passage through the Red Canon
would he unsafe for small party, and
concluded to wait the arrival OF larger
one that was expecled to overtake us. A
short time afterward Metz's party arrived
with two two.horse teams, having Mr..
and Mrs. Mez, q negro woman from
Custer, and Mr.. S impson as passen
gers. They stoppedto water the stock
at the spring, and laughed at my fear of
trouble ahead, saying that they were no!
afraid of Indians. With this they went
on, and at the continual urging OF my
Messengers. though against my own
| Judgment. / hitched up and followed.
We travelled together undioturbed in the
afternoon, and went into camp at the
head of the canon about 5 o'clock. Ev-
erything went of peacebly during that
night, and eaily on the morning Of the
18th, E,ster Sunday, we started down
the canon, seven in number. About
halt way down the canon, where stands a
giant cottonwood tree, there is line Of
low hills, and close to the side OF one Of
them, skulkins well down. ] discover
ed ten or twelve of the painted devils,
under the lead of Sioux jim, well known
at the Red Cloud Agency, waiting for us.
This was about 10 in the morning, and
my party was then about a quarter of a
mile ahead the Metz outfit. On see
| ing that they were discovered, with a
terrible yell the Indians fired at us, put
ting bullet through Blrgesser's leg and
one through nv hip. Seeing the attack
upon US, the Metz party tlrned about
the teams and endeavored to escape up
the canon. Grasping my rife, Jumped
| from the wagon, and using it as breast
work. returned their fire with interest
knocking two of the cowardly scoun-
drels off their pins, and keeping the dust
in cloud around them, where most Of
my hurriedy sighted shots struck. AS
began to fire. Graham started to run,
and was shot, through the stomach. He
| fell.
After several volleys, sending a show
er Of bullets over our heads and into
the wagon, but doing no further damage,
the Indians disappeared behind neigh
boring hill, and thinking they were run
ming after their ponies to cut US off, we
mounted the wagon an6 again started
TO run the gauntlet. We had gained only
a few rods. however, before the red
fiends as suddenly appeared on an ad
joining ridge, and gave US another unex
pected volley, plugging me through the
left arm into the breast, through the
f1eshy part of the calf of my right leg,
and again through my shoulder For a
moment it seemed as though was per-
fectly riddled with bullets, but / leaped
to the ground just as another volley
came, one of the bullets striking Burgess
ser in the thigh, knocking him into the
wagon box Keeping close to the front
wheel furthest from the Indians, drove
and ran alongside the wagon for half a
/ mile down the canon, when in crossing
a small stream the axle broke, and the
wagon was left in the mud. There we
were, all severely wounded, the Indians
close upon US, and we unable to move.
! There was no time for thought, and
though rapidly losing courage and
strength from many wounds, / quickly
unhitched the two lead mules, managed
to get Burgesser on one, and while
Gresham, who did not then appear to be
severely wounded, ran on down the
canon, / mounted the other and sent
them forward as fast as possible After
1riding about mile and q half we met q
party Of six enroute to Custer, and they
took us to the Cheyenne River stage sta
ton, where Burgesser and Gresham
died on the following morning.
"The mutilated bodies of Metz and
his wife and Simpson and the negro
woman we're found the next day. Metz
and Simpson had evidently been sho,
out Of the wagon, Mrs. Metz and the
negro woman must have jumped from
the wagon, tried to escape, and been
overtaken and murdered some distance
from where the bodies of the two men
we're lying. The bodies were brought
into camp, and all buried side by side
and on the evening of the l7th of April
i / found myself the sole survivor of this
/ ill-fated party. a8
"After lying, more dead than alive
for eight weeks at Cheyenne River" con
tinued the scout, "a few soldiers of Capt
Egan's company took me to Fort Lara
mie hospital Four months afterward
was sufficiently recovered to return te
my home in Colorado; but two year.
have passed, aud the wound in my hip:
is not fully healed. I'm back again il
the hills" he concluded, with much EN-
phasis, "and though little the wors'
: for wear, am ready at any moment Il
mount the saddle, throw the cartridge.
into ny pet rifle here, and give the Tet
devils another chance to get the scalp o
: California Bill"