The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-10-22
NORTH PARK.
THE MINERS ALL COME our.
Bioodthirsty Utes Providing About
Sohn Cummins' Fight with n
BaHd-His Remarkable Es-
cape-HattIe-ground- : Al

-. MLMA NHLHNH- N #L MA#
A short time since, it viii be remem-
bered, the LEADER stated that all the
miners had left North Park, excepting
about rs. Now the word comes that
these also have left, SO hat not a man
remains on either Illinois or Jack
creeks. Scion Burgess, the well known
prospector. arrived yesterday as a sort
of advance guard. He left the main
party of 20 which left the Park on Fri
day last, and struck for the nearest
point to the railroad, reaching here at
the time stated. The main body Of the
party belongedto Laramie City. Those
from Cheyenne will be home by to-
morrow, probably.
The immediate occasion OF their COM
ing out was the presence Of a good
sized band of Utes in the Park, and the
fact that John Cummins, whom the
LEADER interviewed a few weeks ago,
had a big running fight them.
Upon reaching the mines Mr.. Cum
minis related his experience, and all
hands proceeded to prepare for a home
ward journey. Some there were who
entertained doubts as to the fight of
Cummins and the Indians. SO on the
return trip they accompanied him over
the ground where the conflict took
place, which Is about 20 miles this side
of the mines, and were fully convinced
of the truth. Mr.. Burgess told the
writer that the thickets looked as If q
hundred men had been fighting. While
on the ground Mr.. Cummins related
the history OF the eight. He was on
the west side Of Owl mountain and had
just entered a little canon where the
thicket was very dense on one side.
Leaving his companion, Thomas Met
calf, to drive the wagon through, Cum
minis went of on horseback to shoot
some antelope he saw in the distance.
In a little while he rounded up toward
the thicket in order to have a better
shot. His horse was tied to a small
tree some distance away. Suddenly
the report of a dozen rifles smote the
air, and Mr.. Cummins imagined he
was shot at. 1t afterwards appeared
that a band Of Indians were lying in
ambush ard firing On the wagon. How
ever, Cummins took a bead on an In
dian whom he saw emerge from the
thicket toward him and the Ute
dropped. Cummins is q dead shot and
had a splendid Springfield rifle and a
belt full Of ammunition. He blazed
away as rapidly as he could while re-
treating toward his horse. Soon a
score Of savages were firing at him and
he thought the Jig was up. He never
expected to get away. At one clump
Of brush he made a stand, and Mr..
Burgess says the bullet marks are very
thick right there.
Soon Cummins reached his horse and
started in a circuitous way for the
wagon which he supposed was through
the caion. And he was right, for
Metcalf says that one volley was fired
on the wagon and he ran the horses on
a gallop toward the mines. A few
shots were afterwards directed at the
vehicle, but noone took effect. He
heard very heavy firing in the distance.
Metcalf continued urging his team I'M
til his partner finally met him.
Meanwhile Cummins was fleeing
from the Indians and endeavoring to
join the wagon. Only four or FIVE Utes
were mounted and but one Of these
pressed him sore. The savage was
well mounted and fred at Cummins
with a revolver. Approaching a clump
OF brush he contrived to fall off his
horse as If shot and waited the coming
Of his savage pursuer. With his horse
fastened, and himself ready with. rifle,
he was fully prepared. The Ute came
up and dropped like a log from his
horse with a bullet In his body. Cum
Minis remounted and was of again, but
the remaining pursuers tired Of the
chase and gave up.
The Indians didn't care to run too
close to the mines, and probably feared
an ambuscade by miners IL they
pursued. AT any rate Cummins soon
Joined his partner, and they compared
notes substantially as related here.
Mr.. Burgess, who is INT Of our most
reliable citizens, says they found four
spots where pools Of blood had been
formed. In two instances Mr.. Cum
minis said to them: "Now / shot an
Indian right there" Sure enough
upon going to the place they found
good evidence of the fact. In one in
stance the bloody imprint of a hand
was seen or a small tree indicating
that the wounded Ute was struggling
to rise to his feet. AL doubling Thorn
were fully convinced that Mr..
had a remarkable escape af-
ter such a hot fight. They agree that
II the Utes hadn't feared meeting a
party Of miners they would have con-
tinued the pursuit Of Cummins and
Metcalf.
Under these circumstances 1t is not
at all strange that the miners
in the Park should conclude that
discretion dictated their withdraw
al. They had Entertainments which
were erected during the first Indian
excl tement. about the first part Of
the month, but they wantedno occasion
to resort to them, hence they came out.
Mr.. Burgess says the returning min
ers are all under obligations to Mr..