Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1880-05-26
DEFFENBAcH's AVENGERS.
They Return to Dcadwood and Relate IL
Story of Their Battles.

They Return to DcadwOod and Relate the
Story of Their Battles.
Dendwood Times.
The party which left here to follow up
the murders of John Deffenbach, and #
possible recover the ponies driven off,
returned on Sunday last, and from them
we learn that they had terrible time.
They were surrounded by an eager null
titude, who were anxious to hear of the
pursuit and the result of their trip, and
it was difficult matter to get at the bot
tom facts.
From what we can learn the ten men
who started out followed up the trail
in all its windings through bad lands
and over mountains, now in one
direction and then in another, but al
ways getting further to the north and
nearer the stronghold Of the Indians.
When they got up i'll the Powder river
country, and when the trail was getting
warm, they were joined by fifteen herd
ers, among whom were lot of men who
had lived in Texas and were familiar
with border warfare with the Camanches,
and these men were so well versed in
Indian warfare that they were well quail
itied to lead in emergencies like this.
This party of twenty-five men then
took the trail and followed it for two or
three days, and one morning about eight
O'Clock came upon the Indian camp in Il
small ravine, and MS soon as they saw
them, with whoop charged the murder
ous devils. The Indians were mounted
and were just starting after the herd,and
for few moments it was hot
work, each party firing as rapidly
as possible. The whites rushed in and
got between the Indians and the ponies,
and seeing they were cut off, the reds
struck out for the hills, and at this point
the boys got in their work, emptying sew
eral of the saddles. AS fast as an Indian
was shot another would dismount, pick
him up, throw him across his horse,
mount and away. Some of the boys fol-
lowed after them and while thus in pur-
suit, Joseph Rhodes was shot through
the neck by an Indian behind rock, and
instantly killed. Tho two men with him
were compelled to fall back, and during
this time the Indians took his gun car
tridges and coat. Charley Barber, an
old timer, was with Rhodes when he was
shot. At this time they were u quarter
of u mile from the rest of the boys, and
this accounts for the terrible calamity.
They recovered seventy-seven OF the
stolen horses, and brought them iii.
Lucy AlSo ueStIoyel tilc LIttltllS CHILL Il
and everything they had. The body OF
Rhodes they brought with them about
five miles and then buried it. One OF
the Indians killed was q giant in stature
and from one OF llls mocc,sins that fell
off, which is over fourteen inches III
lcngth, it is supposed that Big Foot, who
has done more dirt since 1875 than MI
the rest of them put together, has been
gathered to his fathers. Yesterday &
party left here with coffin that they
will go out and bury Rhodes body in.
Rhodes came here from Mills county
Iowa, in 1877, and has been living on tho
Belle Fourche, where he leaves wife
and two children. He was an homes
man, good citizen, respected and ad
mired for his noble qualities.
These men can 60 out after Indians
follow them up, ovcrtake them and re
cover stolen horses, and do it at their owl
expense, whilst our country is lined will
military stations, in which the warrior
of the nation live on the fat of the Lane
and are provided with good arms, fa
horses, bands of music and all the gilt
tering paraphernalia of warfare, ant
these men when they go out get what?-
tired, and come back.