The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-06-09
STORY OF A MASSACRE.
How Sixteen Miners out Of . Party q
Seventeen were Murdered by 1ndial
in Colorado.

How Sixteen Miners out Of Party OF
Seventeen were Murdered by Indian
in Colorado.
A recent letter from Leadville, COL,
to the Chicago Times says: John Alien
dorf has returned to this city and tells
the following story of the massacre OF
the prospectors in the Ute reservation: {:
Seven weeks ago while at my home In
Linr county, Kan, I conceived the idea
Fof organizing an expedition for the Ute
Reservation. I was not long in getting
together seventeen gooC, trusty men.
1--WE determined to arm and equip our
selves in the best manner, say nothing
to anybody either in Kansas or Colo
rado, slip into the country as quietly as
possible and make thoroug b search tor
frich mineral. Three weeks ago we
(camped on the headwaters OF the Cum
nison river aud found a rich placer. We
at once began washing gravel, our earn
ings being over one hundred dollars per
day to man. After three or four days
we get out whip saws and cut lumber for
sluice- boxes. We had been in the gulch
ten days when our boxes were finished,
and we began sluicing. The first Gays
clean up was nearly so, coo. From this
time we cleared from $1,000 to 81, 900
per day, and our good luck 80 encour-
aged us that we kept putting in
sluices. Having seen no signs of Indians
we naturally grew careless, and on the
atal Monday, which believe was May
3, our party was widely scattered. Six
had gone ACROSS tue low divide, which
separated us from another stream nearly
q mile, for gold. The rest were at work
sluicing, and I was out hunting deer.
About three o'clock in the afternoon l
killed fine buck, when heard q vol
lev from the direction which the pros
pecting party had taken. rushed up
the mountain, where a terrible sight
met my gaze. Fully 500 mounted lndi-
ans were galloping upon my com
panions, and there WAS no possible show
to warn or aid them Us they were over
half q mile distant. was compelled to
witness the massacre, and was so horror
stricken by the sight that had the lndi-
ans come upon me they would have
found me paralyzed with terror and an
easy victim. For two hours or more
the red demons fingered at our camp
and amused themselves by cutting to
pieces the bodies of my friends and de-
stroying our outfit. As night drew on,
the Indians departed in groups. When
they had passed out of sight l crept
down to the ravaged camp and looked
over the bodies. Every scrap OF cloth.
ing had been burned, and could find
no mementos to carry home to their
relatives and friends.
4 few biscuits, and some bacon which
had been cast aside by the Indians, l
placed in my bag, with the intention OF
striking out Tor home at once. !
chanced to pass the spot where we USED
to bury our gold every night, and saw
that it had been dug up and carried
away. Not daring to remain longer, or
make any effort to bury the dead, l
started, and have since walked almost
constantly; occasionally resting a few
hours in the night. The first white
nun met was on Eagle river, some
thirty miles below Red cliff. He gave
me food, and I told my story; but ne
said was crazy from exposure and
hardship, and would not believe me.
| For this reason have not told my story
to any one since then. will start
East, and as soon as I have conveyed
the sad intelligence to the relatives Of
my comrades, propose to organize
band Of avengers and return TO help
wipe out the Utes. The names of the
murdered men are Charles and John
Andrews, Ellis Morlan, James Hender-
son, John and Isaac Ditmore, Martin
Fleming, Philip Amberg, Fred and
Louis Smell, Edward Martin, Jesse
Leary, Adam Homer and julius Terry.