The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-02-05
THE WANDERING JEW.

Denver Tribune.I


The author of the little book known
as The Ute War" relates very in
teresting story, which is given as an in
cident brought to light during the
march of Merritt's command from the
Notifications at Milk River to White
River Agency:
Signs of the work Of the savages met
the command at every turn after they
left the scene of the siege. They left
behind them the dead bodies of COM
rades in arms to find the corpses of the
unfortunate men who had attempted to
serve the Government in different
capacity. The road was literally strewn
with the nude and decaying remains of
white men whom chance had thrown in
the way of the savages.
The soldiers had marched but few
miles when the advance guard came
upon body, the remains of white
man, when, as the story was told to
correspondent of the Tribune, who was on
the ground, a conversation, OF which
the following is a report, occurred: ~
"What have we here p asked one sol
dier of comrade. .-..r 81
cit looks like the body of man; and
it is.'
"1J's white man, toe."
"To be sure it is, and terribly
mangled and mutilated. The led devils
have got in their work on some unfor-
tunate fellow" @
Investigation revealed the fact that
the body was that Of Isaac Goldstein,
an Israelite, who was called The Jew"
and whose proper name was know to
very few. Fortunately, there was one
soldier in the command to whom the
old man had confded the secrets of his
heart, and among others his. great
secret, the history of his own life,
which, though containing material for
a volume, may be related here in few
words, and without marring this narra-
tive, indeed as properly part of it.
Old Isaac was between fifty and sixty
years, but he looked to be seventy. He
He was ever sad and uncommunicative,
seeming to bear about him a burden
which, while it weighed him down, he
did not care to share with others. But,
becoming friendly with this soldier, q
private in General Merritt's ranks, he
gradually conGded the story of his ro-
mantle career to him. In his earlv
manhood Isaac Goldstein had loved q
fair daugher of Israel as he loved not
his own life. They lived in an Eastern.
city, and few months promised to see
them united as man and wife. This
young lady had a brother who had gone
to California among the first who were
attracted to the gold coast. At first he
prospered, and was cheerful and hope
full in his letters. At last he lost his
health, and was low.spirited and de-
spondent. His sister, whose name was
Rebecca, determined at once to go to
her brother to comfort, and, If possible,
to cure him. She had an opportunity
to and did join the unfortunate party in
its overland trip which perished at
Mountain Meadow at the hands of the
Mormons and Indians combined. Isaac
waited long, long time for tidings of
his love. At last the sad news of the
massacre came. He at once went West
to investigate the matter, and has here
| remained since. He was never con-
vinced that his Rebecca had been
killed, but, believed her to have been
made captive by the Indians. He de-
termined to seek her out, and for many,
very many long years he had been
| searching and searching in vain for her,
| going from tribe to tribe, and gaining
the confidence of the Indians that he
might more successfully prosecute the
search. That the Utes, now of Color
ado, took part in the Mountain Meadow
affair, is established almost beyond dis
pute. And thus, according to the story
related by the soldier over the remains
of the long, gray bearded old man as
they lay on the hard sand stones of the
bottom of Milk River Canon, came
The Jew /" to be trading with Douglas
Indians. - rastz -
1 The few auditors who gathered
around the surviving friend OF the old
Jew listened with~interest aud attention
to the narrative. 1t was received with
q sigh by all, and derision by none. A
few moments more and the remains OF
"The Wandering Jew" were hidden
away in a trench dug for the purpose,
and covered with earth, and the follow
ing legend appears on the simple stone
grave mark s s1igy sHeii 8ssa isssss 81
ISAAC GoLDsTEIN,
ItnGfA - - Killed by Indians ESQ $50 -
September 20, 1873. "a. iE.a.sr,