The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-02-26
The Old Story.

During the march Of Gen. Merritt s COM
mand from Milk River to White River
agency, they came upon the scene Of the
Mountain Meadow Massacre, and the re-
mains of white man, when as the story
was told to correspondent who was on
The ground, conversation, of which the
following IS report, occurred:
"What have we herc2" asked one SOL
dier of comradc
"lt looks like the body of man; and il
is"
"lt'sa white man, too"
''To be sure it is, and terribly manglcd
and mutlatcd The red devils have got in
their work on some unfortunate fellow"
Investigation revealed the fact that the
body was that OF Isaac Goldslcin, an
lsraclte, and whose proper name was
known 20 but very few. Fortunately,
there was one soldier in the command to
whom the old man had confidcd the secrets
Of his heart, and among others his great
secret, the history of his own life, which,
though containing material for Il volume
may be related here III few words and
without marring this narrative, indeed as
properly part of it. Old Isaac was be-
tween fifty andsixtyyears old, but he looked
10 be seventy. lie was ever sad and un-
communicative, seeming to bear about him
burden which, while it weighed him
down, he did not care to share with others.
But becoming friendly with this soldier, a
private in Gen. Merritt 8 ranks, he gradu-
ally confidCu the story Of his romantic
career TO him. In his early manhood Isaac
Goldstein had loved a fair daughter of
Israel as he loved not his own life. They
lived in an Eastern city, and few months
DrOnlSpG tnI
wife. This young lady had brother who
had gone to California among the first who
were attracted to the gold coast. At first
he prospercd, and was cheerful and hope
full III his letters. AT last he lost his health,
and was spirited and dcspondcnt. His
sister, whose name was Rebecca, de' r.
mined ut once to 60 to her brother to COM
fort, and, if possible, to cure him. She
had an opportunity and did join the unfor-
tunatc party in it's overland trip which pc
ishcd at Mountain Meadow at the hands of
the hlorn,ons and Indians combined Isaac
waited long, long time for tidings of his
love- At last the sad news of the mas
sacre came. Hc at once went West to in
vestigatc the matter, and has here remained
since. lie was never convinced that his
Rcbccca had been killed, but believed her
to have been made a captive by the Indians.
lie determined to seek her ont, and for
many, very many, long years lie had been
searching and searching in vain for her,
going from tribe to tribe and gaining the
confidence Of the Indians that he might the
more successfully prosecute tho search.
That the Utes, now of Colorado, took part
in the Mountain Meadow affair, is estal,-
lishcd almost beyond dispute. And thus,
according to the story related by the sol
dior 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, he came to be trading with Douglas
Indians. The few auditors who gathered
around the surviving friend of the old man
listened with interest and attention to the
narrative. 1t was received with sigh by
all, and derision by none. A few moments
more and the remains of the old man were
hidden away in Il trench dug for the pur-
pose, and covered with earth, and the fol-
lowing legend appears on the simple stonc
grave mark: Isaac Goldstcin, killed by
Indians, September 20, 1879.