The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-09-13
COMANCHE BILL.
A Long-Haired Party Who Claims
to be General Terry's "Favorite
Scout Entire Family
Killed in the New
Ulm Massacre.

Willsm Porter, known ia and wide by
the appellation of Comanche Bill, has been
for some time with General Reynolds, at
Fort Re o, and is now on his way to join
General Terry's command at Patton D. T.
He came direct from the Ponta a country here,
riding horseback the entire distance, and, in
deed from Reno. He put up his horse at
livery stable and st once started out to see
the town. From here he will have his mus
tang sh pped to Omaha, where he will again
take saddle and proceed on hi, way to Par
ton. "Comanche" disd ins all such modern
when pressed for time that he will use them
at all. Camanche Bill is forty seven years Of
age, but looks much younger. No one would
take him to be over thirty. He wears the
proverbial long hair, cropped closer behind
than those who affect this style, and a heavy
mustache which is allowed to run far down
On the side of his face. He is not over Fl
feet ten inches ir height, with broad chest
and brawny arms and All IRON frame, which
fatigue cannot overcome or eXertion suOdue.
He has a 81 ghtly outline nose plerc"g
gray or dark blue eye, and is in all respects
the typical scout and froniersman Of fact and
fiction. lie is ia turn almost to Il iault
and 10th to speak Of himself In the far
west his reputation a. guide, scout and in
terpreter is great, aud he looks with SEQ n
on su h lesser luminaries as Buffalo Bill and
other would be heroes When seen by the
reporter Bill had air ally moulted his buck
skin srit and assumed something like the
garb of civillza' ion, but he still wore his rid
ing boo.s and pants, dark blue flannel shirt
| and tn indescrbabl felt hat, with depth
of brim which would have made Quaker
or stage out turn green with envy and die
of ianndice the same night. William Porter
was born of Scotch parents Minneso a,
seventeen miles north of New Ulm, and lived
there until the troublesome times of 1862,
when the whole family were massacred.
Haven't you a SISTER yet Lying in Minneso-
ia asked the reporter.
Thar amt drop of my blood fowin' in
the veins of any livil' human bein', was the
sad response.
TO every question as to when they died
Bill ans cred bluntly, 18th Of August, 1862
He then told the story Of the massacre of his
mother and sister, and the eyes of the sturdy
plainsman we're sufiused with someth G
which looked like tears.
81 t II you it's enough to make a man 6
Demon" he said "father, mother, sister, two
cousins, an uncle, aunt and wife, killed al
one blow. l remember that little mother
she want no bigger'n your fist, and she lovet
me like Scotch mother can love. She uset
to say to father: 'Wiliam's getting too biz
for you to handle now,' but she could do any
thing with me. remember she came to mt
and said: well, there's "a kiss from you
mither, lad and when came back she la.
across the floor with a hole in her skull, kill
ed by them red devils. Father. mother, sis
ter, two uncles, an aunt and wife killed
one blow. (Bill had fancy for repeatn
This phrase in his distracted moments.) tel
YOU, boys, it made a demon out of me- an
the strong man pressed his hands to lis head
and threw back his long hair with vii
gesture in the agony Of the awful revelation
Who killed your mother, Bill 1t was on
) Of Cut-Uose's band.
Is he alive yet? Wa'al, guess he'll neve
scalp any more women.
Did they kill your wife, too? Yes the
=, tortured her to death. Oh, I've lad Il sea
Hor every drop OF blood they spilled that day
he continued. took all oath that as long a
[ COULD look through the hind sights OF
i rifle I'd kill every Sioux chief got chanc
0 shoot AT.
; ! went back there afterward and sat down :
a table to eat, and somebody says: "lhat
Comanche Bill" Another man said Il
didn't blame the Indians for what they don
p that day. Ijn,nped over the table and scail
ed that fellow, and I'd do it again to-day
. ouybodv commenced to make another such
:, talk. Il seems strange that when Bills specii
:, ,varsion was the Sioux Indian, he shoul
= have won the soubriquet of"Comahche blll'
, b,,t srcb is the name he has gone by for year
It's Only a nick lame. said Bill; gov II 40"
in the Comanche country when Sioux wei
o,arca and had to have something to pra
. tire on. Who gave YOU that name: Ma
= Spencer, chief Of a band q ia"SeiS' IA
- Kunscs CITY Times.
The nium Fuit.