Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-05-16
EASTERN DISPATCHES,
CoWardly Murder OF Lieutenant
Cherry.

Os my Ao.-A sPooiaA W tao
Republican has the following particulars
OF Lieutenant Chsrry's murder. near
Fort Niobrara. Nebraska. Private Chas.
johnson deserted from Fort Niobrara on
the morning Of the llth, taking with
him four government horses. A detail
sent out on bis trail. which led ten
miles east to Hog Ranch. to . notorious
d~sncs-houss. whore the detail learned
that . terrible tragedy bad taken place.
Some soldiers and eitizens. aud some
Indians from the Spotted Tail Agency
we're In the dsncs-hsll dancing with tho
women. whom two shots we're arsd out
side. and two NAKED men entered the
place and ordered everybody to throw
up their hands. A soldier near the door
erasped Q gun In the hands Of . desper-
ado, who ahot at Castsllsau. the proprie-
tor Of . ranch. but missed him. Gas.
tslleau promptly returned his IRE With .
shotgun. striking the dsspsrado's rife
and vounding the desperate with shot.
Castsllsau then ared his revolver. In
the row. D. A. N. Cunningham. alias
Wild Bill. q cowboy. was fatally shot
through the lungs. The robbers were
compelled to retreat. A half-breed In.
dian, John Bordeaux. from spotted Tail
Agency. vas soon afterwards found
killed, outside, and q white man was
found. The Indians insids mounted
their horses and LETT for the Agency. 1t
VA supposed that the robbers were
johnson and Mcguire. two dssertsrs.
and Teddy Rhodes, former owner OF
Hog Ranch, and another man unknown;
there being four in all who had the
horses which bad been stolen from Fort
NiobraFa. This news was Immediately
conveyed back to Fort Niobrara. and
Lieutenant Cherry with Ave soldiers and
Ave Indians who were at the post with
Spotted Tail on q visit. were sent out
after the robbers. After riding some
miles on their trail. Lieutenant
Cherry found M horse held by
Q tree. together with bloody garments
and q bat belonging to Teddy Rhodes.
From this, the officer supposed he had
been killed and the body hidden. Lieu
tenant Cherry followed the trail twenty.
Ave miles, and csmped at Clarke ranch.
Meantime o brother OF Bordeaux came
from Spotted Tail Agency with q party
OF soldiers and indians and followed on
Cherry's trail. In resuming the pursuit
Cherry divided bis party. retaining three
men with himself. While riding along
with these three men-Seraeant Hans-
SON, Thomas Locke and James Conroy--
. shot Vas fred. and Cherry turned and
asked for an explanation. Locke. who
had his pistol in his hand, said 1t had
gone OF accidentally. and hs then In.
stantly fred again. shooting Cherry
through the heart. killing him instantly.
Locke then fred at Couroy. at whom he
had fred the drst shot. Conroy was
wounded. and fell from his horse.
Jameson. seeing strange men o sd
vancipg and believing that Cherry and
himself had been betrayed, turned and
fed. He rode his own horse down and
then took Cherry's horse. which had
followed. He reached Fort Niobrsri at
$50 Thursday night. and gave the above
particulars.
As was Afterwards learned. the party
whom Jameson saw advancing we're
Bordeaux and party coming to join
Cherry. Locke. who murdered Cherry.
made his escape. Ch-rry's body Was
brought In by Captain Montsomsry's
company. detailed for that purpose. A
deep gloom has been cast over the gar
rison. Cherry was beloved by all who
knew him. His career in the army was
bright. He was every inch . soldier.
Loeks's motive In killing Cherry 10 .
mystery.
The nsvso Of Lieutenant Chsrry's death
IL received here with the profoundest
sorrow. particularly by his army friends.
He was . graduate Of West Point. and
Was not more than thirty years OF age.
and had already gained q brilliant repu-
tation a. q soldier and frontier fighter.
He commanded the rear guard ut Thorn.
bursh's fght with the Utes at Milk
river. Colorado. 10 September. 1879. and
IL was there that he particularly dis
tipguishsd himself. He. with Captain
Lawson. retreated slowly. fighting every
inch Of the way until the troops wers
brought at last to the corral. though
with heavy loss, particularly In Cherry's
own company. He and Lawson saved
the command from annihilation. Cherry
received special c~ommsndaiion. and was
mentioned In orders for his bravery. He
was . man Of fine stature. six feet high
and well built. With q ane, manly face.
and in every ense . model American
officer. He wal engaged to . young lady
belonging to . distinguished Psnnsyl-
vania family. . very amisbls and brauti.
ful girl. He was . general favorits In
the army and his loss will be keeuly felt.
particularly In his own regiment, the
renowned fighting Fifth Cavalry.