Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-05-20
4 BLOODY CHAPTER.
Assault Upon a Ranch "nd the s"bSeq"
Murder of Lieutenant Cherry.

A BLOODY CHAPTER.
as.ou,t Upon Ranch nnd the Subsequent
murder OF Lieutenant Cherry.
Fort Mob, ara, May 13, vim Neigh.
May 15-About l 30 a. M, May 1lth,
Charles johnson, private soldier OF
company F, fifth cavalry. who had been
placed n sentinel over the company's
stables, deserted from his post, at the
same time stealing four horses. AS soon
made to get upon the trail of the animals
the said detail was to pursue and cap
ture the deserter and horses. At dawn
the trail was found and followed to a
notorious dance house, about ten miles
east of the post, known us the "Bull
Dog ranch,' where it was learned that
q frightful tragedy had been enacted.
About 10 O'Clock a. M. while soldiers,
citizens and several Indians from Spot
ted Tail agency were in the dance hall,
some of them dancing with the women,
two shots were heard outside the build
ing and two masked men appearing in
the doorway ordered the whole party to
hold up their hands. An Intellectual ef-
fort was made by soldier near the door
to grasp the gun in the hands Of one of
the despcradoes, who fired ut
Hank Castellean. the proprietor of
the ranch, but missed him. Castellean
displayed great GOODNESS and dropped be-
hind his bar, raised up with shotgun
in his hand, discharging ono barrel load
ed with buckshot at the man in the
door, striking the rifle in his hand, break
ing off the stock and no doubt intlicting
severe, if not mortal wounds, for blood
was found, and one horse of the four was
found tied to tree in the vicinity short
ly after daylight. After firing
his shotgun Hank fred his revolver. In
the melee cowboy, Dan Cunningham.
alias "Wild Bill" was shot in the lungs,
probably fatally. Meeting with resis-
tance beyond their expectations the rob-
bers left, and after their departure it was
ascertained that half.breed Indian
from Spotted Tail agency, John Bor-
deaux, had been killed outside the build
ing, and white man slightly wounded.
The Indians inside Mt once left and
mounting their horses left for the agency.
The robbers are supposed to be johnson.
another deserter named Mcguire, Teddy
Reade, former owner of the Dog ranch
and q fourth one unknown. They evil
uSutlJ lluA VIZ 1ohl SlOlCll 1lOIScSs AS
soon as the news reached the post Mai.
Cherry, of the fifth cavalry, with eight
men and five Indians, who happened to
be at the post with the celebrated chief.
Spotted Tail, with orders to pursue and
capture the robbers.
Lieut.. Cherry soon started out and
struck the trail. They found one horse
tied to tree, bloody garments, and a
supposed to be Reads from which it was
inferred that the latter had been killed
and his body hidden. Lieut.. Cherry
rode in pursuit the entire day, and, los.
ing the trail campcd at Sharpcs ranch
northwest OF the post, the night Of the
10th. The next morning he started east
to reach rations sent out to meet him at
Clark ranch from the post. In the
meantime brother of Bordeaux haC
come over from the agency and with q
party OF soldiers and Indians followed
Lieut.. Cherry's general directions
About 10 o'clock Lieut.. Cherry, vino had
divided his party, retaining three mer
with him, saw men ut u distance ON the
bluff. Whilst riding along with Sergt
Harrison on his right and Thomas Locke
and James Conroy in the rear, sho
was fired from behind them, when til.
lieutenant Mt once turned to the left il
his saddle, asking what it meant. Locke
with his pistol in his hand and within q
few yards, pretended it had gone Off &C
cidentally, and Immediately shot Lieut.
Cherry through the heart, death being
instantaneous, or nearly so. Locke thel
turned and fired on Com oy, at whom II
appears he had fired his first shot. Con
roy was wounded and knocked from hi
saddle. Harrington, according to hi
own statement, seeing his officer sho
down and strange men rapidly ad
vancing upon them, believed tina
Lieut.. Cherry and himself were be
trayed by the other two soldiers
and that the men advancing were des
peradoes. He at once fed, and after rid
ing down his own horse and Lieutenan
Cherry's, which followed him, reached
the post at $3.50 last night. Up to thi
time rumor had accredited to him par
ticipation in the atrocious murder O
Lieutenant Cherry. 1t must be under
stood he remembered that the party @
Lieutenant Cherry was scattered owe
several miles, and it was afterwards as
certained that the men whom Harring
ton says he thought were the robbers
were in fact Bordeaux and his part,
from the fact that no one could comprt
hend the situation. Locke, putting spur
to his horse, effected his escape.
News soon reached the post of Lie,
tenant Cherry's death, and Capt. Mon
gomery, with his company of the lift
cavalry, proceeded to the scene and ser
Lieutenant Cherry's body in. a dee
gloom has settled over the garrison, fo
Cherry was beloved by all who kne
him. His career in the army has bee
brilliant. During the war OF 1869 he di
dinguished himself. and in the engag
ment of Milk river. Colorado, Septemb,
%, 1879. between the Ute Indians al
three companies OF cavalry, under col!
mand of Major Thornburg, and after IL
death of Captain Payne, displaye
great courage and high soldierly qua
ties. The motive of the man Locke
not known, and the whole affair had
look OF mystery, which it is hoped W
be cleared up. The conduct Of Spott,
Tail, who remained ut the post, and t
Indians he sent with the troops, W