The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1881-05-21
LATEST NEWS ny MAIL.

I
A special to the Republican has tht
following particulars Of Lieutenant Cher
RVS murder near Fort Niobrare, Neb
raska: Private Chas. johnson deserted
from Fort Niobrare on the morning Of
the 18th, taking with him four Govern.
ment horses. A detail was sent out on
his trail, which led ten miles east to the
Hog Ranch--a notorious dance-house--
where the detail learned that terrible
tragedy had taken place. Some soldiers
and citizens and some Indians from the
| Spotted Tail Agency were in the dance
hall dancing with women, when shots
fired outside and two masked men en-
tered the place and ordered everybody to
throw up hands. A soldier near the
door grasped the gun in the hands of a
desperate, who shot at Castelleau, the
proprietor of the ranch, but missed him.
Castelleau promptly returned the fire
with a shotgun, striking the desperado's
rifle and wounding him with buckshot.
Castelleau then fired his revolver In the
row Dan Callaghan, alias "Wild Bill, ;"
a cowboy, was fatally shot through the
lungs. The robbers were compelled to
retreat A half breed Indian, Joe Bor-
beaux, from the Spotted Tail Agency,
was soon afterwards found killed
outside and one white man was found
killed. The Indians inside mounted
their horses and left for the agency. 1t
was supposed that the robbers were
johnson and Mcguire, two desertcrs,
Teddy Rhodes, the former owner of the
Hog Ranch, and an another man un-
known-there being four in all who had
the horses which had been stolen from
Fort Niobrare. This news was i'm
mediately conveyed back to Fort Mo
brara, and Lieutenant Cherry, with five
soldiers and five Indians, who were at
the post with Spotted Tail on visit,
was sent out after the robbers. After
riding some miles on trail Lieutenant
Cherry found one horse tied to tree to-
gether with bloody garments and hat be-
longing to Teddy Rhodes, and the officer
from this supposed he had been killed
and his body hidden. Lieutenant Cherry
followed the trail 25 miles and camped at
Clark's ranch. Meantime the brother of
Bordeaux came from the Spotted Tail
Agency with party of soldiers and In
dians and followed on after Cherry's
trail In resuming his pursuit Lieuten-
ant Cherry divided his party, retaining
three men with himself While riding
along with these three men, who were
Haneson, Thos. Locke and
James Conroy, shot was fired and
Cherry turned and asked for an explana-
ton. Locke, who had his pistol in his
hand, said it had gone off accidentally,
and he then fired again, shooting Cherry
through the heart, killing him instantly. |
Locke then fired on Conroy, at whom he |
had fired tho first shot. Conroy was
and fell from his horse. Hane-
son, seeing strange men now advancing
and believing Cherry and himself be-
trayed, turned and fed. He rode his
own horse and then took Cherry's which
had followed. He reached the Fort at |
$3.50 a. m. on Thursday night and gave
the above particulars As was afterwards |
learned the party whom Jameson saw adj
were Bordeaux and party coming |
to join Cherry. Locke who had murdered |
Cherry made his escape. Cherry was the |
beloved of all who knew him. His ca
reer in the army was bright. He distin-
guished himself in the engagement with
the Utes at Milk River, Colorado, Sep
TENDER 90, 1879 1t will be remembered |
that he saved Thornburg's command by |
. mastery and pluclIy retreat in which |
his own company's loss was very heavy. |
He was every inch soldier. Locke's
motive in killing Cherry is mystery.