Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-06-06
NO. 1872.
Stranger Than Fiction.
THE Story ToLD IN Urea Br SEBASTIAN
BEcK, A GERMAN TRAMP.

Last night Sebastian Beck applied for lodg-
ings at the station house. He is about 50
years old, and, being more intelligent than the
run Of tramps. was questioned, when he said
he had been at the mass .cure of General Gus
ter, and had been living among the Indians
many years. Assistant Chief Dagwell has
seen service in the army, and has seen con-
siderable of the world, Sc his interest was
aroused, and he questioned Beck farther. A
reporter happened in about this time, and
Joined the cross-examination, and Beck told
his story, which is more romantic than the
tales with which Othello charmed Desdemona.
Ii would never be summarized here but for
the fact that it is credibly told and has every
| appearance of truth. In brief it is rs follows:
Sebastian Beck was born in Hechingen.
Hohenzollern, Germany. and at the age OF
10 left home on account of difficulty with his
stepmother, and went to Strasbourg, where
he enlisted for five years in the French army,
and was sent to Africa. He served for few
months, and took his turn in charge of the
mess, OF mena9e. A Paris baron who was
also in the army, liked the way in which he
prepared meals, and induced him to become
his servant, still remaining in the army.
18th the baron he made the circuit of Africa,
| travelled in Egypt, sailed in the Mediteran-
| can, the Suez, and the Red sea, went up the
Jordan, and visited Palestine. With the baron
and his children he was allowed to speak only
German. At the end Of his five years ser
vice he returned to Strasbourg, and then to
Hechingen, where he married. In 1867 he
came to this country with his family, and lived
for some time in New York CITY, Then he
went 10 Watertown, where he enlisted in the
regular army, and came with the company
through Rome and Utica en- route to New
York.
From New York he was sent to Montana
and the western frontier, where he served
until August, 1870, when he was discharged
He then turned his attention to mining and
located with his family between Deadwood
and Custer City. There was quite a village
of miners, and with their families they num-
bered 750 souls He had wife, a daughter
of Is and another Of l6, and boy Of IL. The
entire party was captured by Sitting Bull and
his band. There were 5000 Indians, and
Beck's account of the surrenderng and
capture of the whites is most graphic. Had
the whites fired a shot they would have been
killed As it was they were all taken prison.
ers. The women and children were separated
from the men, and never saw them again.
The men were taken to a point, to the Rose
Buttes, not far from the Missouri river. They
remained three months, and then went to the
Little Big Horn river. The massacre of
Custer and his party followed.
Beck gives graphic and very interesting
account of how Custer and his party were
enticed into the canyon and Of the massacre,
in which the whites, disguised as Indians,
took part. 'Rain-in-the face" killed Custer
and took his scalp. He saws that IL Custer
had waited another day for the rest of the
troops, all the Indians would have been
captured and he and his party of whites would
have escaped. Beck gives a very interesting
account of the scalp dance which followed the
massacre. The Indians then went into British
America, where they were Obliged to give ND
their arms to the mounted police, and where
they remained till last fall. when Sitting Bull
and his party came back to the United States
and surrendered at the Standing Rock Agency.
The Indians are now being cared for by the
government, and are furnished with religious
and secular instruction. Beck thinks well
of the project lie speaks well of the Indians.
but denounced the half-breeds who he says
are treacherous. While with the Indians,
Beck lived with squaw, and with the other
whites in the party dressed and lived like
Indians, subsisting on the chase. He and
the rest of the party have heard no more Of
their wives and families, from whom thev
were separated in 1875. but they think they
were sent to Mexico or to Utah. Beck's
Indian name was Poweta. He is now on his
way to New York, where he has a brother
and sister living, but as he is suffering from
| rheumatism he hopes to remain in this city a
short time. He is very intelligent man,
and speaks German. English. French, Italian,
Arabic and several Indian languages. - Utica
Herald