Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-07-08
An Old Colorado Pioneer.
HIS EXPERIENCE WITH INDIANS
IN THE ELDER DAY.
Denver News.

Jim Baker, the oldest resident
of the Rocky Mountain regioH,ar
rived in Denver on Thursday,
from his home on Snake River, in
Colorado, where he lives on "A big
ranch. He was called TO Denver
as a witness in the United States
Court Mr. Baker has a history
not equaled by any living man
Since the year 1888 he has roam
ed the far west, always on the
frontier. He is widely aud justly
celebrated, and his experiences
and exploits on the plains anG in
the mountains will be wildly rec
objected by the Oldest inhabitants,
who were tenderfeet in the cOun.
try when he was an appearantiy
old man.
II will never stay in a country
live (meaning taXes) was an eX-
preston accorded to him years
ago, and to this day he has lived
up to it.
He is between go aud 20 years
Of age now, and is in appearance
the typical western man, although
showing the weight Of years.
In Jim's time the Indian tribes
living father west were unac-
qudinted with firearms. In fact,
some tribes had never seen a gun.
The old bucks of the Sh0shonnrs
remembered we'll when they first
laid eyes upon them. Jim relates
the story as told him by one of the
Shoshone chiefs. One day young
buck was prowling the country,
when he heard the unusual noise
of the report of firearms. Getting
down on his hand and knees he
crawled through clump of high
bushes and gazing into the open
space beyond, he beheld a group
of white men shooting at a target
The sight paralized him with fear
for he had never looked pom a
white man before. He immedi-
ately came to the conclusion that
the men before him were super
natural beings who had just drop
ped down from above like a flock
of ducks. He has ened back 10
the village and informed his chiefs
of what he had seen-beings who
could produce thunder when they
desired. Then several OF the fore
most of the tribe went TO the spot,
aud sure enough what the young
buck had told them proved to be
true They could scarcely believe
their eyes. A few days afterWard
the Indians came into the camp OF
the white men under the flag OF
truce, when the use anu manner
of handling the firearmes was ex-
planned to them 1t came near
proving the destruction of the
whole party, for the redskins COW
eted the guns to such degree thal
several attempts were made TO
massacre the owners TO gain pos
session of them.
In Jim day he was noted as
one of the widest Of scouts. lie
was never known to lose his eau
ton, and an Instance cannot be
cited were the Indians ever got
the better of him. Gen. Cook who
met Jim as early "a 1859, relates
this story of him: jim was acting
as scout and guide for Govern
men party through the Indian
country. During the day he al
ways made it a practice 20 ride in
a circutOus route about the line
Of march, and he never retired for
the night without first making a
circuit OF the camp. The officers
would expostulate with him, say
ing there was no need of such eau
ton; there were no Indians in the
country; If there were, they could
be easily detected. But an occur
renee happened. one night which
showed that the scout knew best
About twilight, after the evening
camp-fires had been. made, jim
was noticed to throw his rife
across his arm and started on his
customary search. Several lOcu-
lar remarks were used but jim did
not heed them. He had walked
perhaps a half an hour when he
discovered an object standing be
hind bush, on a little knoll. He
crept up little closer and verified
his suspicions-the object he had
seen was an Indian. He then
took circuitOus route and came
up directly behind the unsuspec-
ting Indian, who was gazing in
tently from the gentle eminence
into the little camp of whites. He
moved his head from one side TO
the other, and it was this thing
that cost the Indian his life. a
horse belonging to the redskin
was tethered some distance in the
background. When Jim was in
good distance, he leveled his rifle
and the Indian fell dead where he
stood. Jim took his scalp and