The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-08-22
WIPED OUT" At LAST.
A STORY or A FAMOUS SCOUT OB
CusTER'S COMMAND.
Returns TO Civilization. hut Longs for Ills
old Exciting Iiic, Gets M Appoini-
mcnt aud Gees to His Death.
From the Detroit Free Press.l

lFrom the Detroit Free lfeS'.
Readers of the Free Press will re-
member n series of articles that appeared
in these columns upward Of year ago,
being the adventures OF guide and
scout upon the plains. The hero of them
was George Singer, n native of Lynn,
Mass. At nm early age he was placed at
work in one of the shoe manufacturing
establishments in this city, hut when 10
years of age, became infatuated by tales
of border life, and started for the far
West in 1886. He soon attached HIM
self TO Phil Kcancy's command, in tho
capacity of hunter, and went with him
to the scene of the Mountain Meadow
massacre. The celebrated Brady, the
scout, was with the same command, and
Il strong attachment sprang up between
the two.
A great many wagon trains OF emf
! grants were crossing the plains III those
days and one Of the chief duties Of Uncle
Sans soldiers was to protect them from
Indians, or "Ingins," MS Singer called
them. As guides and hunters for these
trains Brady and Singer were constantly
employed for years, during which time,
he used TO declare, he became familiar
with every trail, water conrsc and range
from Texas to Oregon. He had picked
up smattcring Of nearly every Indian
tongue, and spoke Spanish ilucntly. He
was hunting for Clusters command Mt
the time he was annihilatcd, but he was
away on scout at the time. Custer, he
declared. was afraid of 10 man living,
and had a supreme contempt for the In
dinns. 81 never knew him" said he,
"to hesitate IN instant when he came
l upon band Of Indians he was pursuing
$ He would draw his sabre, jam his spurs
] into his horses ilanks and shout
'Chargcn and away he would 90, rods
t. in front Of his men. He was always the
: first into n fight, riding down the sayagcs
G ,lashing right and left, and yelling lik,
+ a demon"
II OF the cause of Singer coming to De
troit he was ever rcticcnt, or why hC
:, should come here at all. He said tina
L the opening of an old wound rendered
;. him unfit for the life Of scout, but t'
r, John J.. Long he intimated that ther
u was another reason why he came, an,
without admitting anything, conveyed
the impression that he desired to rcmai
in obscurity for time. Certain it l
that, when interviewed by the reporter
he requested that his name he withheld
from publication, saying that he desire
no notoricty. He had little brick sho
:. on the corner of John Il. and Cent,
streets, and was very skillful in mafir
fine shoes for women's wear. In fac
he very soon built up such custo
= trade that he gave employment to
!" iourncyman.
u One of the first acquaintances he mac
~ ~ in the city was John Il. Long, the gu
u, smith, who gave the reporters "pointcr
IA Singer was n man of about mcdin
rs height, broad in the shoulders, deep
VI the chest and his arms were sight
CT behold lie had been twice n prlSon
IL to the Indians, and one day drew off h
~ blue WOODEN shirt, barring body tn
- bore the marks Of seven bullet wound
~ One of these missiles had struck him
!" the right breast and passed ont son
III, distance below the right shouldcr-blad
II" This wound had healed impcricctly, NJ
l'' its opening wns the cause he assign
zen for returning to civilization.
ia' lie often expressed desire to retu
'hH, to his old life, and one day in the spri
lhn of 1882, the reporter found him in Lon
~ gun store purchasing n repeating ri
ny He stated that sometime previous he ]
"S written to the War Department ask
an appointment rs scout, and had j
:" received orders to proceed to st. Lo
me and report for duty as guide for G
OF Crooks command. He left Detroit 4
am night, and promised to write to
tcs Long and the reporter, but he failed
rs Is keep his word.
me Recently the reporter met Mr.. Lo
ne snd inquired if he had heard from tn
nee old friend?
ler "No," replied Mr. Long, "and I
us not expect to. A short time ,go rci
are in connection with Crooks campai
against the Indians, that the body
Singer, the scout, was found ridd
&C. with bullets"