The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-12-31
"YUBA BILL"
The Original Of bret Harte's Hero.

New York correspondent OF tne Troy
Times, that claims to be Bret Harte's
original "Yuba Bill" His name is
Seely, his occupation, a truck-driver,
and whether the artist has drawn on
him for matter or not, he is singular
parsonage. l knew him intimately al
most score of years ago, and his
family, which consisted OF a wife,
son, who has been for many years in
Buenos Ayres, South America, and two
daughters. Almost any evening he can
be found in a certain beer saloon on Hud-
son street, putting away at clay pipe
in an advanced state of color, and re-
lating to a choice circle of friends and
admirers some episode of his check
cred career. Physically, he is fine
specimen of manhood. On an enor-
nous pair of shoulders rests we'll
shaped head, with short neck. The
face is bronzed>iby exposure, and his
huge mustache is coal black and wiry.
There is u wild, at times savage, glare
in his large black eyes, which are like
those of man accustomed to looking
great distances in the mountains and
prairies. His gait is peculiar and awk-
ward and he explains it by saying that
until he entered Jim Fisk's service, as
master of teams he never wore any
ching on his feet but moccasins.
Here is q short account of his life as
given by himself: II was born, guess,
Somewhere about 1920, which makes
me about GA years old, though l don't
look it. My birthplace was Springfield,
Mo. When turned six, the Cherokee
Indians made a raid on our 'neighbor-
+ hood, and carried me off with them. |
was taken to the reservation of the Six
Nations, and remained there about
eight wears. Of course / learned the
six Indian dialects. Shall | give you
specimen 'Toma woma To-"
pray don't" l gasped to him.
"Weil," continued Seely, II got tired
of Indian life after eight years were ov-
err and ran away from the reservation.
| was pretty young, but / knew how
to take care of myself. Later on, /
Joined Fremont's expeditions the first
in 1912, up the Platte river, and the
other that went all the way from Kan
sas to Fort Suffer, on the Sacramento.
I'm not going to tell you anything
about those expeditions, because you've
only got TO open any history of the
United States TO find out all about
them. But what you can't find out in
history is just this: Here, just draw
your finger this way, across my head,
so. Now, you feel that three-inch scar
running across my skullP This is how
| cot that. When the Texas revolution
broke out was the first to volunteer,
and when war on Mexico was declared,
also volunteered. fought under Zach
TAYLOR until after Bueua Vista, then |
was under old Scott. just as we were
stormng the portion of the City of
Mexico above Puerto del Rey, bit of
shell struck me on the foot and lloored
me. ! felt pretty uncomfortable, and
groaned so loud that one of my pards
asked if ! didn't want to put stop to
my misery, | thought he was going to
give me his flask, and SO ! frightened
up Well, he began fumbling in his
cartridge box-a curious place for a
flask, it seemed to me. Then he hauled
out solitary cartridge, his last one,
but it was wet and he threw it away.
After second or two heard him NUT
ter: Cd this business and before
| could give another groan | got my
skull split open with the butt of his
| musket. That's what he called put
Ting me out of my misery, but he only
smade it worse, and told him 50 after
III came out of the hospital
Ibid l ever drive mailP You bet
VI did, and the first one that ever ran
between Fort Leavenworth and San
Francisco. The Indians were tough
customers in those days, | can tell you,
and it's many a time they went for the
coach, but they never got much out OF
il while Yuba Bill was on the box
except bullets. These they received
gratis in unlimited quantity, They got
square on me once, however My home
was on a ranch six miles from Topeka,
and after each return trip Iraid my old
woman and the children II few hours
visit. One night, on nearing the home
stead, j heard heavy firing, and when |
reached it | found the poor children
dead and the old woman standing over
their bodies, the sight of one eye gone,
and smoking musket in her hands
She had just had u three hours fight
with half u dozen Indian cattle-liitcrs.
The same night l started in pursuit
with some friends, among whom was
Kit Carson, and before the sun went up
the next morning three of the liends
were swinging from q tree. My old
woman is still living minus an eye
| Fact.)
After six years mail-coaching took
TO hunting, mining, and all sorts
of things. When the war broke out |
served as scout under Gen. Thomas.
When that was over ] got into jim
Fisk's employ Mt 500 month, board,
lodging and pin money. This old vel
vet coat am wearing now belonged to
jim; see the name in the collar-lning.
| After Fisk's death / became a truckman
with Fullcr's express, and later ca with
Garner & Co. Mr.. Garner, you 70.
member, was drowned, with his wifi,
and child, and a number of friends, by
the capsizing Of his yacht Mohawk Ii
New York Bay, opposite the club-hous,