The Portland daily press., 1885-04-30
Reads Like a Novel.
Escape from the BatsIefsrd Kndians-An
Incident of the RieI Rebellion.

The escape OF George E, Applegarth from
the Battleford Indians reads like page out Of
border romance. Applegarth WAS farm in
structor to Red Pheasant's band. On the
night Of Monday, March 80. he was making up
his returns with the intenaion OF going to
Battleford next day. The Indians OF his re-
serve had professed great friendlinsss for the
whites Like all Indians they said that since
trouble had. risen they might fight, but they
would fight on the side Of the whites. Appls-
garth went to bed about midnight. AZ three
o'clock in the morning he heard a tapping at
the door. Getting up he went to sec what
was the matter, when an Indian quickly strobe
in and closed the door behind him. He told
Applegarth that the reserve was rising, and
that some of the bucks who had been to Bat
tleford were after him. Almost while he
spoke the door burst open and Is redskins
rushed in. Applegarth thonght his time had
come, but luckily this was not the war party.
They were Is in numbsr-six bucks and II
squaws-and the friendly Indian whispered
that their mission was to hold him until the
warriors arrived. Applegarth reused his wife
and sister.in-law, little girl about II years
old, and Indian Teacher Cunningham, and
told them to dress. He himself slipped out
behind and hitched up his team, while the
friendly Indian engaged the attention OF the
visitors. Like true woman, the only article
of apparel which Mrs. Applegarth took with
her as the team drove Off, besides the clothes
she wore, was her wedding dress.
About half past three IN the morning the
party of four set out on their race for life to
Swift CnrreDt, 200 miles distant. They bad
got i've miles away whom the whiffi stree
broke Applegarth had to walk two miles
Aun
Then they flew on again, Dlunging and gallop-
ing through snow three feet deep, with the
moonlight streaming overhead.
At dawn they saw six Indians in the dis
tsnce. They had now struck the trail, which
they left again to strike into the coulees and
olude their pursuers. They drove all day, and
towards Dightfall caught sight Of the Indians
again. This time they thought it was all up
with them. The Indians were certainly fol-
lowing them, ana were possibly waiting till
nightfall to kill them. All Applegarth conld
do was to tell his wife he would ask them to
make short work of the business. His wife
and the little girl cried little, bat kept MP
their courage we'll They had no arms with
them. Before leaving the house Applegarth
had been searched by the squaws and his
arms and money taken from him. The only
defence the party had against their pursuers
was an axe.
AT 2 o'clock in the morning of Wednesday.
they rested for a couple of hours The horses
were nearly exhausted. But little before
morning they were put together again and
driven on. When daylight came there were
no Indians in sight. They drove on all We'd
nesday. and at nightfall took another rsst.
Applegarth never closed his eyes however.
Sometime after midnight they went on, and
the forenoon of Thursday they came up with
Judge Rouleau, who had left Battleford the
previous Sunday, with his wife and child Mrs.
Rae, wife OF the Indian agent, hired man,
the two Parkers OF Battleford. and . man
named Foster-eight in all. This brough ght up
| the party to Il persons. When the Judge left
| Battleford, there was no trouble although
| trouble was apprehended. Applsgarth's report
hurried up their movements considerably.
| Thirty miles from Swift Current they we're
| overtaken by Constable Storer and MIR. Smart.
| Storer had left Battleford on Saturday, and
was the bearer OF dispatches to Col. Herch-
| mer. The Battleford garrison believed Hsrch-
mer was within days march of BattlsfoRd.
| Storer had pluckily volunteered to 20 out and
meet him and tell him OF the events that had
transpired. On his way he met Smart, who
| was coming in with goods, and the two jour
| neyed south together. They arrived at Swift
| Current on Monday morning, and the majority
| OF the party went east on Tuesday.
II may bs of interest to know that the Indi-
| ans who were bent on killing Applegarth Wers
| those whose rations had been stopped BY him
| until they consented to work.
| This ended flight which undoubtedly is on
| ly a sample of many occurring in ths north
] country now, and which illustrates the unhap-
py plight of the settlers throughout oil tho dis
affected region.