Savannah morning news., 1886-06-23
A GOOD STORY.
Nine Indians Kept at BAY 10y
Wounded Man and a Woman.

Froa, tie YeiO York san.
Ii the heroes and heroines Of the last
fifteen years Of Indian warfare in the
West had their names and deeds emblaz-
oped on thepages of current history, the
world could furnish no more glorious re-
cordof heroism. Here and there name
asknown and a record OF thrilling expert
enee is given, but the great majority will
LVeon unknown to the world at large, or
isleep their lastsleep in graves unmarked
vandARnhonOUed-
One forenoon OF May morning a stock
man named George Webber was riding
along the south bank of the Loup Fork, IN
Western Nebraska. in search Of stray
stock, when be was fred upon from a
grove by Indians who had broken away
from one of the agencies TO the west. Half
a dozen shots were fired in Volley, and
WebbeF was nit in the calf OF the right
leg. in the right side, and raked across
the shoulder, and his horse was also
wounded. AS soon as the shots were
Hred ninemouDted Indians dashed out, and
Webber put his horse at the TOP of its
speed and headed for the ranch OF Charles
Moss, about four miles up the river and
on the same side. For the first mile Weo-
Der had no hope, as the Indians were
close enough to use their revOlvers and
arrows, and his horse was common ami
1naL A score or more bullets we're fired
at hlm, and fully twenty arrows tipped
past him. bat the wound his animal re-
ceiyed, aided by the continued shouting
of the redskins, made him pull out like
q born race horse. he soon began 20
widen thesdistance, and when he dashed
up TO the ranch Webber was a full halt
mile ahead. His shouts as he neaTed the
place gave the alarm, but TO his dismay
bedashed up to be informed by Mrs. Moss
that she was the.Oniy one abOu tthe place,
her husband and his man having gone
away an hour before.
The cabin stood on arise OF ground
about twenty rods from the stream, and
could be approached from any slde. The
Indians halted at long rifle range to see
who was about the place, and this gave
Webber time 90 make explanations and
idOa little planning. He knew bis pursuers 4
were "bad" Indians, who had skulked of
the reservation, and realized that II he
could keep them or tor an hour or two re-
Endorsements would come to him or the
enemy would withdraw for fear Of their
adentity being discovered.
What arms have you gotY' he asked,
after explaining the situation.
"A Colts revolver"
81 have Winchester rife. We must
hold 'em Oh until aid comes. Help me 1
Of.''
The woman assisted him to alight, and
he gave his horse a slap and sent the ami
NAL galloping of up the trail. Some OF
The Indians pursued, but without avail.
The first white man whom the horse en-
eOuntered would understand that some
bling was wrong, and that his assistance
was asked for down the trail.
The house was primitive affair, divided |
into two rooms, with only lower sash IN
zach window. The only point from which
The Indians could approach with shelter
TO cover them was the east side. They
could approach up a raVine. Webberre-
allied that il the nine charged together
from this raVine, with only the fire frofna
single window directed at them, not more
than two or three could be stopped. Ifthe |
Others reached the house the game was
up. He therefore insisted on taking up
his position outside the house, without
even twig to shelter him. His back was
TO the logs and the rayine in his front.
For fear some OF the Indians might APP
prOach the house singly from another
direction, the woman was instructed to |
FIRST iasten all the doors and then pass
from window to window and maintain an
active observation. She was a woman of |
30, who had been tenderly reared in an
Eastern State, and had been in the West
less than two years. The sight of snake
would have made her scream out in
alright on that very morning, and the
thought Of an attack by Indians would
have been sufficient TO chill her blood.
\ ct, when brought face to face with the
terrible menace, she was heroine. With
pale face and compressed lips, and stop
ping not 10 question the policy OF the
wounded mans plans to save their lives,
she promptly obeyed.
The Indians must have known that
Webber ana the woman were alone, and
that he was wounded, but they did not
Hare make "A rush. Much as they desired
Eanfra and TnInudar 4 -
recklessly expose themselves. They
crept up the raYine, rs was expected, or
started to, when Webber saw that their
ponies had been left within range of his
Winchester. He opened fire at once and
dropped three OF them to the grass before
the red skins discovered what he was at.
1nls caused a halt in the proceedings un-
iii they could remove the other six TO a
place OF safety. He counted them as they
Feturned 20 the ravine and saw that three
we're missing. The trio had separated
from the others 10 creep upon the house,
and this fact was announced to Mrs.
Moss. In the course of fifteen minutes
the six had gained the position sought
Tor opposite, and Webber gave all his
attention 10 them, trusting TO the woHl-
an to watch and defend the house from the
bthene.
From the house 10 the ravine was
gradual slant, the ground being covered
WIN kfdbh anu eublfeiy clean. MebDer
vat there, as plain a target as a man
would desire Tor his pistol, the blood from
Dis wounds soaking into the ground, and
ais eyes watching the raviDe with the
knowledge that he was one TO six. No
Indian could ire without raising his head
above the bank, and the first head up got
bullet through IL, and one redskln tnm-
bed back corpse. This was a caution
20 the others. and instead of raising their
seads they rested their rifles on the bank
md fired blindly. Thirteen bullets
truck the logs within six feet OF Weber.
and others did not miss him except by q
have. IL was simply a question OF time
the firing were kept up, when a bullet
you'd hit and finish him.
Meanwhile the tnree bucks who had left
he main body were creeping toward the
iouse from different directions. Mrs.
Moss could see two OF Them, but the third
mept along a deep turrow, ana finally
sained a point from which he could fire
ip0n Webber At fair range. From this
loint the redskin fired nine times at
Nebbsr's right side, which was *
losed TO bis view. He either had p ,ur
.un or was much excited. for nor one Of
lis bullets cOunled, al lhOugh some OF them
shistled uncOmtortably close.
II knew what was up" said Webber.
mdestly telling his story, "but had