Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-07-23

4 III
to ST. Louis Globe Democrat reporter
recently the following In substance:
FL am ~ years old now, and hope
have acquired some sense, but In 1872 /
was a rattle Drained, reckless, dare-dev.
IL young fellow OF %. My home was at
Defiance, o., and learned the carpen-
ter trade; but that place got too small
for me, and drifted East, and event.
ually got to San Francisco. There
fell In with man named john McDon-
aid, who had come 10 the coast from
Muscatine, Iowa, where he had been en-
gagged In the lumber business. He had
made trip along the south line Of the
Colorado river the year bt fore, and had
a great idea that there were big gold de-
posts somewhere in that part Of the
country. | was ready enough to be-
lieve any fairy story and we made. prep
arations for a prospecting tour. In the
early spring of 1872 we started, going
down AS far San Diego, and from thence
striking southwest across the country.
was green to the business but strong
and hearty, and took liking to the life.
Well, we finally struck the Colorado
river, prospected down lit little, and
then, hearing some big stories from 9TH
err prespectors, headed for Central Ari
iona, as near rs l can judge, little
south of Fl. Mcdowell. We had heard
good deal about trouble from the In
dams, but didn't pay much attention 70
il. In fact, we were captui ed before
we were fully aware that we were in
hostile county. 1t happened this way:
We had gone into camp in little ravine,
and early i'm the morning were feeling
our way out of it when six bucks rose
up from behind Il pile OF boulders and
covered us with their rifles. There
was only one thing to do, surrender,
and we did it. The whole thing hap
pened so quickly that it took our breath
away. When gathered my SENSES to-
gether we had our hands bound behind
our backs, and were being hurried due
east across an oper mesa.
'For half day we were kept on
sort of dog trot. 1 was ready to drop
with fatigue, but at The least sign OF
tagging we were whipped forward like
sheep AT shamble. TO add to my ag-
ony had not the least doubt but that
they were taking us to some convenient
spot to submit us to torture. At about
noon Mcdowell caught his foot in
gopher hole and sprained his ankle. 1t
was impossible for him to keep up then,
and he fell dozen times in fifty feet.
The last time he fell one of the savages
struck him on the head with a club.
He plunged forward on all fours and
gave fearful shrek. That was the
last ever saw of him, but about fifty
yards OH l heard him yell again.
They killed him then and there, but l
afterward heard from soldiers who
found the body, that before death they
had submitted him to barbari,y too
horrible to describe.
"After that | gave up all hope, butin
an hour or two they slackened their
gait and rested until nightfall. When
it grew quite dark they pushed on four
or five miles more and we stayed until
morning, the bucks alternately sleeping
and watching. No man on earth has
the language to describe how | felt that
night. My legs were bound, and was
thrown to one side like sack OF meal.
The savages had some food, but they Of
fered me none, and no water. That sat
isfied me | was elected to death. During
all this time not Il word of English was
spoken, and they pretended not to un-
derstand my repeated appeals and prot
estations that came to their country
for no harm. In the morning we re-
sumed our march. 1 was so weary and
footsore thought each moment would
faint. TO add to the torment the Indians
subjected me to all kinds of indignities,
splitting in my face, striking me with
their guns and prodding me with their
knives. By noon my legs were drip
ping with blood.
"It was destined that the journey
should be abruptly broken. In the
early afternoon detachment of United
States cavalry out OH scout sighted us
at quite distance, and started forward
on dead gallop. The Indians tried
to fall back to a sort of little gully, urg-
ing me in front of them, but they were
pressed too hard aud scattered. Before
they did so one of them jerked me over
a tomahawk. The blade hit my collar
bone and splintered it. | was instantly
6eluged with blood, and suppose the
wretch thought he had killed me, for
he did not strike again, but knelt quick
ly and drew his knife. / realized what
was coming, and tried to scream, but
could not. lie seized me Dy TUT Oh
hair little i'm front of the crown, and
wrenching 1t up drew the point of the
knife across one side of it. The next in
slant it seemed to me that thousand
lights were flashing before my eyes,
and all the agony of the universe con-
centrated In the top of my head. He had
torn loose piece of scalp. Then he
slashed it off, leaped up and fled like a
deer. was picked up about ten min
utes later, and came to with the soldiers
all around me. One of them-now a
lieutenant at Camp Douglass, Salt Lake,
tore his shirt to pieces and bound up
my heaG and breast. They thought ev-
cry minute | would die, but i fooled