Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1886-07-10
HOW IT FEELS TO BE sCALPED

Entered at Tie Poseficc at Alexandria, Virginia, a
seco,,d.clnss mattcr.J
HOW IT FEELS TO BE SCALPED.
Mr.. Norman L. Friedlander narrated to
St. Louis Globe Democrat reporter recent
~ the following in substance
II am AZ years old now, and hope have
acquired some sense, but in 1872 | was
rattle Drained, reckless, dare devil young
fellow of %. My home was at Defiance, o.,
and l learned the carpenter trade; but that
place got too small for me, and | drifted
East, and eventually got to San Francisco.
| There I fell in with man named John Nc
Donald, who had come to the coast from
Muscati0e, Iowa, where he had been en-
gagged in the lumber business. He had
made trip along the south line OF the Col
orado river the year before, and had great
idea that there were big gold deposits some
where in that part of the country. | was
ready enough to believe any fairy story and
we made preparations for prospecting
tour. In the early spring Of 1872 ne start.
ed, going down as far as San Diego, and
frou 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 it little, and then,
hearing some big stories from ether pros
pectors, headed for Central Arizona, as near
as can Judge, little south of Ft Mellow
ELL We had heard good deal about trouble
from the Indians, but didn't pay much
attention to it, In fact, we were captur-
ed before we were fully aware that we were
in hostile country. 1t happened this way:
We had gone into camp in little ravine,
and early in the morning were feeling our
way out of it when six bucks rose up from
behind pile of boulders and covered us
with their rifles There was only one thing
to do, surrender, aud we did it. The
whole thing happened so quickly that it
took our breath away. When gathered
my senses together we had our hands bound
behind our backs, and were being hurried
due east across an open mesa.
"For half day we were kept on sort OF
dog trot. l was ready to drop with fatigue,
but at the least sign Of tagging ne were
whipped forward like sheep al shamble.
TO add to ms agony l had not the least
doubt but that they were taking US tc some
At about noon Mcdowell caught his foot in
gopher hole and sprained bis ankle. 1t
was impossible for him to keep up then, and
time he fell ono of the savages struck him
on the head with club. He plunged for
ward on ali fours and gave fearful shrek.
That was the last | ever saw of him, but
about fifty yards on heard him yell again.
They killed him then and there, but after.
ward heard from soldiers who found the
body, that before death they had submitted
him to barharity too horrible to describe.
After that gave up all hope, but in 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 there we stayed until morning, the bucks
alternately sleeping and watching. No man
on earth has the language TO describe bow
I felt that night. My legs were bound and
I was thrown to one side like sack ofmeal.
The savagcs had some food, but they offered
me none, and no water. That satisfied me
I was elected to death. During all this
| time not word of English was spoken, and
| they pretended not to understand my re-
peated appeals and protestations that |
came to their country for no harm. In the
| morning we resumed our march. | was so
| weary and footsore / thought each moment
| | would faint. To add to the torment the
| Indians subjected me to all kinds of indig-
mites, splitting in my face, striking me
with their guns and prodding me with
their knives BY noon my legs were
dripping with blood.
ut was destined that the journey should
be abruptly broken. In the early afternoon
adetachment of United States cavalry out on
scout sighted US at quite distance, and
started forward on dead gallop. The In.
dians tried to fall back to q sort of little gul.
ly, urging me in front of them, but they
were pressed too hard and scattered. Before
they did SO one of them jerked me over
backwards and struck at my face with q
tomahawk. The blade hit my collar-bone
and splintered it. I was instantly do
luged with blood, and I suppose
the wretch thought he had killed me, for
he did not strike again, but knelt quick
ly and drew bis knife. | realized
what was coming, and tried to scream, but
could not He seized me by tuft of hair a
little in front of the crown, and wreuching
it up drew the point Of the knife across one
side of it. The next instant it seemed to
me that thousand lights were flashing be-
fore my eyes, and all the agony Of the uni.
verse concentrated in the top of my head
He had torn loose a piece Of scalp. Then
he slashed it of, leaped up and fled like 8
deer. I was picked up about ten minutes
later, and came to with the soldiers al
around me. One of them-now a lieuten
ant at Camp Douglass, Salt Lake,-tore hi:
shirt to pieces and bound up my head and
breast. They thought every minute would
die, but fooled them, and they finally
steadied me on horse and got me intt
camp, six miles away. There the surgeon
took me in charge. The wound healed or
what they called first intention, and much
to everybody's surprise, the doctor included
I was up and about in less than month
I never had any trouble with it until abou
two years ago, when running sore formed
there, but speedily yielded under treatment
or course the place is tender and do moth
ing to irritate it. forgot to say that in th'
skrrnish when | was recaptured three o
the Indians were killed and the other three
among them the fellow who had ny scalp
got away"