South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1888-01-20

'S''tSN "oN SutSSt tuSut ouO udf
ed them TO do their worst, and
while ! was speaking the sub-chiei
who was the head of the village
aud whose name was Spotted
Horse. threw up his arms and fell
back dead" rfa-.st
The chief was no doubt predis-
posed to heart disease. lie had
been in the saddle for SIX or seven
hours, iaboring under keen ex.
element all the time and II needed
only the increased excitement
brought on by the hunters denun.
citation TO precipitate the fatal
stroke. That the Indians consid-
cred il an act OF divine vengeance
was plain in q moment. 1t wac
scarcely known that he was dead
before Tom was united and, con-
Quoted bnck to the lodge, and the
village atonce went into mourning.
at was two days before they
bnried him. sail Tom 'and mean :
while | was we'll treated. but close
ly guarded. On the third Gay was
taken out again. l hal heard the
reds discussing the matter from all
standpoints. Some coutenled that !
was an evil spirit. and il not permit
Ell to depart would work them some
tenihle calamity while others agreed
that must be burned and my ashes
scattered 10 the winds to propi,iaie
the evil one. Those who held to the
latter opinion were in the majority.
/ wa3 not to he tortured but burned
alive
He was tied 10 the same stake.
and the fsgo's hoaped around him.
bu' just as they were being lighted
be broke out in fierce railIery agar.
HIS words affected the Whole crowd
but he would no doubt have persisted
had not nature come to his aid. The
hush which had fallen on The village
was broken by far eff roar. aud a
moment later a cyclone swept iuto
he valley from the east like raging
Lon. II came and wa, gone in six :
" secon de. and n Sad wreck Was left
behind. Every lodge was down and
many Of them carried away. while
many of the people were hurt and
two children killed outright by fall
ing limbs aud flying debris.
Il never saw Indians lose their
heads as those chaps did said Old
Tom. | was L.. f; quite alnLe for he
mex. quarter of an hour. while those
who had escaped unhurt were running
about in q childish way. 1t was just
getting dusk when an Indian pony
was led up to the stake by the head
chief in person. | was cut loose by
warrior. lifted upon the pony by
two others ana told by The chief that
| was at liberty to go. / was too
dazed to understand but they gave
the horse slap and away we went.
Fo' the next ten minutes / W As no
better than All idiot or u crazy man,
but my senses finally returned AMI I
saw through it. They regarded me
as an evil spirit and wanted 10 get rid
of ne. My rifle vas strapped'to the
saddle, as was every other article
they had taken from me, and they
had given me one Of their best bor.
ses. Inside of two hours | was back
at onr camp, but only TO find The par.
ty gone. They had become alarmed
and moved about thirty miles up the
stream.where l found them next dav."
Tom no, only had the Com 4nche
outfit 10 prove the trath Of what he
said. but the next year when the
chiefs Of the tribe held a pow WOW
with government commission, the
entire story was told anew by the In.
disns, and many inquiries were made
as TO what had become OF the white
mans devil.-N. Y. Sun.