The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1888-08-03
A wonderful Discovery.
,,H onstrous Turtles travels to Kim.
hall. Bearing Message From the
Dead,

One OF the strongest cases OF longevity
in the turtle has come to light in Kim.
ball. OF course turtles are always
found wherever there is living water.
and the lakes and rivers of Dakota
abound with them, but they are always
small, seldom measuring over a foot in
diameter When we heard of the can
.irc of one which measured three feet
two inches and q half from head to tail
we thought it worth travelling a half
mile to see. Upon arrival ut the spot
we saw nothing but the headless BODY
of IN enormous turtle, such as we had
never seen before in tins section. While
using a tape measure TO verify its length
we made an astonishing discovery. A
piece of bright metal seemed embedded
in the shell, about a foot from the edge.
With the aid of a pocket knife we
scraped off the moss and slime, disclos-
ing the end of a piece of copper wire.
We then went to work. vigorously and
we're well repaid for our trouble. Three
more wires were discovered, all similar.
Is fastened, and all leading to a central
point over the back Underneath these
closely drawn wires was a flat package,
closely covered with II piece of a rubber
blanket. We took off the covering.
wondering what could be tho contents,
prepared for almost anything, for at
this stage Of the proceeding nothing
would have astonished us. |. was only
4 letter. which we opened fearlcssly,
since by right Of discovery it belonged
to us. 1t was written in u large, bold
hand, and wonderfully well preserved,
for the headline bore the date OF Aug.
10, 1868. 1t read as follows:
To whoever Providence may direct
this humble messenger; | cannot hope
TO ever again see the face of human.
left Fit, Thompson the first day Of Aug
ust, bearing orders from commanding
officer to troops supposed to be stationed
somewhere in this section. The first
day Cut ! lost my saddle bags contain
ing my %ratlons, while swimming II creek.
Since then have been wandering around
i'll the vain hope of finding the troops or
some place where | might get something
to cut. My horse gave out seven DAYS
ago and since then have Travelled on by
foot, but with 10 headway. for here |
find myself at the same little water hole
where | left his dead body n week since.
| endeavored to qucnch my thirst by n
drink OF the bracklsh water, and while
in the ac! discovered a tur.le. Rcmem-
bering o piece of wire which held one
s,irrup Of my saddle, l conceived the
idea of fastening d message on its back
by a piece of this wire, knowing it would
soon travel on, as the water is fast dry.
ing up. My name is John b. Cablar,
Co. L. Fourth Iowa Cavalry. | write
this with no hope of its ever bringing
me help, but know it is the only posi-
BILE chance of my fate ever being know.
A ringing in my ears, drowsy head, and
horrible pains that infect every part OF
my body warn me that l have no long
to hive. For humanity's sake let he who
finds this missiYe carry the news to my
mates, for they are the only friends
have on earth. With the close of this
lie down to die, praying the Father that
it may be as painless and speedy as pos.
sshle.
The turtle that bore this remarkable
epistle was discovered by James ByrRe
He was out driving on Tuesday even.
ing last, and while on a grade between
two lakes, just north of the residence O
Mr.. q. J. Maynard, his team shed a
something in The road. After passin.
the object he stepped and went bacl
along the road to see whaA it was. !
proved TO be Il turtle, and on accoant o
Its size he determined to secure it, 81
turned it on its back. while he hastenet
to town, returned to the spot and sew
cred its head with an AK. His report o
The affair Induced us to go and see it
and with the result rs reported above
The wall Of this poor soldier was writ
ten on closely lined paper, probabl.
torn from o note hook If any one VIII
was stationed at Ft. Thompson in 1856
,aay reah this the failure to return o
John b. CGblar will have explained.