Evening journal., 1889-03-11
FIENDISH WORK.
Five Frenohmen Massacred by In
dians in Yellowstone Park.
STRANGE STORY TOLD BY A GUIDE
Cheyenne Startled by Tale That
Reads Like a Chapter From
Fennimore Cooper It May
Be a Fable, but Will
Be Investigated. ~

CHEYENNE, w. r., March ia halt
breed hunter and trapper, who arrived
here from the extreme northwestern
quarter of the territory, brings tidings Of
the atrocious massacre Of a party Of FIVE
French tourists in Yellowstone National
park.
lhe bearer of the news heard the story
at Canyon City, a new mining town neaI
the park, where Hank Ferry, the guide
and sole survivor. reported the slaughter.
Ferry says his charges included M. lie
Claire and wife, J. Vincent and wife
and Paul Gerot, father of Nine. Vincent.
He entered the service of the sight seers
at Virginia City, M. t., contracting to
show them through the park in violation
of United States statutes. The strangers
were very wealthy, and said they had
journeyed overland from San Francisco
for the express purpose of taking in the
park during the absence of the horde Of
summer excursionists. The party en-
ioyed themselves hugely in the park,
affiliating with the poachers, who were
slaughtering game for hides. Their
camp was always headquarters for pro-
fessional hunters, whom they supplied
with luxuries.
The guides story of the murder, which
ne says was committed by Indians, is a
most graphic recital just before dawn
on the day of the murder, blood curdling
yells and fusilade of shots were heard
and reused Ferry. He realized the sit
uation and crawling through the brush
took refuge IN the mouth of a sleeping
geyser. Here he heard piteous groans
and begging of foreigners, mingled with
yelling Of the redskins The latter pro-
ceeded with the murders and killed
old Gerot just as the sun was rising.
The slaughter was most brutal Wound
after wound was inflicted before the
death shot was given. No body con-
tanned less than ten bullets, and the re-
mains Of Vincent, who made desperate
struggle for life, were riddled. The saw
ages passed the morning in further mu-
tilating the bodies and pillaging their
outfit The women were neatly scalped
and their long tresses, matted with blood.
dangled from the belt of the chief Of the
Indians The heads Of the men were
hacked and their bodies frightfully dis
figured. The Indians found a store Of
liquors carried by the Frenchmen. but
the quantity was not sufficient to intoxi-
cate them all. else they doubtless would
have fought among themselves.
The clothes of the victims were donned
by the fiends, who as they ran from one
wagon to the other would halt an instant
to give one of the bodies a kick or a
cash with knife. Finally the maraud-
ers wearied of their bloody feast and
packing the effects of the dead people
on their ponies, set fire to the wagons
and left.
Ferry, who was nearly dead with
fright, emerged from his hiding place
when the Indians had departed and at
once started for Canyon CITY, the near
est settlement. He avoided the hunters
in the park and must have suffered from
hunger and exposure, as he was weak.
emaciated and seemed slightly demented
when relating the terrible story. The
guide was placed in the care of physi-
clan, but he disappeared the second night
after his arrival and has not been seen
since. 1t is presumed that he is crazy,
as he started to the scene of the mas
sacre.
Officers at Canyon City have organized
posse to secure the bodies Of the muir
dered people and if possible avenge their
deaths. They will proceed with all
possible haste. as the place is isolated and
wolves are liable to destroy the remains
before the park police or the hunters
stumble on them. Ferry is tough char
acter but his story is believed. although
some Of the miners think that the hide
hunters. who are mostly outlaws, may
have murdered the tourists for robbery.