Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-03-11
A Flemish Massacre
Or the Pigment of a Western
Guides Imagination.
AWFUL FATE OF FRENCH TOURISTS

A Wealthy Party of Five. Two Being
Women, Slaughtered by Indians In Vel
iowstone Park-The Women scaiped and
the Bodies of All Horribly NutiIated-
Awakened from Sleep to Meet Death al
Savage Hands-The Story Believed.
CHEYENNE, Wy. T., March IA half
breed hunter and trapper who arrived here
from the extreme northwestern quarter of
Of the territory brings tidngs of the afro
cious massacre OLA party of wealthy French,
tourists in Yellowstone National park The
bearer of the news heard the story at Can
yon City, new mining town near the park,
when Hank Ferry, the guide and sole sur
vivor, reported the slaughter Ferry saws
his charges included NJ. LeClaire and wife, j.
Vincent and wife, and Paul Gerot, father of
Nine. Vincent. He entered the service of
the sight seers at Virginia City, NJ T., con-
tracing 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
tor the express purpose of taking in the park
during the absence of the horde of summer
excurSionsts. The party enjoyed themselves
hugely IN the park, affliating with the
poachers, who were Strengthening game for
hides Their camp was always the head
quarters for professional hunters, whom they
supplied with Injuries
The guides story of the murder, which, he
says, was committed by Indians, is a most
graphic recital. Just before dawn on the
day OF the murder blood-curdling wells and q
/ fusillade of shots were heard and reused
IL. 81, -.
ing through the brush, took refuge in the
mouth of sleeping geyser Here he heard
the piteous groans and begging of the for
eigners, mingled with the yelling of the red
skins. The latter proceeded with the muir
ders, 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 contained
less than ten bullets, and the remains Of Vim
cent, who made desperate struggle for life,
were riddIed
The savages passed the morning in further
mutlating the bodies and pillaging their out
tit. The women were scalped and their long
tressts, matted with blood, dangled from the
belt of the chief of the Indians The heads
OF the men were hacked and their bodies
frightfully disfgured The Indians found
store of liquors carried by the Frenchmen
but the quantity was not sufficient to irtoxi-
cate them all; else they would doubtless
have fought among themselves. The clothes
of the victims were donned by the fisnds,
who, as they ran from one wagon to the
other, would halt AN instant to give one of
the bodies n kick or a cash with knife
Finally the marauders wearied of their
bloody feast, and packing the effects of the
dead people on their ponies set fire to the
wagons and lett
Ferry, who was nearly dead with fright,
emerged from his hiding place when the In
dams had departed, and at once started for
Canyon City, the nearest settlement He
he avoided the hunters in the park and must
have suffered from hunger and exposure, as
he was weak, emaciated, and seemed slightly
demsnted when relating the terrible story.
The guide was placed in the care Of a ply.
stefan, 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 massacre Officers at
Canyon City have organized a posse to secure
the bodies of the murdered people and if pos
sible avenge their deaths They will proceed
with all possible haste, as the place Is isolated
and wolves are likely TO destroy the remains
before the park police or the hunters stumble
on them. Ferry is tough character, 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.