Wichita eagle., 1889-09-17
SCALPED BYA CHIEF.
Thrilling Experience Of Kansas Boy.
Now in Topeka.

Topeka Democrat.
1t is popularity supposed that when the
Indians scalped man that was the end
OF him. An article is now going the
| rounds of the press of the United States
| relating the experience Of 1.-The only
| man. who ever survived after his scalp
had been taken. Whether that claim be
true or not, there was a Kansas boy who
| survived the operation who IS now alive
and who called at the Democrat Office
this morning and showed the horrible
proof of his tale.
Robert McGee was an orphan boy thir-
| teen years OF age when he suffered the
greatest of mortal agonies. He had been
going to school to Dir. j. c. Baird, then
as now well known and respected citi-
zen of Leavenworth county. In the
spring of 1864 he engaged as teamster
to government contractor and started
across the plains with a large wagon
train under an escort of troops, Of which
Captain Dunlap, OF this city, was one Of
the officers. This was IN July. One
night the train pitched camp at Walnut
Grove station, and at o'clock next
morning broke camp and started. the
| escort being three-quarters OF mile be-
hind them.
In the gray of the morning, Chief
Hurtle and his band of Brule Sioux
pounced down on the train and began
their ferocious work. The massacre was
complete. Not one of the teamsters
lived to tell the tale. Robert MCGEE was
shot down early in the battle and Chief
Hurtle, placing one foot on his forehead,
whirled the scalping knife about his head
and wrenched the scalp off. While still
lying on his face and supposed to be
dead, two arrows were shot clean
through the boys body. pinning him to
the ground. and no less than eighteen
bullet wounds were received. The
troops came up soon after the bloody
work had been completed and found
young McGee the only survivor. He
had never lost consciousness for an in
slant, not even when the two arrows
were drawn through his body to
get him up from the ground. He was
taken to Fort Larned and after a long
time recovered. He went west. and
spent his life on the frontier, married
and now has four children.
He recently came back to Kansas
and met Mr.. Baird, who at once
recognized his old pupil. Mr..
Bard. came TO the democrat
Office with him and vouches for the
truth of the narrative, though nothing
more is needed than a sight of the I'M
fortunate mans head. The piece torn
out was eight by ten inches in size,
though it is seldom that the skin taken
with the scalp lock is larger than sill
yer dollar. Mr.. MCGEE ascribes this to
the fact that the old chief braced his foot
on his forehead and tore away
more than he had really mark
ed out by main force and
awkwardness. The wound is to this day
a running sore. The wonder is that a
man could endure it one day and live. let
alone living with the ever present pain
through twenty-five long years.
Mr.. MCGEE says there are many old
citizens Ground here besides Captain
Dunlap who know him and can corrob-
crate his story. He is going to stay in
Topeka and attend the fair through the
week. He is now broken down in
health and unable to work. As he was
working for the contractors and not for
the government he can get no pension,
and he is in very reduced circumstances
and worthy man.