Wichita eagle., 1889-11-27
TWO SCOUTS REVENGED.


/ both on the upper Missouri river, is bee
! line of 100 miles, but the distance as rider
J has to make it is fully 200. 1t is on record
J that the first dispatch passing between those
| posts was carried in my pocket, and
I that at a time when hostile Indians al
most besieged both forts 1t was on this
ride. and about forty miles above Sully, that
strange incident occurred From Fort
Union to Yankton, a distance Of COO miles,
the Missouri runs along a chain of noun
tains on the east while on the west side there
is scarcely a hill TO be found While the
route down the east bank is naturally more
, difficult, it is also more sheltered, and that
was the route took on the occasion refer
red to. While there were plenty of Indians
in the mountains and mountain valleys, there
were more of them on the plains, and my
journey was considered such forlorn hope
that wagers were made at Fort Lincoln that
l would never be heard of again
had mustang which had Travelled over
more of the country than any man living,
and in ali matters pertaining to frontier life
he was as well posted Us four men out Of five.
Armed with a Winchester and revolver, and
rather proud to have been the one selected
out OF five scouts to make the trip, left Fort
proceeded five miles down the river before
crossing over. a reconnaissance in force a
day or two before had driven the hostiles
back, but / might count on finding them
within seven o. eight miles l had scarcely
forded the rive. when mule, which had
evidently been in hiding in a thickes near by,
came forward with a low whiuny and ap-
peared greatly pleased to see US. A brief in
~ l,.l,>
named Abner johnson, who had been dis
patched from Fort Lincoln 10 Fort Ransome,
$50 miles to the east, ten or trelve DAYS be-
fore. The saddle was in place, blanket,
coffee pot and other articles secured as usual,
and the bride was intact. l was satisfied
that johnson had been shot from the saddle.
Nothing could have induced tie mule to run
away from him while alive. The animal, as
l figured it, was making for the fort and was
about fording the stream when the noise of
our passage alarmed him and he hid himself
to see whether it was friend or enemy. l
sought TO drive him into Ehe water and on his
way, but he was determined to accompany
me, and, after finding him obstinate, Islipped
the iron bit out of his mouth that he might
snatch at the grass, and rode OF, with him a
close follower.
Between the river and the foothills there
was level varying il width from so to 500
feet. This was grown to grass Along the
bank of the stream, with hardly break for
miles and miles, was a line OF trees and
bushes The foothills were covered with scrub
growth, aud between them and the base Of
the range there was fair travelling and good
cover At every mile or two there were
breaks in the foothills by which one could
turn in from the level | did not intend to
travel far that night, the main object being
to get beyond the hostile lines and take an
early start next morning. Up to the time Of
crossing the river my mustangs feet had been
mufiied with oat sacks SO that he could leave
no trail There had been no rain for two or
three weeks, and no living Indian could have
traced me. Once across the stream | removed
the bags | should leave plain trail, but
must thereafter trust to luck and my own
sagaeity. 1t was a starlight light, and as /
rode forward l routed up deer or other
wild game every fifty rods. This satisfied
HE that no Indians were near, and | contin-
ued my ride until midnight. Ely this time |
was at least twenty miles below the fort, and
l went into camp to wait for daylight. Go
ing intocsmp consisted of unsaddling the two
animals, rolling myself in a blanket and
pumping down at the roots of cottonwood.
l was asleep IN five minutes, and when
opened my eyes it was daylight.
The animals were close at hand, and each
had his nose il the air and was scenting Ikea
dog. i was hardly on my feet before | smelled
fire. There was u light breeze blowing UP the
valley, and the camp fire was below me, or in
the direction proposed to go. moved into
the belt of timber and began to crawl forward
for an observation, and after going about
quarter of mile ! saw the smoke ! waited
five minutes before advancing nearer. but
seeing no movement / crept forward / saw
the body of white man lying on the ground
under the trees / knew it was by the dress,
and now, thinking | had come upon a gov
eminent scout or some white hunter, rose
up and advanced into the camp No man
ever made more sppaliing discovery. 1t
was the body of Abner johnson. deed and
horribly inutilated and between. him and the
river, a distance Of twenty feet lay the dead
bodies of nine Indian warriors. While a
glance sutficed 10 prove that they were dead,
it took me some time to satisfy myself as to
the cause | finally found stone bottle,
holding about two quarts, which remerl-
bered 10 have seen IN JohnSon's possession
Ii had contained whisky but was now empty
The posture of the bodies was proof that
every warrior had died of poison, but | did
not know until q month that johnson fixed
up the dose before leaving Fort RansoIne on
his return. He seemed to have a presentiment
that he would be captured, and he bought
two quarts OF whisky and doSed il with
strychnire, knowing that it would surely re-
venge him.
Johnson had evidently been driven out of
his direct course. As l saw BY scouting over
the ground he was wei in the lead of his nine
pursuers when chance shot from rife
struck hun IL the right hip aud tumblei him
from ms saddle. His mule had gone on and
the Indians had gone into camp 70 torture
the wounded man. They had cut off his left
ear, g..shed his checks. severed three or four
toes, and inflicted other cruelties when the
poison which they had imbibed in the whisky
began 10 work. There must have been a high
old time among them for half an hour. during
which interval the prisoner probably bled TO
death SohnsoI.s eyes were wide Open and
ii the eyes of the dead can reject ANYTHING
his surely reflected eIultarlon The PONIES
Of the Indians were IN a grassy dsll q quarter
Of ME away, and each was kobblei II
seemed an awful wicked thing to do. but
approached each one in turn and drove NV
knife 10 his heart Then l gathered up sad
dies and blankets and laristS and flung them
into the river took the rifles, touahswks.
knives. walnpum. and headdresseS Of the nine
warriors and made up lesd for the mule.
and after covering Johnson's body with
brush and stones to keep Il from vultures,