Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-07


but succeeded in saving up my wages,
and selling young horse | owned, all
of which aggregated little over $500.
On the 10th Of July wrote her letter
telling her that on the following Mon
day would start for Minnesota, and
that would take her back with me-"
Here the story was temporarily inter-
rupted by the badgers in the box engag-
ing in "a furious fight. While the fight
was in progress, Ebes, for that is the
only name he would give, was right in
his element. He jumped about in his
cave, and olapping his hands together,
shouted: Get there, boysl Get there,
boysl" And after the fight was over he
winked ut me and asked: "What do you
think of my familyp"
''But to go back to my story" he con-
tinued, 1.-The night before | was to have
started for Minnesota l got with the
boys and blew in every dollar | had on
earth, and was compelled to write to
my intended and postpone my visit
until September. This did, and
the next letter received from her
was filed with expressions of disap-
pointment at the postponement. Poor
grill Had l known the fate that
awaited her, l would have walked to
lhlhhOSObu, lOT WlbnlU lew
weeks from that time, she was
MURDERED by THE SAVAGE SIOUX. "
Here he became much excited, and
with clinched fists he paced back and
forth on his earthern floor.
"Hare you ever read the history Of
that massacre, Mr.. Ebesp" l inquired.
"Yes, sir,' he replied. ~ have it
committed to memory" and going to q
large trunk at the foot of his bed, he
asked me to hold the light for him.
Opening the trunk, which contained
| histories, novels, poems, Webster's die
! tionarv and books of every description,
| he commenced to remove volume after
| volume until he came to the one he
wanted. 1t was a history of the massa-
ere of '62, written by Charles S. Bryant,
of st. Peter, MINI.
I "This book does not contain an ac-
count of her MURDER" he said, and he
eagerly scanned its pages rs If he be-
lieved it possible that he had overlooked
| page referring thereto. Finally plac-
ing the books back in the trunk, he pro-
ceeded:
"After receiving intelligence of Min
nie's-there!-well, l may as well tell
and, as l was going to say, as soon as l
learned OF her tragic death, began to
roam about the country, going from
Vincense, Ind, to Covington, Ky, then
to Cleveland, Milwaukee, and hundreds
of other towns and cities. I have
walked over every foot of the ground
for miles in either direction from New
Ulm, where the dastardly doed was
committed that has since made me mis-
cradle. In 80 | drifted back to Vim
cennes, and was there but short time
when | received word from Memphis
that an uncle had died
AND LEFT ME $36, 900.
and securing my money, [ visited Mem
phis and again started for the west. [
spent about So 900 of my money ram
draw any consolation from a roaming
life, determined to try this way, and
in '72. invested most of my means in
bonds, and for ten years [ lived in a
house something like this in Wisconsin.
but my health seemed to fail me and |
left Wisconsin and went TO Minnesota
and remained a time. From there j
came here in 'S3, and here L expect to
remain until my Eight goes out"
''How do you get your supplies," I
asked.
The Indians bring me whatever
order, and pay them for their trouble
l. utNo III llbUic III IL Duuh db
City, and when l run out, walk over
lit is forty miles from herel and make a
little draw, purchase a supply of provis-
ions, and che Indians bring it to me by
team"
The main part of the house or dugort
| occupied by this strange man is about
ten feet square and perhaps it is fifteen
feet from the surface of the earth to
9he ''foor." The furniture consists of
black walnut bedstead with springs,
two chairs and bench, an oil stove,
cooking utensils, tin water pail, and
clock. The place is as dark as mid
,, night, but light is kept burning day
| and night. One side retreat is boarded
up with rough pine lumber, with nails
driven IN across the entire width of the
| room. On these nails hangs Mr.. Ebes'
(, wardrobe, which is anything but a
| scanty one.
| Mr.. Ebes is SIX feet tall, and wears a
| full dark beard. His forehead, which
| is as fair as that of woman, projects
out over his eyes to a very noticeable
degree. He is a very ready and easy
! talker, using good language, and the
only opinion one can form of him after
visiting his lonely place, is that he is
| voluntarily furnishing himself for folly
| INDUCED In during his youth, by i'm
| prisoning himself in the dismal dirt
| den that he to-day calls home.