The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1891-06-04
THE ACME OF SACRIFICE.
How 8 Brave Man Shot Himself to Savs
the Lives of His Comrades.


tho Lives of His Comrades.
Is a man ever justified in taking his
own life? Ask that question: says
Helena Mont correspondent, of the
few brave men who are left of the little
band that went out upon the tragic Yell
lowstone expedition of 1853, and then
ask them if blood was ever more nobly
shed than when Henry T, Geery placed
a pistol to his temple and sent his own
soul into eternity that he might buy
chance of safety for his comrades and
friends.
It was a scene that no man can fit
tingly describe, that no man who wit
messed it can forget. Fifteen brave
and well-armed men had started out
frora Bannack City in the early days OF
April to search for gold, and near the
middle of May, with their numbers sad
ly reduced by death from the arrows
and bullets of Indian braves, they had
only one thought-to fight their way
back to civilization or die, as be6tted
the high code of chivalry recognized by
the pioneers of the west. They might
have made dash for it and cut their
way out by very boldness, but to have
done that would have been to abandon
Henry Bell, who was fearfully wounded,
but for whom there yetrema1ned hope.
So he was placed upon horse and the
little cavalcade moved upon its forlorn
way. The Indians were all around
them, waiting for a chance to rush in
and give the finishing blow with the
least possible danger to themselves.
They had moved twenty miles since
daybreak, slowly picking their way
over the snow upon the mountains. At
four in the afternoon, weary and cold,
they halted to give Bell needed rest and
prepare supper. Pickets were thrown
out and the other men had begun to I'M
pack, when one named York gave the
alarm that Indians were approaching.
Each man sprang for his rifle, when
suddenly a shot was heard in their very
midst A glance at Geery told the story.
With deadly pallor upon his face, but
with head erect, he stood leaning upon
his gun. He said: 'Boys, have fool
| ishly ended my life." In his haste he
had grasped his rifle by the muzzle, the
hammer had caught in a blanket and
had been drawn back, and the ball had
struck him in the breast, shattering his
shoulder and making mortal wound.
His comrades helped him to a sitting
| posture. He then calmly opened his
shirt and, pointing to the wound, told
them that he could have only few
hours to live. "But that is too long for
| you to remain here, " he added. 1.-THE
sun is going down and the Indians will
be upon you. 1t would be impossible to
defend yourselves in this place" Then
he turned his brave eyes to Capt. Stuart
and said: Jim, tell the boys I'm fatal
~ wounded"
| His comrades saw what was on his
mind and begged him to take no
thoughts of them, except to make him
as comfortable as they might during
his final hours. But all the answer he
made was to reach for his pistol, hold
it firmly in his hand, and give them
warning that any endeavor to take it
from him would only hasten the newt
able end.
No one made the attempt, but with
tears in their eyes and forgetting the
dangers hedging them in, his comrades
attempted to reason with him, and to
persuade him that with help he might
! pull through, as Bellwas already doing
But he knew as well as they that the
end was matter of few hours at the
most. Turning again to Stuart he
urged him to tell the boys how desper-
ate was his case, and 'sCapt. Jim," with
tears in his eyes and choking voice,
could only say: Never mind, Geery,
we will stand by you; all the Indians in
the world couldn't drive us away"
The decision of this plain frontiers.
man was made, and nobody could shake
his heroic resolve. 81 know you would
all stand by me. !" he said, land die for
me. And remember that am not com
hitting suicide. It is only for a short
time, in any case. / am only shorten.
ing my life by few hours to prevent
you losing yours. God knows I don't
want to die; I fear death, but | have a
hope beyond it
He held the muzzle of the weapon to
his breast.
Remember where am buried-this
gorge in the mountains. Describe it to
my friends if you live to reach them.
God bless you all! I must die, and in
time for you to bury me and escape be.
fore dark. !"
He was about to pull the trigger
when the voice of Stuart came from the
group of palefaced men, who could
have calmly faced anything but this
For Gods sake, Geery, don't; but, Il
you must, don't shoot yourself there. II
will only prolong your agony. Place
your pistol to your temple"
The change was made. "God bless
you all and take you safely out of this. ;
The men turned and walked away;
none of them could face the final scene.
The finger came down upon the trigger,
the cap exploded, but there was nc
shot. Sam T. Hauser, afterward gov
ernor of Montana, stepped forward and
said: "Geery, for Gods sake, desist
this is warming" To this he merely
made answer: 81 don't know what tc
think of it; it never snapped before. >
Again cooking the weapon he engaged
a moment in silent prayer, agar
pressed his finger, and the deed wa: