Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-07-18
PUT TO THE TORTURE
THE CAPTURE AND ESCAPE OF A
GOVERNMENT SCOUT.
The Brave Man Who Exasperated the
Indians and Came Near Paying the
Extreme Penalty of His Boldness-A
Thrilling Indian Story.

Copyright, 1892, by Charles b. Lewis.l
In the fall of 1866, while the Indian tribes
of Kansas Nebraska and Colorado were
protesting peace yet making ready for the
bloody spring campaign which cost so
many lives, Black Bird, a son of Roman
Nose, the famous Cheyenne chief, paid a
visit to Fort Larned. He was a young,
man about twenty years of age, tall, active
and brave as lion. Although he made
the excuse of trade, and although he did
purchase few supplies, it was believed by
everybody at the post that he came as
spy. There had been a war council of all
the tribes, and it had been agreed to open n
war in the spring which should not cease
until the white man was driven east of the
forks of the Kansas river
One of the hunters and scouts attached
TO the fort at that time was man named
Joe Hail. who had served as a scout under
General Sheridan. He was thirty-tive
Years old, strong and rugged, and it was
said of him that he didn't know what fear
was. He firmly believed that young Black
Bird came to ascertain and report on the
strength of the fort and he picked quar-
rel with him to obtain satisfaction. Black
Bird, although alone and realizing that he
had no friends there, did not show the
white feather. 1t was fight with knives,
beginning so suddenly that the officers
could not interfere The Indian was
wounded and disarmed, and in order to
humble him still more Hall spat upon him
and retained his knife trophy. 1t was
an act criticised and lamented by the off
GERS, and disgrace they knew would have
to be washed out in blood, and Hall him
self realized that from that hour every
man of the Cheyenne tribe would thirst
for his life. Two weeks later old Roman
Nose sent in the following message:
Give up the man who insulted my son
and l will be satisfied. If you do not it
shall be war between us and the whites as
long as l have a warrior able to raise a
tomahawkr'
The demand was of course refused, and
to give Hall better show to protect him
self he was transferred to Fort Lyon Colora-
do. The Indians soon learned of the change,
and Black Bird was given the command of
ten warriors and ordered not to return to
his father until he brought Halls scalp.
During the greater part of the winter this
band hung about Fort Lyon for an oppor-
tunity to kill the scout. He knew of their
presence, but made no change in his pro-
gramme. He had a mule almost as feet
of foot as an antelope, and always carried
Winchester and two revolvers.
Spring came and with it the opening of
savage warfare. The Indians took the
field determined to sweep everything be-
from Fort Lyon to Fort Wallace with dis
patches. The intervening country was
literally swarming with hostileS, but he
was within three miles of Wallace before
he found his position perilous. Roman
Nose and his band, numbering about
$50 bucks, made sudden dash on the
overland stage station mile from the
fort and gobbled up about fifty horses and
mules. They expected to get the scalps of
- or Int la
men ran to their dugouts and poured in
such a hot fire to drive the Indians off.
Roman Nose then ordered an attack on
the fort, which was only a collection of
tents and shanties and SHINY garrisoned
He was beaten off after "A sharp fight, and
while retreating his force came upon Hall
trying to make the fort.
The scout was cut off and he turned to
make run for it. His mule would have
distanced any pony in the band, but the
race had scarcely begun when bullet
from the rife of Il purSuer struck Hall in
the back of the head. 1t was n spent ball
and didn't draw blood, but it gave him
such a shock that he tumbled out of his
saddle and was a prisoner when he recov-
cred consciousness. There We're thirty
different warriors who knew Hall by sight
and when it became known who the pris-
oner was the rejoicing was something ter
rife. He was thoroughly up in the Chey-
enne dialect, and of course caught every
thing said. When Roman Nose was told
that Hall was the prisoner so fortunately
picked up, he rode up to him and said:
Il have lost nine warriors today, but ]
shall no longer grieve. am more pleased
than as if had captured the fort"
Hall knew that he must die and he
hoped to provoke the chief to kill him off
hand. He called him squaw, a coward
and braggart. He tainted him with
having a coward for n son, and he offered
to fight ten of his men if they would turn
him loose. Some of the warriors We're for
killing him on the spot, but the old chief
waived them back and said:
I'VE will put him to the torture! He
shall die ten times over! Seven suns shall
come and go before death comes to himr'
The Cheyennes had their headquarter
village on the Smoky Hill Fork, about
thirty miles away, and thither the whole
band proceeded.
1t was after dark when they reached the
town, and Hall was tied hand and foot and
placed in a tepee and four guards stationed
around it. a small raiding party had that
day captured a man belonging to the Sew
enth cavalry wagon train. The Cheyennes
had determined not to spare man, woman
child who fell into their hands, but
after powwow lasting an hour the team
ster was brought out and Roman Nose
said to him:
eve have captured Flying Horse (HalD
and we want all white men to know it.
They will not believe us, hut they will be
lieve you. Come and see him."
He was led to the tepee and Hall admit
ted his identity and charged him with
some farewell messages to friends. He
also gave him the dispatches he was to
deliver, or rather asked Roman Nose to do
so, and the chief then said:
''That YOUR white brothers NAV know
you have been captive in our hands we
will send them our mark
He thereupon sliced off both of the poor
fellows ears and handed them to him to