Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-02-24
MURDERED BY INDIANS.
AND THE INDIANS WIPED our
BY SOLDIERS.
The Troops Were Led b. an Avenging
Bnsband--Iie Died of Grief when tho
Fight Was over. Illus Hs Had had His
Reysnge The End of IA Family.

At o'clock in the afternoon. as
we were marching up the eastern
branch OF Tongue river. a man in
citizens dress came riding furiously
from the cast For five minutes after
he reached us he could not answer
an inquiry. Then he wept and raved
by turns, and it was quarter of an
hour before he told his story. 1t was
the one so often heard In those days
Ian emigrant family-a dash by
small band OF Indians killing. scalp
ing and making captive. His two
children were dead and his wife was
carried away on the saddle OF war
rior. He was wounded by arrows
and bullets. but as we wheeled
squarely to the right aud rode for
Panther valley, he was with the CAP
tain at the head OF the troop.
We were riding to intercept the
Indians at White creek For two
hours every horse was kept at full
speed. Then we struck the creek,
ollowed ii through the scrub and
over the ridge. and as we broke
cover there were the Indians coming
up One OF the foremost had the
woman behind him. There was the
valley, five miles wide and without
cover; dozen Indians. fifty troopers.
With a wild cheer we dashed at
them. Fast as we rode, the wound
ed and bereayed citizen rode faster
He had borrowed a saber OF one Of
the men. and as he rode into the bat
tie bare headed and his face covered
with blood-stains and the saber way
ing in the evening sun and catching
its rays. the Indians yelled out in
alright and wheeled and galloped
down the valley.
One by one we overlook them.
Our horses were jaded, but theirs
even worse. We gained on them an
inch at a time. Here and there u
bullet from a carbiue tumbled a war
rior from his saddle. but in most
cases the saber did the work. Not
an Indian threw up hand in token
OF surrender. Loaded down with
plumber and fresh scalp at each
belt they must have realized that no
quarter would be shown. They
heard the trooper coming nearer. but
they did not even glance back. They
could hear the labored breathing of
/ the horse with his nose at the pony's
! iiank-they could feel his breath
/ they knew that a stout hand clutched
Z sharp saber, but they rode with
their faces to the south and their
eyes on the ground. A foot or two
nearer and the saber whirled through
the air and the trooper rose in his
stirrups to give the cut which cleft
the skull as il il had been paper.
Three are down - five-seven--
nine. OF these the avenging hus.
band has killed three His saber is
red with blood. and blood has run
down its blade and smeared his
hands afrosh He utters no cheer
he has no battle cry. His horse is the
freshest of all. and he dashes up
alongside warrior seizes his
weapon with both hands, and when
he strikes a corpse rolls TO the earth.
ine-ten-elevenl Only one left
and that warrior carrying away the
captivel He has been safe from our
bullets for fear OF injury to the
woman. His war pony can outspeed
our horses. but not the animal which
our avenger rides. 1t is race be
tween the two Slowly but surely
the avenger gains. We cheer him
as we realize it-cheer him as W,
follow in his footsteps.
He hau pulled his horse to the lefr
and is ranging up alongside wher
the unconscious form OF a woman il
flung TO the earth. The vindictiv,
Indian has first driven his knife Il
her heart The body falls almos
under the feet OF the horse coming
up. but the avenger does not draw
rein, With eyes blazing and teetl
hard shut he rides straight on, Nov
his bloody fingers clutch the blood!
hilt OF tho saber; now the weapon i
raised on high; now he leans forward
presses hard against his stirrups an,
strikes blow which separates tn
head in halves clear down TO tn,
chin. OF the twelve not one ha
escaped. AS we gather about tn
dead body OF the woman the avenge
comes riding back.
He knows what has happened. HI
throws himself from his horse an,
kneels beside the body, ana we dra,
away to leave him alone with hi
dead.
II is a wipe-out of a band of iiends
II any one were inclined to pity, Their
are seven fresh scalps attached I
the belts of the dead as proof tina
such devils deserve no pity. The
have slaughtered old and young
men. women and children. We shal
leave their bodies to the wolve
crawling out of their lairs on tn
bush-lined ridge separating the val
legs. and to the vultures gathering
IN the evening sky above us,
We return to the avenger and hi
dead. He must have his wound
dressed. and he will point out tn
spot where we shall bury the dead
We halt 100 feet away, and the car
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