Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-08-01
At the Stake.

y
at a time when those fiendish red
skins were on the warpath. We
numbered a hundred cavalry-men
and few scouts.
A party of Pawnees had gone in
to camp four miles beyond where
we halted, and one of our scouts
brought back word that the Indians
had captured white man-proba-
bly, scotland were making prep
arations to burn him to the stake.
Ten of us, under charge of a scout,
had gone forward, and approached
to within few yards of the camp.
The rest of the command halted out
of sight, but were prepared to dash
forward at the first sound of fight.
And this is what we saw:
A cart-load of dry limbs were
conveyed to the stake and piled up,
and then the feet of the cap
tive were loosened, and two
Indians pulled him up. He was
bareheaded, and the instant the
flames showed us his face we recog-
nized him as Charley Keats, the
government scout, attached to Fort
Wallace. He had been captured at
daylight that morning about thirty
miles away, and he was engaged to
marry Molly Sands three weeks
hence.
white man cold-going to build
fire for him--make him warm" said
the chief of the band, as he pointed
to the stake.
Waugh! You are a pack of
skulking cowards!" answered the
scout, as he drew himselfup. Burn
and be hanged! I've got the scalp
locks of six of your best men, and
you won't be much ahead Of Char
ley Keats"
A dozen warriors ran in upon
him with raised tomahawks, but the
chief shouted for them to hold on,
and ordered the prisoner to be led
to the stake. A rawhide lariat,
which had been soaking in the
spring, was then brought along,
and after the scout had been striped
of his clothing, he was made fast
to the stake by the lariat being
passed around his waist. He thus
had the freedom of his arms and
legs, and the fuel was so arranged
that it did not come within three
feet Of the stake. While they were
thus preparing him for torture we
saw him glance about as if he might
! have a faint hope of rescue, but
presently despair came to his heart,
and he turned to the chief and said:
"You are squaw and these peo-
pie are children whom | could drive
with "a stick. There isn't a real
warrior in your tribe. | Ihave made
the whole gang of you run like
rabbits"
There was rush for him, but
the chief drove the warriors back,
and standing with folded arms be-
fore the scout, he answered;
1--WE know you. You are a brave
man. You speak truly when you
say you have the scalps of some of
our warriors, but we shall see how
it will be with you when we prick
you with knives and shoot powder
into your flesh; when we thrust in
these spllnters and light them,
when we cut off the ears, nose and
tongue! After that we will light
the fire aud sit down and listen to
your cries"
ut you hear one yell from me
you may tell every white man in
this country that | was a baby
shouted the scout. "Go ahead with
your picnic. A feller can't die but
once, and I've been prepared for
this sort of death for the last five
years"
There was yell from every In
dian as he ceased speaking, but the
crowd parted right and left and the
chief drew his knife and stood sur
veying the captive. We got the
word at this moment to open fire,
and our ten carbines and the scouts
rifle rang out as one. We rose up
with cheer and fired again. There
was no longer anything in sight to
fire at. The Indian ponies, grazing
at O little distance away, dashed off
in drove, and every warrior who
could move rushed at the side of the
mountain and disappeared among
the rocks and thicket,
The command came galloping up,
but there was no work for il. On
the ground lay seven dead and two
wounded Indians, with ten to twelve
r;Aao oud all THAR blaoLafs ecotfar.