The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-08
HE FOUGHT INDIANS.
A Thrilling Incld mt in the Early Career
Ex-Governor HtuSer.

| A Thrilling Incid mt in the Early Career
| ofEx-Governor H,u>er.
The following thrilling incident in the
early career of Ex-Governor Hauser of
Montana is published IN the New York
Advertiser:
More than 30 years ago Sam Hauser and
| seven other prospectors had advanced far
into the Indian country in the territory of
Idaho. now a part of Montana. They had
literally fought their way to point on the
banks of small river, where they
| imagined they had escaped the Indians
and would have no more trouble. With n
feeling of security they pitched
their tents and made preparations
to prospect for gold. They were
all fatigued and when night came
they went TO sleep early, expecting TO
have a good nights rest, free from In
dams and proving beasts. Mr.. Hauser
slept I'm one tent with "Drewy" Under
wood, a corpulent man, who was wounded
in more places by one bullet than any
other man on record. About midnight
the sleepers were aroused by the sound of
a volley from rifles and the dreadful yell
| of Indians. The Indians had crept up
| the banks of the river, and, without ven
turing to expose their bodies, had fired
into the tents. They could easily have
massacred the entire party if they had
boldly entered the tents. Frontiersmen
trained in Indian fighting knew what 10
do when they were attack ed.
They hurriedly seized their guns,
crawled out of their tents, and,
in the darkness of the night.
lying fat down returned the fire. The
first volley from the Indians killed three
and wounded about that many, leaving
only three or four who could shoot with
accuracy. The ex-governor had blood
spattered over him but he was untouched.
His sleeping companion, "Drewey" Under
wood. was lying on his back, mis- arms
folded over his large fieshy chest. One
bull ct made eight holes in his skin and
yet did not make him hors de combat.
The bullet entered his left arm above the
bone, passed through, and ploughed its
way into the fieshy part of his huge and
ridgy chest, and made its exit via the
right arm. Four holes were made in the
skin on his chest and four on his arms.
But they did not prevent him from fght-
ing, and he and Mr.. Hauser were soon be-
hind obstacles outside of their tent
pegging away in the dark in the direction
of the Indians. They put up such good
fight that the Indians retreated by day
light.
The gallant band of prospectors then
began a retreat, after they had buried
their dead and made arrangements to
carry their wounded. For several days
they wandered without food and scarcely
any water, footsore and expecting every
moment TO be attacked again by the In
dams. Sam Hauser's courage and OPP
timism never deserted him, and, like
Moses he believed that they would reach
the land of promise, which was the first
white settlement. Oae day they ate, or.
rather they began to chew. the leather
they had cut from their shoes. Two of
the wounded gave up the ghost from star
walton, and with their dying breath
begged their comrades to push ahead and
save themselves. Once, as they stag.
gered along they saw the mirage of a
them hope. for their tongues were
parched with thirst After hours
of weary trud-ing when they imagine
they we're near the water, they saw IN the
distance horsemen moving toward them
They thought the horsemen were Indians
and, starved and weak as they were. the
prepared. like heroes. TO sell their lives as
dearly as possible. They halle I. o. rather.
sat down, from sheer weakness. Ons
man began. in his ielirium, for starvation
had worked terri BILE ravages upon him.
10 repeat the Episcopal burial ser,i.c.
when tho !ain; notes of 4 busie were
waited 10 them.
saved, thank Cod" they all cried u
feeble chorus.
In a few minutes a detachment Of fed