Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1895-07-27
The Tragedy in the Life of the Late {
A. Stevenson.

ne ragedY IN the Life of the Late E.
A. Stevenson.
A letter from Butte, dated July l6,
in the Anaconda Standard, gives the
following particulars of the tragedy
in the life of the late L. A. Stevenson
There lives in Meaderville lady
who was witness TO a very tragic
occurrence in the life of Ex-Governor
Stevenson, of Idaho, whose recent
death recalls the affair The lady is
Mrs. Hester NJ Gray and 81 years ago
she lived in Marysyille, Cal, her hus-
band at that time having been prom
inent physician at that place. In the
summer Of that year, Mrs. Gray was
one Of a party Of excursionists to Red
Bluffs, the party intending to camp
near some springs a short distance
from that city. Mr. Stevenson at that
time hyed with his wife aud family on
ranch two miles from Red Bluffs.
The party passed his place on their
way 10 the springs and were advised
10 return 10 the city because a num-
bor OF Pit river Indians had been seen
lurking about the vicinity for several
days and il was feared that they were
up TO some mischief. The Pit river
Indians had been committing many
drpredations, such as stealing horses,
and the ranchers expected some new
act of deviltry. Mrs Gray's party
took the advice and returned TO Red
Bluffs, where they stopped at hotel
kept by man who has since become
prominent in the State of California.
That night the town was aroused by
an alarm of fire and il was discovered
that the Stevenson residence. stables
and other buildings on the ranch were
ablaze. By the time people from the
city reached the place the buildings
had burned TO the ground, and Mrs /
Stevenson and a sister and three chill
dren were burned to death Mr.. Ste
venson was away from home at the /
time The terrible affair weighed So |
heavily upon him that he never reoov-
cred from it, and his friends in after
years, out OF respect for his feelings, |
never referred to it.
There was no doubt that the fire |
was started BY the thieviug Indians. |
who stole a number of horses. but it |
was never known whether the women |
and children were first butchered or
whether they were overcome by the
flames before they could escape from
the burning building. The facts con
ceruing the fire were published in |
the papers at the time, but there !
was Que tragic affair connected with
il, the facts Of which were never pub
lished. la Mr.. StevenSon's family /
was little Indian boy, 10 or IL years
of age, who acted as servant. Wher /
the citizens of Red Bluffs were ON
their way TO the burning home, they
met the boy coming toward town,
on one OF Mr. Stevenson 5
horses 1t was surmised that the boy
hhOh sNlhttuAuS ahbub tut ulS anu /
that he assisted the Indians in their
devilish work, but what proof the
crowd had Of this suspicion was never
known. They brought the boy to
town and TO the hotel where Mrs.
Gray and her party were stopping and
after consultation among the leading
men OF the place, they put rope
around the little boys neck and led
him away, He was crying piteously
for mercy, and the women, who wit
messed the affair from the balcony of
The hotel, protested earnestly against
The outrage, but they were not needed,
and the child was taken beyond sight
of the hotel and hung. Several men
If local prominence at the time, and
who have since been prominent in the
state of California and in the nation.
we're concerned in the atfair,-Boise
Democrat.