The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06
WOODRIvER'S MAD NIGHT.
ONE INCIDENT OF TBRILLING Pro-
NEER HISTORY.


Final Rescue OF All from n sioux Bnnd.
Keep that kid quiet" said Bnnkera in n
hoarso whisper.
I'm doing the best I can" said his wife. try.
ing to hush the little one. who was sobbing and
moaning in her lap. In tho baby's milk wagon
q bitter night was going on between paregoric
and pain, and tho latter was dying hard. The
wind drove the rain against tho side OF the car
and made II rock to and fro. Emma" said
Mirs. Bankers to her friend, take that bottle
and hold 1t between you and n crack in tho car.
and when IL lightens drop ten drops into the
spoon-l suppose wo must not strike n light"
You bet you don't strike any light here I'M
less you are ready to give up your %chienon,' " said
Bankers, without taking his eyes from tho
crack through which he was ~peeping. Emma
took the bottle. and Mt each flash of lightning
dropped a drop OF hush medicine into tho spoon,
and when she had put in ten drops they gave 1t
TO the baby. That made twenty drops-it was
dangerous-but II was sure death to all of them
II the baby cried aloud.
The rain came in great sheets and with such
force TINT 1t seemed that tho Cur could hardly
hold the rail. 1t was not a Pullman car; Just n
common red stock car standing on q siding with
q few armfulb of straw upon the floor. Occa-
sionslly Bankers turned to glance at the two
women who were crouching in one end Of the
car. and when the lightning lit up their faces
they were fearful to behold. Now the ruiL
cold as sleet, came through the cracks in the
car aud stung the faces OF those within. Mrs.
Bankers had seen three winters at Woodriver.
but her friend, the young woman who had come
out to western Nebraska to teach school, was in
every scnse n tenderfoot, and the experience Of
this wild night had almost driven her mad.
There they are" whispered Bankers. Now
the women puttheir eyes to a crack. and when O
fash came they could see q reef Of feathered
huuse like a feather boa about a woman'sn neck.
Half the band dismounted and made a rush for
devils swarmed in. One OF them took a news
paper and lighted It at tho open fireplace to
in Ike a torch, and by tho light Of 1t the little
party in the stock car could see the Sioux run
ming. half crouching. fro III room TO room, in
search OF the occupants. Finding the place de-
serted, and smarting under their disappoint-,
ment, the Indians now set fire to the house, and
by the light of 1t started to loot the railroad
station. leps than a hundred yards away.
The station agent had been warned, as the
brayely refused to leave his post. lie had made
no light, but sat In one end Of the dark little
room which served us ticket office. telegraph
office. and sleeping, room. and as the Indians
the leader Of the murderous band leaped high
into the air. came down on his feet. leaped up
rise no more. With a deafcning yell the angry
band made a rush for the door and began TO
beat against It with tomahawRs. clubs. aud guns.
Having emptied his rifle the agent now took
up a pair of 45-calibre revolvers, and the lead
1hlrly rhttltu against the door. ana no FEWER
than a half dozen savages sank 10 the platform.
causing the b%esiegers to fall back q space.
From "a distance they began to pour the lead
into the building. but the agent, crouchinE be-
hind the little iron safe. was still un,Iurt. An
Indian brought q torch from the burning cot
taRe and attempted TO fire the station. but the
rain and wind put out the fire. Two or three
sioux. noticing a string Of cars upon the siding.
into the straw. TN" said an Old buck as
cars. And lAnkeTs felt "a hurt in his Ahnrt
ribs. Laying mold of tie side Of the car the In
dian began to pull and strain. By the merest
now as 1t opened he thrust his hideous head in
side. Bankers could have blown the top of the
be to attack a dozen redssins. agains; whom he
could not hope TO hold out long, The women
slept as though 1t had already entered upon its
final rest. The other two Indians had given up
back to the station. where the agent. having
reloaded all his guns, kept the gang hopping
and dancing about the station platform. The
old Sioux AT the car door cooked his head
and listened. lie must have fancied he heard
something breathe. for now he put his hands
upon the sill and ieAped into the car. He had
scarcely stral 2htened up when Bankers's rifle
barrel fell across his feathered head. and he
dropped like n beef. The school ma'am uttered
q faint scream. and that was the last sound that
came from her corner for some time. The
milton. gave the gun over to his wife and then
covered the dead Sioux with straw. Already
ground and the rain had nearly quenched the
fire. Every attempt made by the hand to fire
sioux were now. preparing to storm the
fort. 1t was hard for bankers to keep quiet
so oravely ana 80 dearly to The Sioux, but there
were his wife and baby and the helpless school
ma'am, who had been persuaded by the Bank
eEses to comet To this wild region, aud he felt 1t his
duty to protect them ms best he could. Present.
tbSiyn' % as though mi /, we're being ToIIed Slow ps " along
the rail. His trsi thought was that he Indians
we're pushing the empty cars down near tine
station and that they would set fire TO the straw,
and then there would be no possible ESCAPE.
Now there was a roar AS OF an approaching
train. and an instant later Il gren; darn object
hove IN sight and rolled past the car. 1t was n
locomotive drawing a dozen box cars and run
beslegers, the rattle OF rifles. and the Wild cry OF
the night prevented the Sioux from feeling the
vibration or hearing the sound OF the approach
ing train.
The agent. who had been severely wounded.
now .crawled to the key and called Ogaliala. AT
the first attack he had wired for help, and now.
he told the operator there he could hold the
place only a little while longer. The agent was
tho station, shook the building, and he knew
the moment he felt the CULVER OF 1t that help
cars came open and II company Of Government
scouts. all Pnwnees. except the officers, leaped
making their last desperate charge upon the
station. Before They could realize that retn-
BY the scouts. who always fought to Kill. Tho
battle was short and decisive. and when the
Sioux fed they lett more than half their num-
Der upon the field.
Probably the most anxious man in the whole
party WAC the conductor OF the special train that
had brought the SCOUTS from Ogallala. lie had
ridden all tho way on the locomotive, and the
moment The train stopped he had leaped 10 the
ground and gone through u shower Of bullets TO
where the cottage which had been the home OF
the Bnnkcrses had stood. The sight OF the house
in ashes made him sick Mt heart. but there was
still hope; they might have taken refuge in the
station. ana. facing about, the fearless conductor
fought his Way to thc door. BY this time tho
SiDnN were giving ll lhglr albanian IN thu
scouts, and the conductor forced his body
through the shot.riddled door. The agent lay
upon ihc floor III a pool 81 his own blood. but he
was still alive. Where are they p asked the
conductor. glancinG about the dark room.
Among thu stock cars. II they are still
alive was the reply which. came In u faint
whisper. 81 saw them leaving the house ut
dusk SO to them lm-l'm all right" and the
conductor. having placed the wounded man
upon Hls bed, made fo9 The stock cars.
bankers. where are you ~ he called, and
Bankers answered, only two cars away. Now
the conductor lighted his white light and
climbed into the car. The brave Mrs. bankers
greeted him with IA smile that soon changed
10 tears, for Ia the light OF the hand lamp Size