The Red Cloud chief., 1896-10-16

and his friends, on
one side, and several museum specu-
lators who were trying to get away
with the adamantine human on the
other, says the New York World.
The fight happened on the Orinotok
plateau on the edge Of n elf. The
petrifed man had been concealed ut the
base Of the canyon. While the specu-
lators were at work laboriously haul
ing the remarkable curiosity to the Top,
the son and his supporters were seen
across the rayine galloping furiously
toward them.
When the son caught sight OF the
spectators he opened fire. The dis
lance was too great, however. for the
shot to take effect. The spectators re-
doubled their efforts. while the party
on the other side Of the canyon kept
up a steady fire.
The petrified man was hauled to Tie
top before any one was shot, and then,
lying behind the mass of stone. hey
returned the fire with repeating rifles.
The chaem a too great to be
Jumped on horses and Is about seven
miles long. Finally the son and bis
friends went away. evidently intend
ing TO come around on the other side.
Before they had time to do this, how
ever. the petritied man had been safely
carried away into Manitoba. and soon
after II was placed on exhibition In
large cities and towns in the north
west.
From attempting to recover his pot
riiicd parent by force of arms tho SCR
has 10Y TUNED TO legal proceedings.
In almost every city he has attached
the stone man. and rs a result the GU
riosity has been kept most of the timc
In jails awaiting the decisions Of the
courts. In every instance the 'pecu-
lators nave won. There is no prece-
dent in law 20 determine what owl
dence II is necessary for "A son to pro-
duce In order to prove that a petrifled
man liz simply his parent turned to
stone, and so the western judges have
dismissed the suits.
The petrifed man was found on he
farm of George McPherran. in Mar
shall county, Minnesota, by "A farm
hand. II represents perfectly "A man
about six feet high. A few inches be-
low the heart is a hole which Is sup
posed to be the mark Of a bullet. His
limbs were perfectly straight, with the
exception OF the left arm. and his eyes
were closed. His mouth was part way
open. The teeth are still in good con-
dition and shine like ivory. The lips
are shrivcled so that the teeth are dis
hairs on his eyebrows and on the front
part OF his skull. One of the toes on
the left foot was broken off.
a resident Of Minnesota, after seeing
an account OF the pctrification, said he
thought he knew the history Of the
If ii is the man that | think II Is here
will be n bullet-hole in the center Of
his breast" After visiting the patri-
fed man he said that he was satisfied
that II was the body of lie Count, a
Frenchman, and that a son Of the de-
N'ft'N "ur VIZ ~ Nv Will
lie Count was a Canadian voyag'ur
and guide. He married a half-brced
and, together with her and his two
boys, set out from the city OF 81. Pau
to guide a party of three Englishmer
10 Fort Pembina and return. When
they reached a point ON their .eturr
journey which was on the prairie alonl
the Pembina trail, in what Is now Mar
shall county. Minnesota, they mad,
camp for the night.
One OF the Englishmen had acte,
very queerly for some days and sud
denly became insane hat very night.
Early in the morning. before the res
Of the party arose. lie Count went cut
side OF the tent. where he was met h!
the insane Englishman, who. withou
the least warning, picked up n rife t.
shot lie Count in the breast.
The family OF the dead man dug
rude grave in a lonely spot and con
tinued their journey to st. Paul. De
tore reaching 81. Paul the Englishmal
went away and left the family to q
the path alone. This story, it Is said
can be proven by the elder son OF l.
Count, who lives at Medicine Lake.
The petriiied man was shipped I
Fargo, n. D., and placed OH exhibition
The elder son of lie Count, the guide
hearing Of the circumstances, starte
TO claim the stone mar as the body
his parent. The spectators were toll
OF his intent and they scurried away I
.he north, near the Manitoba line, an
hid their curiosity at the place wher
the fight took place,
There has recently been a story {
the effect that the molds from whic
the petrified man was east had bee
found in another state. This is ger
orally regarded as an attempt to 10
stroy public interest, as IA careful @,
animation Of the petriication rey"n'
much evidence to prove that the imae
could not have been manufactured.
The proprietors of the stone ma