The morning news., 1897-08-29

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had rolled over on him in its mortal strug-
gle. All about were Sioux, and he was soon
discovered He was bound hand and foot,
his clothes were stripped from him and
then began his three days of hell He was
in the camp of Chief Standing Elk, who
had twenty old warriors under his com
mand. These and their squaws at once
commenced to entertain themselves with
Benjamin and two other white men. The
latter had not been in the battle but had
been captured while prospecting. Benja-
min did not learn their names nor history,
for they lived but few hours after he saw
them.
The three were first made to run the
gauntlet. 1t being made plain to them by
signs that if they survived they would be
given their liberty. This was but an added
cruelty, for to prolong the entertainment
they were permitted to make the running
the first time with little harm, then were
brought back amid the laughter and jeers
of the squawS to endure the ordeal again.
One of the two prospectors said to his fell
low prisoners that there was no hope, and
he would end il there. So when the signal
was given for them to recommence the run
this man savagely attacked one of the
bucks and fought so furiously that he
would not be torn away from the Indian
until his skull had been cleft with q hatch
ct, and the quick death which he cJveted
was his.
The rest Of the story Benjamin does not
like 10 tell, and indeed it is not fit to be
told in it entirety. The other prospector
was at once bound and turned over to the
women and children. They did nothing to
him that would kill him at once. and when
q % y ftt1 ~ in,
htcted upon him, they would revive him
with cold water, only to commence new
ard more ingenious tortues Finally it was
evident that mis- mutilated, quivering body
would not retain life much longer, so the
younger member of the band got about
him, smoking and laughing at his fright
full shrieks, and fed a slow fire that was
kndied ON his stomach.
The next day and the one after that
BENJAMIN supplied the fun for the camp.
~ cOmely young Squaw came to MIN and
tried TO make him open his mouth. He
saw her purpose was evil and refused, so
she took a hatchet, and one by one she
knOcker MS teeth in, smashing down his
upper jaW. Then she took rough pair of
wooden 'pincers, and gresping with them
his tongue at the roots, dragged him about
the place, convulsed with mirth at his
torment and his attempts to scream.
Another pleasantly was to mass a guam
damp bark and bind it about his head.
When he would swoon the Goals would be
| removed and a fresh lot applied when he
regained consciousness. They were some
what tender with him for he was the
last prisoner they had, and he made such
sport for the women and children that his
death was to be as long drawn out as pos
sible.
The squaws had great fun breaking his
feet. This they call ''bastinette' which
is presumably a term they got from the
| French vOyasers. To do this he was stak-
| ed down TO the earth, and the sOles of his
| feet were dubbed until every one of the
innumerable bones were broken and the
| flesh reduced to jelly.
When this occupation palled he was
| staked out on a red ant hill. This he de-
| scribes as the most atrocious agony of all,
| for it was gradually being eaten alive.
| He cannot tell how long he endured it, but
| it seemed cycles until he tainted. He was
removed before he was Vitally injured,
| and the remainder Of the second day he
was tortured in all imaginable ways, his
| cries causing the utmost JOY to young and
! old. The next day there We're signs that
| the Indians intended to break camp. Ben
| jamin was shot fun of arrows where they
| would not at once produce a mortal
wound. one big buck thrust a flint spear
| head through his thigh, and thus firmly
! pinned him more firmly to the ground, be-
| cause he squirmed at some of the inde-
! scrbahle atrocities, and one Of the
! squaws, as a parting remembrance, cleft
| his chin with a hatchet All this time OF
! agony. IL must be remembered, he was
suffering from the bullet in his head, and
! it is still there, forming a great protuber-
ance.
"Why do not you have it cut out?' he
| was asked.
"The doctors would charge me s25." he
| answered, ''and l have never been able 10
! spare the money"
About the incest death his captors could
| desire for him was 10 put him again on
| the ant hin and leave him there 20 be de-
voured in minute particles.
! He lay there, shrieking, praying foI
/ death, when of a sudden there was the
wild whoop Of cowboys the crack Of six
! shooters and Buffalo Bill with his band
! of scouts, rode yelling down on the In
/ dams 1t was hand to hand for a few
/ moments. one plucky rider plunged Ia
! where Benjamin lay, cut the thong that
| bound him. pulled him away from the
/ ants and put a sx-shooter into his hand
! The poor wretch could not rise-in fact
| hardly had power to cock the weapon;
| but. having done that watched the affray
/ intending TO Kill himself II his rescuers
were worsted But they won, and not
| one of Standing Elk's band made their
! escape.
The mangled suffering prospector was
! tenderly cared for by the frontiersmsn,
| and as quickly as possible hc was sent Ia
/ Cheyenne and given the best medical care
/ But the ordeal mad been TO much TO en-
| dure; his nervous system was shattered
/ his mind gave way for a time and he was
/ placed I'm retreat.
| Most men would have given up Manned
| and wrecked. with no resources aud a
| wife aud children 90 care for. his outlook
/ was drcary But benjamin has faith IN
| himself ana Ia the country. which gave
/ him birth, and. in his own words, believes
! that "an American can never be doWncd
as long as as he draws breath" lie al
| once went 20 work. ana since the rccov-
! cry of h,s faculties he has not known
/ an idlc day.
la san Francisco he met Jim O'Brlen.
| aud from him obtained employment for Il
! time. Then be- lived in san Diego aud kept
| lttel fruit store. some months ago hs
came 90 Los Angeles. whore he now
| works as an cAprossmau he has d
/ wagon ana stands on the southwest cor.
/ ncr Of Broadway ana Fourth streets. Il.