The sun., 1897-08-01
HIS WHITE BUFFALO ROBE.
JIM CIsPI0N NEARLY LOST HIS
LIFE IN GETTING THE Price.


LIFE IN GETTING THE Price.
ne Kiliea the BuRhio. Ono of the Threo seen
stnre IaosIThe Rare Aniual was IN q
Btanspede-Caspton Kept the stin Ten Yenrs
for Luck-He was Killed AFTER seliinE It.
"In living twenty years in tho plains country
beyond tho Missouri in tho time when herds Of
buffalo covered the prairie never saw n white
BUFFALO" said Martin wrinesby, formerly q
Kansas hunter and ranchman. "But 1t Is GER
tain that three skins at least OF this rare ami
NAL were In existence at time subsequent to
1866. The one best known is the stuffed skin Of
the white buffalo COW that stood in the museum
OF tho State House at Topeka, Kan. In 1881,
and probably Is still in existence In care OF
the State. The second was carried Mt his saddle
by Roman Nose, the Cheyenne chief, who led
the grand charge against Capt. SANDY" For
sythe's band of scouts In the memorable fight on
tho Arickaree branch OF the Republican River
In 1867, in which the chief was killed. Tho
third. taken in 1871, was for ten years in pos
session Of the hunter, James Caspion, who killed
the buffalo that originally wore It OF where II
went after he disposed of 1t, have not the
least idea.
"Caspion was one Of q party OF three hunters
who with q wagon train and saddle horses went,
in October, 1871, out on the plains of western
Kansas to hunt buffalo On Oct. IL Caspion,
with Sam Tillman. started out on horseback in
the morning to look for buffalo. leaving the
third man to follow along In the wagon. In Or
der to bring greater range Of country into
view the two horsemen separated, keeping al
ways in sight Of each other. Late in the after
noon, riding up tho slope Of long ridge Of roll
ing prairie and looking over tho crest Cas-.
pion saw ahead OF him twenty-five miles
away a range OF steep bluffs. Between
tha h,f-
falo being within long rife range. was
the great southern herd. which every summer
fed northward from Texas and Now Mexico, re-
naming in Kansas and Colorado until the
storms OF winter drove them to the south again.
There were tens OF thousands OF the beasts IN
view, as Caspion said. but what particularly
caught his eye was milk. white buffalo feeding
among the oihcrs at the distance Of mile away.
its whiteness contrasting strangely with the dun
tints of the beasts around It.
"Having signalled to Tillman on the ridgo be-
watching the herd over the summit. trying to
think OF some way by which he and his partner
When at last he turned @ @ round t 10 look for Till Til
man 1t was TO see him riding for life back over
the route they had come with rfty Cheyenne
A shot crippled Tillman's horse and the Indians
closed about him. The hunter omptied two sad
mans scalp borne aloft on lance the Indians
turned and came for Caspioh. He had 10
to right or left without giving the % Indians the % ad
vantage Of being able to cut him of, he put his
horse ahead straight toward the buffalo herd.
was well among the buff alo before the unwicldy
beasts knew What had happened ana got fairly
the rush. and the last thing the hunter saw. be-
fore tue dust shut everything from view, was
had just left Alter his It WIS WIS % Uil as ereWdins %
I iosling. and smother as his horse was hurried
slSng in the press. and after darkness
% he e could puH tel ' se0 tse FSsef q dss the
ground that they had come to very rough
seen in the afternoon. The herd. unable to scale
the bluns. had TO divide. most OF the buffalo
turning tH 10 the ieit, but some or them ioilowng
horse was forced by the buffalo into one OF these
I valleys and carried along with the column that
there as It had been on the open plain. and prei-
emily when the valley widened letting in the
; wkite buffalo. They came to a plA1s
| where deep rayine worn by water. cut
nat tas sss Ss % ao iii e Kept
the their footing: The others were crowded Of Into
Hs hopse ne
chance 70 rein bis ho.s, away from tho buffalo
and passed the rest Of the night. with the buffalo
Himself In his blanket. 0''O
"In the morning light only two or three
But looking over tho edge Of the raTnc sii Cas-:
pion saw scores OF buffalo lying at the bottom
killed or too badly hurt to get away. Against tho
bank y was leaning the G white buffalo. young bull
into the gulch shot the bull with his pistol. and
took its skin. Having secured the tongue and q
| cut Of meat from the haunch to serve as pro-
visions. Caspion rode along the valley until he
| came to where II opened out on the plain to the
| south, Five miles away. WAS tho main herd of
| buffalo which the band Of Cheyenncs were just
attacking. riding in upon II from three sides.
| Coming toward them from the eastward were
| the Indian women on ponies drawing poles be-
bind them on which TO pack meat and pemmican.
| showing that the band was not q war party. but
| was out on an autumnal hunt The Indians had
killed Iillman and chased Caspion, simply be
cause they happoneG to run across them and the
| chance to kill white man was too good
| to miss. They were busy now. and Cssp!on. cir.
cling widely 70 north. rode back to where The
| wagon was, without moestation. though 1t took
him all the day to do 1t. The body Of Tillman
| was found and buried. Then the two surviving
hunters. turning TO the north. continued TO hunt
| until they had q load OF buffalo and antelope
meat and skins to take back 10 the settlements
| with them.
"Caspion kept the white buffalo skin five
| years, believing that it's possession brought him
| good fortune. He sold 1t AZ last for 800 while
| on spree at Fort Lyon. Tho same year he wal
killed by the Comanches in New Mexico"