The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-17
VERY PERSISTENT LIGHTNING.
An Indian Whom 1t Pursued Eve1
After He Was Dead and Buried.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Denver.-A party of commercial men
were lounging in easy chairs in the ro-
tunda of the Brown Palace Hotel one eve
ming after the theater, smoking their last
cigars before they retired. The conversa-
ton turned to electricity, and thence to
freaks of lightning. The man from Ari-
iona, who is an officer in a copper com
pany, said something about lightning rods.
THAT reminds me of an actual happen
ing in Dakota" said a retired army Off
Ger. About eight miles east of Fort Ran
dali, on the Upper Missouri river is situa-
ted Andy's Lake a sheet of water which,
in 1870 covered an area of about 100 acres.
1t was the resort of great flocks of wild
geese and ducks, affording at certain sea-
sons a considerable food supply for the
Yankton Sioux Indians and an occasional
days sport for the officers and enlisted
men of the fort This lake and its neigh
borhood was a favorite breeding place for
tornadoes.
May, 1871, was busy time at Fort Ran
dali. The old log buildings were being
torn down and replaced by handsome
frame ones Everybody was busy includ-
ing the commandant, who was lieutenant
colonel of the regiment but was dubbed
Corporal Ted by the boys on account of
his always being on hand with the ia
tigue party. The only times for recreation
were nights and Sundays, excepting the
day of coming off guard. Some time about
the middle of May, 1871, was one of the
old guard that determined 10 have a days
shooting at the lake, and l got a twelve
hours pass.
1T was late when we got on the ground
and we found the birds restless and wild.
We attributed their uneasiness to the pres
ence of party Of White Swan Indians,
so our maledictions on our copper-colored
brethren were deep and long. The Indians
had secured more game than they could
conveniently carry home and magnani-
mously supplied US with sufficient to make
a fairly good showing when we should re-
turn to the post. We were well supplied
with luncheon, and soldiers and Indians
sat down to eat and get refreshed for
the return trip. Intent on putting bread
and beef beyond the reach of flies we gave
no thought to atmospheric phenomena, un-
til startled by a flash of lightning and
simultaneous clap of thunder. Looking
UP, we found we were sitting almost Gi-
rectly beneath the threatening nozzle of
an infant tornado-the first Of the season.
Shouting to my companions to follow. I
rushed off at a right angle to the course
had seen the twisters pursue on former
| occasions.
Fear lent wings to our weary feet We
were comparatively safe ere the nozzle
struck. 1t was well on its way before
we had regained our breath aud our senses.
Counting heads we found one Indian miss
ing. We found his lifeless body a short
distance from our lunch ground. He had
escaped the fury of the rampant funnel,
but lightning had been too quick for him.
One of the Indians started for White Swan
to notify the relatives of the dead man.
The others remained with u.s. and all hands
f., 10 inc tn I,
about three miles of the camp before meet
ing the mourners.
1--WE were on the edge of a deep ravine,
thckly timbered. The relative decided
that, a burial place, it was both APP
propriate and convenient In half an hour
our guest of the midday meal was good
Indian, quietly reposing on the bougns of
a cottonwood.
Three months later, while hunting an
telopes near the head of the ravine, which
afforded a resting place to al thai was
mortal of our red friend, / was caught
in a thunder storm and sought shelter in
the undeEDrush about 100 yards from the
tree among the sheltering branches OF
which rested the body. The lghtning's
play was close and sharp, The water fell
in sheets, and / was drenched to the skin
and was correspondingly miserable. With
a binding flash, a crash, shower Of
cottonwood splnters and leaves the light
ming went for The body of my Indian
friend, and il was again stretched on
mother earth. On my way to the garri-
son 1 notified the relatives of the dead
man of the predicament in which the
storm had left the body His medicine
was bad very bad, they said, and they
concluded to put him under ground this
time. They manifested no haste IN the
matter. and as conditions in the garrison
,-cre favorable Ia an extension OF my pass
For another twenty-four hours, ! crossed
the river. secured it, and returned TO as
sist at the second burial Of the hghtnlnS's
victim.
ave made an early start 1t did not
tal,a long TO make an excavation suti-
GENTLY large and deep TO put the body
bevond the reach of the coytes. We then
adjourned to the lake for few hours
shooting. About noon a7storm formed IN