The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-25
Fulfilled.

the white mans kindness had chased it
all away, and so the Indians and set
tiers parted good friends, the Indians
going in a northerly direction. and the
settlers returning to their homes. The
next day was the Sth Of December. 1851.
On that day Mrs. Sarah Hanson. wife
of DR.. George F. Hanson, gave birth to
the first male child that was born in
the new settlement of Box Elder. now
called The Old Fort" DIR. George T.
Hanson was noted among his neighbors
in addition to his knowledge of medi-
cine, as being a prophetic dreamer.
A PROPHETIC DREAM.
One morning. about ten days after
the visit of the Indians, DR.. Hanson
told his wife that he had been troubled
with q terrible dream the night pre-
Vious. He said he thought there was a
riot in the fort, and a murder was COM
mitted, but he didn't recognize the par
ties in the strife. Mrs. Hanson, who
was just recovering from her accouch-
ment, tried to divert her husbands
thoughts from his dream, but he insist
ed that it foreboded evil. AT this point
d neighbor by the name of Tolman
called to see Hanson in regard to a COW
he had lost, and as TOlman was about
to leave, DR.. Hanson told him the
dream he had the night before and just
had finished his story when a loud
barking of dogs and a mans voice
shouting was heard in the street. and
the two men hastily ran out to see
What was the matter. On gaining the
street they discovered a terrific en-
counter going on between two dogs.
One Of the animals was a powerful
watchdog belonging to William Riston.
one of the settlers, the other big brute
belonging to some Indians who were
camped a short distance down the Box
Elder creek. The Indian owner of the
dog, on hearing the noise, had come up
to watch the combat. All efforts to
separate the animals had been unsuc-
cessful. The shouting of the men,
mingled with the ferocious snarling of
the dogs, was dreadful Riston, tired
of the fight, told his son, Newt, to
fetch his rifle.
NEWT RISTON KILLED.
The latter, young man about %
years Of age, did SO, and was about to
fire upon the Indian dog when an In
dian, wearing a heavy blanket, came
round the corner of Hansons house.
He rushed at Newt Riston. struck him
a fearful blow on the head with a club
which felled him to the ground, and
then disappeared before he could be
recognized.
Young RiSt0n was conveyed into a
neighbours house and placed on bed
He had received a severe fracture of
the skull, and was still unconscious.
Notwithstanding the kind attention Of
his relatives and friends. one hour later
he was a corpse, and DR.. Hanson's
dream was fulfilled. William Riston.
the father of the young man, left moth
ing undone in his efforts to bring the
murderer to justice. Several Indians
and one white man were arrested. but
owing to the lack of sufficient evidence
for proof and Identification, his sons
murder was unavenged.
Christmas soon arrived, but owing to
the tragic event that had so recently
happened a pail of sadness and gloom
hung over the little settlement of Box
Elder. All festivities were postponed,
and, though the children expected
goodies and presents, Santa Claus fail
ed to come, and the first Christmas day
in Box Elder found each family OF the
settlers eating their Christmas dinner
at home, the bill of fare being about
the same on each table, and consisting
of bread and potatoes. with a small
quantity of dried beef. while a meager
supply of dried serviceberries filled the
demand for dessert. Thus passed the
first Christmas day in Box Elder.