River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-05-02
WHY HIS HAIR TURNED WHITE
Colonel Dan Cnsey's Tale of His
Nerve Testing Experience
with Indians.

One night lately party of old-time
New MeXicans accidentally met here,
and after talking over old times they
proceeded to congratulate each other
on their youthful appearance. Col. d.
c. Casey, superintendent of the Medler
mines, was one of the group. Some one
remarked that while the spring of
youth seemed to abide with the colo
mel, the frosts of winter had silyered his
erstwhile raven locks, says the Clifton
Era.
WELL" said the colonel, ''I'll tell you
how it happened, boys, and Inever told
the story before. 1t was the year that
Judge McComas and his wife were
killed by the Indians in Burro noun
tains-'s3 or 'S4, l have forgotten
which. 1t was some time after that
event, however, when things had quiet
ed down bit. had been in the hills
for some time and was returning to
Silver City through the Burro noun
| tains, and, of course, was on the look
out for Indians. My horse became sick
| and l stopped to let him rest. pulled
| off the saddle, tied him to tree, spread
out my blankets and lay down. was
soon fast asleep, but how long / slept
/ do not know. / was awakened by
some one prodding me in the back. As
soon as my eyes were open / saw that
| was surrounded by - or Is Indians.
They all carried Long Toms and had
them in their hands. Well, sir, was SO
badly scared that l could not speak or
novel was paralyzed. ! sat there
and looked at the Indians and they
looked at me. / felt my hair straighten
out, and l knew that it was standing
straight up. / thought of every mean
thing that / had done in all my life
Pray? No. l couldn't lift a hand to
| bless myself. ] knew that they would
kill me and my only hope was that they
would shoot me. l could almost feel
their lances sticking through my body.
1t seemed to me that they stood there
an age and looked at me ard l looked
at them. Their ugly mugs are stamped
on my memory forever. would recog-
nize any one of them in CT ovid to-day
if I should meet him. Som noticed
two or three other Indians fooling with
my horse, as he was too sick TO try to
get away from them. Presently they
commenced to go, one at time, and
soon they were all gone but one, who
seemed to be the boss of the outfit
After they had all gone he addressed
me in good English, and said: Good
/ day, Dan Casey How he knew my
name has always been mystery to
me. He may have seen me on the reser.
walton, or possibly my name may have
been on some part of my outfit and he
could read, as many of tt EN- can.
''After he had gone l still sat there
so badly scared that I was unable tc
move for / don't know how long. ]
thought they would come back and
would kill me should / attempt to get
up. Then, like fash of lightning, il
came to me that they were government
scouts ] leaped to my feet, threw the
saddle onto my horse, and although
he was sick / am sure that / beat al
records in covering distance to Silver
City. | felt SO good when / got into
town that ] set 'em up to everybody.
told them it was my birthday and tina.
1never was so happy in all my life, and
that was the truth. have been blown
upina mine, have had my body crushed
and filed with dynamite caps, which
kept the doctors busy for week pick
ing them out, but l never was scared
before or since. There is no scare or
earth like that of an Indian scare
| Well inside of "a yvaaly from, +l,a+ +;,,,,
my hair was well sprinllled with gray
and inside of year it was as white as
1t is to-day"