Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-04-18
WHY HIS HAIR TURNED WHITE
Colonel Dan Casey's Tale of His
Nerve Testing Experience
with Indians.

One night lately a party of Old-time
New MeXicans accidentally met here.
and after talking ove 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 silvered his
erstwhile raven locks, says the Clifton
Era.
Well" said the colonel. I'll tell you
how it happened, boys, and never told
the story before. It was the year that
Judge McComas and his wife were
killed by the Indians in Burro noun
tains-'S3 or 81, I have forgotten
which. 1t was some time after that
event. however, when things had quiet
ed down a bit. had been in the hills
for some time and was returning tC
Silver City through the Burro 10
tains, and. Of course was on the look
out for Indians. Ny horse became sick
and l stopped to let him rest. l pulled
off the saddle, tied him to a tree, spread
out my blankets and lay down. was
soon fast asleep, but how long l slept
/ do not know. 1 was awakened by
some one prodding me in the back. As
soon as my eyes were open I saw that
I was surrounded by - or Is Indians.
They all carried Long Toms and had
them in their hands. Well. sir. I was SC
badly scared that I could not speak or
move-I was paralyzed. I sat there
and looked at the Indians and they
looked at me. Ifelt my hair straighten
out. and I knew that it was standing
straight up. thought of every mean
thing that I had lone in all my life.
Pray? No. I couldn't lift a hand tc
bless myself. knew that they would
kill me and my only hope was that they
would shoot me. / could almost feel
their lances sticking through my body.
It seemed to me that they stood there
an age and looked at me and I looked
at them. Their ugly mugs are stamped
on my memory forever. would recog-
nize any one OF them in a crowd TODAY
if l should meet him. Soon noticed
TWO or three other Indians fooling with
my horse. as he was too sick 10 try to
get away from them. Presently they
commenced to go. one at a 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 a 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 ard he
could read, as many of them can.
after he had gone I still sat there
so badly scared that I was unable to
move for I don't know how long. /
thought they would come back and
would kill me should I attempt to get
up Then, like a flash of lightning, it
came to me that they were government
scouts 1 leaped to my feet. threw the
saddle onto my horse, and although
he was sick I am sure that / beat all
records in covering distance TO Silver
City. I felt so good when I got into
own that 1 set 'em up to everybody.
told them it was my birthday and thai
] never was so happy IN all my life. and
that was the truth. I have been blown
up in a mine, have had my body crushed
and filed with dynamite caps. which
kept the doctors busy for a week pick
ing them out, but I never was scared
before or since. There is no scare Oh
earth like that of an Indian scare.
Well, inside of a week from that time
my hair vas well sprinkled with gray,
and inside of a year it was as white as
If iS today"