The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1902-03-06
Nevada Tragedyof
Long Ago.

Prof. J. G. Leonard arrived in this
city this week and has spent the greater
part OF his time since his arrival In
studying the collection of Indian curios
at the Emporium. Mr.. Leonard has
spent the last fifteen years of his life in
collecting torn pages from the history Of
the past. patching together the fragments
Of the story ofa prehistoric people. He
has succeeded in gathering together
many valuable curlos which are IN the
museum of the University OF Michigan.
While in Churchill county few days
ago he obtained possession OF few
scraps Of bone, few beads. etc., that
tell vivid story of the death that so
frequently awaited the pioneers those
Courageous men and women who made
the west.
The articles were found about fifteen
miles from Ragtown and about five miles
off the main Travelled road Of the emf
grants. The position tells the student
that man and woman, probably in 40
or the early 't0s wandered off the road
IN Churchill and were attacked by an
Indian. The man placed himself be-
tween the red man and the woman,
shielding her with his body from the
murderoua arrows of the assailant. The
white man fell pierced by numerous ar
rows, tipped with flint. The woman
took the rifle from her fallen protector
and defended herself 30 successfully
that the body of the Indian was found
not far away, but alas, this was accom-
plished not before she herself had re-
ceiyed her death wound, and she fell
with the rifle across her breast and
many arrows in her body.
All the articles that are left to tell this
story can lie placed in cigar box, save
the rifle barrel. They are dozen arrow
points and the position Of the bones. On
the Indian was found kuife. The lay
man would not readily recognize it as
such, until Mr.. Leonard has enlightened
him, for it is merely series OF rust lay
ers. Some copper or brass trinket and
number of beads, not made in Germany
of glass, but laboriously made by hand
from various colored stones.
On the body OF the man was found
nothing. The woman bad small pad
lock Of brass in her pocket and sheet
of gold about the size of half dollar
rolled up into scroll, also Daguerreo.
type containing the portrait Of hand
some woman. The brass frame had cor
roded and oxidized until there is but
stain to mark it, but the silvered sheet OF
copper in which the image was formed
is more enduring and by careful ad-
justment of the light the picture is
plainly seen. 1t that of Young won.
an Of perhaps twenty years with hair
combed dowL low in graceful curves
over her ears. She wears tight fitting
sleeves which end abruptly several inches
above the elbows. and there is just
of a bulging skirt. She wears
some sort Of an ornament suspended by
a chain, the former being disc four
inches in diameter.
The teeth OF the murdered woman in
dicate that her age was between 10 and
D. years.
In the picture the image Of the victim
Of the savage's warfare against ciyiliza-
ton, or the treasured likeness OF some
far-away friend or sister? There the
story OF the signs fails, but speculation
runs riot among the possibilities. A
finger bone or two, kneecap, bit Of
cloth. lock OF hair, is all that remains
of the pulsing being whose relatives and
dear ones in the far east have wondered
and mourned for over half century.
The little box will leave by express
this evening for the University OF Mich.
igan and perhaps the faded picture will
bring to light some new facts OF the
story.-Carson News.