Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-16

pioneers Joined the expedition. moving up
the valley Of the Des Moines to the mouth
Of the Boone river. Arriving at Lott's
cabin. II was found. fortunately. hat the
family had not been mastered. but were
left In a destitute condition, the raiders
having carried nearly everything away.
The Indians did not find the barrel Of
whisky.
Death of = BOY.
Lott found to his sorrow that one Of his
children was gone and there was scarcely
a hope that It would ever be seen alive.
Lott was raided In the month OF December,
1916. The weather was very cold and
snow covered the ground. Notwithstanding
the Indictment weather. so greatly was he
driven by fear, Milton, a 12-year-old boy, a
son Of Henry Lott. started to follow his
father and his half brother. II they had
only seen the lad he might have been saved.
but they did not see him, and as they
FASTENED down the valley he, as we'll as
he could, tried to follow. On and on the
poor boy walked, making haste as fast as
he could, for he wanted to be with his
father. He feared the savages, they looked
so fierce and merciless, and he must be
with his father for protection. The boy
was traced to a point only three miles dis
tant from where Is now the town OF Boones-
boro. Hunger and fatigue had weakened
him, and, unable to go further. the cold
had seized him, and out on the river val
ley, far from home and far behind his
father, with no one to speak to him a word
OF cheer. far from human habitation or
human beings, without ray OF hope, death
seized him and the lad Milton Lott died.
Such a terrible blow as the death by
freezing OF his son Milton had It's full
effect on the future actions OF Lott toward
the Indians. He held them directly respon-
sible for the death Of his child. The boys
death was the first that occurred in Boone
county.
Lott Prepares for Vengeance.
In November, 1863, Lott left the settle
ment that had been made at the mouth
of the Boone river. His wife died after
the raid. Her death was the first that oc-
Cured in Webster county. Lott had lost
a son and his wife, and the stepson had
lost his mother and his half brother. The
two then went up and built a cabin on what
is called Lofts creek, in Humboldt county.
There they cleared q few acres In q piece
OF timber, skirting the east branch OF the
Des Moines river. A few miles further
down the East Branch, on the west side OF
the river and near where what is called
Bloody creek empties into II, Sidomin-
edota and his family had their lodge, the
family consisting of nine persons.
Lott, 1t seems, was still in the whisky
business. He had three or four barrels OF
the hrewater and some goods. Whether
Lofts going up the river with traders sup
plies was for the real purpose Of trafic or
only a move to get within striking dis
lance, certain 1t is that, once Lott and his
stepson located within a few miles Of the
chief, there was set on foot q terrible re-
taliation.
The Indian family comprised sidomine-
dota, his wife, his mother and his six chill
dren. Years, crowded with incidents and
events of the frontier, had passed since the
raid had been made on Lofts cabin and
his family terribly frightened. his property
destroyed and his boy lost by freezing to
death far from his fathers cabin in cold
December weather. The old chief had little
thought Of Lott and his grievance. At the
time the raid was made the Indian CHIEF
had not surrendered. and was not disposed
to surrender, the territory he claimed al
the hunting ground OF himself and his band
II T. not certain that he ever learned Of
| Lofts heaviest loss, the death of little MIL
ton. The chief did not intend to cause tn,
death Of any OF Lofts family, or he would
have killed them when he chased Lott
away.
Lott, rough, desperate and ~revengeful,
would now deal as treacherous and merci-
less a blow as ever Indian dealt the pale
face. The hour was coming that would
seal the doom OF Sldominedota. and rouse
a spirit Of undying hatred toward the
whites in the breast Of his brother, Ink'pa-
daota.
Chief Lured to His Death.
Leaving their cabin. Lott and his step.
son went down to the lodge Of the chiei
and told him that on their way they saw
a drove OF elk feeding on the river bottom
and that they would go with him after the
game. Soon he was ready. and, all unsus-
pecting OF murder, mounted on his pony
with gun in hand, was leading the way
With what evil satisfaction did Lofts eye
follow his intended victim. and measure
the distance he was making from his lodge
his home, his wife, mother and children
In the breast of Lott there was no admi'
ration for the Indians enthusiasm in the
chase; no pity for the Indian wife 90 sooI
to lose her husband chief; no emotion
Of sorrow for the aged mother, and for tn,
CnlluTeu OF the iOuBo. Inc CubeI D DbCk wal
toward them. Lott. and his stepson hav,
their victim at easy ranges rifle shot
and Sidominedota falls. murdered.
That night. disguised as Indians. the!
who dared not openly attack the chief a
his lodge made a bloody attack on tn,
family of s~idominedots. The mother. tn,
wife and four Of the six children wer,
massacred. A boy about II and a GIL o
10. by escaping IN the thick bushes unde
cover Of darkness, survived. The boy
however. had been badly injured. II wal
through such work hat the c~hieftainshiJ
passed 10 the brother. Ink'padaota.
Indians Discover Murder.
Lott and the boy. to further conceal thei
murderous acts. set IRE to their owl
cabin. About ten days after the massacr,
discovery was made by some Indians en-
camped on the Lizard. q small tributary o
the Des Molnes. which empties into tina
river near Fort Dodge. These Indiaps ha,
gone from their camp on the Lizard Il
hunt on the east branch OF the Des Nome
and on their way called to see sidominedotI
and his family. They found the boy an
!, Takes a Shot at DOOIey AM