The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1903-12-05
The Powder
~- w o. s 0 n

the risks he ran. lie was known as a
determined, obstinate man, and one
without fear Perhaps if he had never
been drawn into argument over the
matter he would not have made a
move. but when his neighbors heard
that he was thinking Of n change, aha
one after another sought TO dissuade
him. he sold his farm in Missouri and
Joined an emlgrant train.
II was a clear case of pighended-
ness. his going at all, and his taking mp
claim right In the midst of the In
dian country was nothing short Of
criminal recklessness. The frontier
was dangerous enough. but he was
miles beyond IT, 1t wasn't fOrtniSlt
before war party of Indians appear
I'd and attacked 1t Is a matter Of rec
ord that the old man and his wife
Killed six warriors. The children had
been killed at the first fire. When the
wife received bullet the husband
managed to break through the band
md mount horse and escape, though
he was twice wounded.
he set out to reap vengeance. He wan
dered over plain and prairie, he hid
among the hills he padded up and
down the rivers. He moved mostly
by night, and not week went past
that he did not tally Mt least one. lie
Killed Wounded Bird Little Buffalo
and Red Sun-three prominent CHIEFS.
In one year he killed thirty-four Sioux
warriors. He waylaid them by day
and crept into their villages ut night,
md Gray Eagle offered twenty ponies
for his capture dead or alive. In
way he was n great protection to the
frontier. If n raid was contemplated
md It was discovered that THE Shad'
ow," as the red men called him, was
aware OF II the affair was abandoned.
Old Unrpers deeds OF boldness were
counted 10y the score, but perhaps the
boldest was entering a village on the
Republican river one night during
thunderstorm. lie made use OF knife
and tomahawk alone and killed five
men and two squaws When the alarm
was finally given he hid behind trees
and wigwams until he had shot down
six more warriors, thus making his
score thirteen. The fact that no In
dian dog would bark at him and thus
give an alarm was greatly TO his. nd
vantage One night he got among n
herd OF ponies and cut the threats OF
forty.etght OF tnc,ii. During the two
years that he ran iooss as II were, he
Killed nearly 100 Indians. set fire to
and destroyed four villages and caused
the death OF about seventy ponies.
This record would have satisfied the
vengeance OF most men, but Harper
felt that things were going too slow.
lie had also figured II out that he had
little TO live for, and he determined
on n grand coup. He had trapped foI
furs while wreaking vengeance, and
one day he appeared at n frontier town
with about $3.50 worth OF choice skins.
lie also had IA pony loaded down with
plumber taken from the Indians. All
his goods were taken off for powder in
Kegs and a two horse outfit. There were
over 200 pounds OF the powder. Before
tina he was going TO Kill hundred In
dians at once but did not give par
ticulars lie Joined body of emil
grants and continued with them until
well into the Indian country and then
cut loose. He left the party at night
and drove off at right angles to thu
trail aud no one but the Indians ever
saw him again
A Sioux chief named White Bird was
abroad with u war party numbering
2n bucks They had heard Of the emf.
grant party and were going 10 take
the trail ahead Of them when they
came upon old Harper. His wagon
stood in grove of cottonwoods. and
his horses were grazing lie had dug
a rifle pit under the wagon, and as
soon as the Indians came within range
lie opened fire on them AZ thut time
hut few red men had rifles The old
man not only stood the party of Tor
two hours, hut killed four and wounded
six, Then they rushed him. which was
lust What he planned for At given
signal the party dashed forward on
their ponies and In two minutes the
old man was dead Every one gather.
cd close i'm TO see what plumber the
wagon contained, and they were tear.
Ing tl' cover on when tremendous
explosion occurred According 10 thu
Indians II shook the earth for miles
around of the war party sixty were
Killed outright, ten crippled for life and
thirty burned aud otherwise injured
Over seventy ponies were Also killed
Il was the heaviest blow ever suffer
ga by thr Sioux tribe. and il resulted
na treaty with them that was ohScrv.
al un '.vr side for the next live years
Tltl t.v utmost fidelity The body OF
TIE o.d mln disappeared in the rNplo-
ION anl 'hc Indians figured Il ont that
- m..N ne' had preserved him tn
ikn SIM. further revenge II Was years
laiou ''wy would give up that he was
auad I q fo the time Of Clusters death
There wrr" Stjll among the followers "
ttttue l'ul about twenty warriors
Who were present NJ the explosion. and
several " them were blind Of an eye
rr had suffered In their limbs sitting