The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1903-05-08


climbed from dish.washer 20 pilot
Majors n Russell, government con
tractors to freight supplies across the
saains for the standing army, were then
at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. So / joined
them and at once set out ON our journey
to Fort Larine. Cholera made its APP
pearance in our camp while crossing
the sandy desert, causing much confu-
sion and distress. We had some skirm
ishing with the Indians and lost prob
ably thirty men MAINLY with choleral |
Of tts two hundred we started with.
But l arrived in perfect health at our
destination late in October 1t was inn
possible for the train to return that year |
on account of heavy SHOWS in the noun |
tains, so the men were mostly discharg |
ed and was pnt in charge of the
teams, instructed to drive to Round
Lake valley, and herd during winter
was supplied with articles Of mer-
chandise to trade to the Indians who in
habited the section our herds were to
occupy. moved the teams and kept
them in charge until March 10, 1850.
Then at the instance of Majors & Rus
sci company was formed to proceed
to California whose ostensible object
was the accumulation of fabulous for
tunes of gold which was reported to be
found inexhaustable abundance in the
UNEMPLOYED regions of that famous land.
Elaborate speeches were not necessary
to induce me to cast my lot with the
gold hunters.
| Our company moved under strict dis
cipline as nothing less would reasonab-
ly insure success. Thecountry through
which we passed was infested with
grizzly bear was sparsely inhabited by
Indians, besides rowing bands of those
blood thirsty human 6ends in those days
not unfrequently encountered while
| crossing the Rockies,
r G.. w. Reatherford was placed in
command during the day, and l was in
charge at night We experienced but
little trouble in maintaining order ex-
cept however, one Fielding Isaacs, a
native of Lawrence county, Ky, and a
friend of my childhood, persisted in dis
obeying orders and straying away
from the main body of hunters, who
We're employed in detail to furnish the
train with game and was placed under
strict admonition to operate in squads
sufficient to protect themselves from
danger, One evening when | was il
charge of the hunters, Mr. Isaacs, a,
usual stole off alone Late in the ev
ening we heard the report of his gun
, We returned to camp, but he put in nj
appearance that night. In our specu
i latiOns we surmised innumerable cause:
for his absence, but were wholly uupre
pared for the blood curdling develop
ments of the following morning when
company of searchers were organize,
!, and proceeded in the direction Of tn
!. shot we had heard the evening before
After prosecuting our search for two o
three miles, picture our horror on dis
covering the lifeless body of our frien
a with his brains crushed out and hi
head remaining clenched in the hug
;, jaws Of a monstrous grizzly. The mul
derous beast likewise being stone deat
1t being evident from the surrounding
that Isaacs, who had shot and MORTAL
q wounded the bear had been pursued an
a caught by the dying beast which witt
> its last breath had seized in its enol
nous mouth the head of its unfortu
= nate victim. The gun was nearly re
|, loaded, the ball having been pushe
4 more than halfway down The haudl
. of large bowie knife was tenaciousl
9 held in the dead mans hand. Severa
ugly slashes had been made in the beal
. and the blade broken off and left stick
! ing in its shoulder.
Thus one of our best and most usefu
men had met horrible and untimel
death by presuming to take foolish an
!. unnecessary risks and disregarding tn
, oft repeated advice of those better &C
:. quainted with the country.
Other than Isaac head being crushe
there was no mark of injury ON his pei
, son. The gun and knife employed il
his last battle on earth were made in
blacksmith shop by "gourd nose Stey
Marcum of Wayne county, W. Va. an,
7 while it appears unreasonable the beai
. was supposed by many to weigh thir
teen hundred pounds. We carried tn
body of lsaacs to our encampment, mad
a rude box, dug grave as best W
could, and amid the tears of sorrow o
his family and friends laid it to rest OF
!, the arid slopes of the far off Rock,
. Mountains We indicated the Location
of his house of clay with rough stone
|, on which was marked his name ans
, date of death. then monrnfully advanc
ed on our journey This occurred il
the month of April
We also had in our company a tyrar
= zeal unruly fellow whose name wa
Henry Judd, from johnson county
, Tenn, He was by no means BRAY
man., but delighted in revolving mis-
chief Just three days after we ha,
buried Isaacs, and while the shades Q
. sadness still lowered around us, we wer
passing some struggling Indian wome
and children when Judd, for no caus
+ whatever, shot and killed one of tn
1 squaws.
+ Continued next week.
+ ~ - n 90