The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1903-08-20
SENSATION OF sCALPING.

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A truo account of the man who was
scalped and lived to tell the story has
been filed with the Nebraska State
Historical Society, and the indispu-
table proof is a wrinkled scalp in a
Theoretically sealed glass case. 1t is
one OF the curiosities in the museum
of the Omaha Public Library.
The scalp once adorned the head of
William Thompson, and was torn from
it's natural resting place in an Indian
attack on the employees of the Union
Pacific Railroad, August 6, 1867.
The attack was made short dis
lance from the present site of Kear-
ney, Neb., and in that city lives Moses
| II. Sydenham, veteran journalist, who
printed the first newspaper in the
State, and he is the authority for the
authenticity of the incident.
/ In a personal interview Thompson
described to Mr.. Sydenham his SEN
Stations while the scalping knife of
the savage was removing the scalp.
Thompson was one of the five men
ordered out of the Plum Greek Station
on August 5 to repair the telegraph
line short distance from KeaIney.
On the afternoon of the next day they
encountered the savages.
The first suggestion of danger was
a pile of ties ON the railroad track.
"They had no sooner stopped the
handcar, said Mr.. Sydenham, ethan
rife shots were heard and bullets
whizzed by them. The prairie grass
along the Platte River seemed alive
with Indians, all in war paint. These
rushed upon the five linemen, who
aimed few shots at the Indians and
then ran for cover.
"a shot from one of the pursuers
hit Thompson in the right arm, but he
kept on running. Finally he was
felled with blow from tomahawk
For moment he lay stunned, and
then he recovered sufficiently to re-
alize what the Indian was doing. He
determined to remain perfectly quiet,
and to this decision he probably owed
his life.
; " With the deftness of an expert,
, Thompson said. the savage grabbed
my scalp lock in one hand, cut around
, it again and again until I'll Q edges of
the skin we're loosened. Then he tore
it free. The sensation was about the
same as if some one had passed red
hot iron over my head. After the
air toSched the wound the pain was
almost uncomfortable. I never felt
any thing that hurt SO much. | had
to bite my tongue to keep from put
ting my hand ON the wound.
wanted to see how much of the toI
of my head was left.
''Tle Indian left Thompson and
hurried on in the pursuit OF the
others. Just as he tunred to go he
tucked the hair of the scalp under his
girdle. In his hurry it was insecurely
fastened and fell into the grass. The
piece of scalp was just about as big as
mans hand. [ the distance the In
dams pursued the flying linemen.
Just as Thompson prepared to crawl
into the grass he was roughly seized
hand clutched his hair again, ant
5 once more he felt knife. He fell
, than another Indian was scalpine
him. After removing a couple Of
, inches of the scalp the Indian rushed
on.
.'To the pain of the wounds was
| soon added the torture Of thirst.
Thompson felt dizzy and unable to
} rise. He lay perfectly still and saw
that freight train was approaching
in the distance. The Indians had
placed ties on the track. Thompson
dared not try to flag the train, which
was steadily approaching. It crashed
into the ties the Indians surrounded
the defenseless train crew. Several
J cars and the engine were derailed.
The Indians found barrel of whisky
among the freight, and as darkness
| came on Thompson heard their fenzied
, yells. They fired the derailed cars,
| and from the grass Thompson saw the
, fireman and engineer thrown into the
flames.
I'm the darkness Thompson picked
{ up the scalp lock and crawled away.
| He met rescuing party from Omaha
} in the morning. The charred bodies
of the firemen and engineer were ia
{ ken from the debris and conveyed Ito
Omaha. None Of the other linemen