The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1905-08-04
HAS A REMARKABLE CAREER
GENERAL L. W. COLBY as A Law
YER AND SOLDIER.
\ Veteran OF Several Wars, Promin-
ent Lawyer in Kansas and Neb-
rasss, Private and a General

Attorney l. w Colby OF Beatrice,
Neb-. has a unique and remarkable
career, both as an eminent attorney
and a military man. He has practiced
in the district court here at different
times, for the past fifteen years, and,
being in GOOdland last week. some
very interesting facts were CLEANED
by d reporter regarding some Of the
events in his life
General Colby is a veteran Of the
civil war, having enlisted at the age
OF Is in company 3, Eighth Illinois
infantry. in which he served Two
years. He looks to be a man Of 40 or
Is years Of age, is large and fieshy, is
not at all gray and has all his natural
teeth, possessing the full vigOr Of his
physical and intellectual faculties
When the war ended he was in New
Orleans, having arisen from private
to lieutenant After receiving his dis
charge, he was induced to enlist in
recruiting scheme to raise recruits
for Maximilian's army in Mexico He
raised a company and was elected
captain After the surrender Of Lee
at AppOmatux, in April, 1865, so, 200
veteran troops were dispatched to the
Mexican frontier, and young Captain
/ Colby found out that he was in the
wrong pew" and might have to
fight his old companions in arms.
So, as he said, "he deserted" tax
ing forty Of his company with him
to St Louis where they disbanded-
Going back to civil life, he studied
law, locating ultimately in Nebraska
| He has a reputation as an attorney
far wider than his state, and is wide
| " known as an eminent criminal law
yer. He drafted the bill organizing
| the National Guards Of the state Of
Nebraska When the law came into
| effect he was commissioned as col
Onel Of one Of the new regiments, in
/ which capacity he served six years,
and for nine years was brigadier gen
eral OF the state organization. He took
| part in two Indians wars, one as col
OneI in 1876 and 1877, at the time OF
the Indian uprising and the Custer
massacre; and in 1SSO-91, at the time
of the battle of Wounded Knee, and
the killing Of Sitting Bull, he COM
manded a brigade Of Nebraska troops
with the rank Of brigadier general.
The latter affair developed a rath-
er romantic episode in the campaign
1t was the beginning Of v-inter, and
snow lay nearly a foot deep on the
ground, the thermometer dropping
below zero, and a blizzard prevailing
Among the Indian dead, nearly COW
cred with snow, a dead squaw was
found, and strapped to her back was
a live papOOse-four days after the
battle Of Wounded Knee. General
Colby took and legally adopted the
little dark-eyed waif. She was named
Zintka Lannui, meaning lost bird
She is now a young lady in her 18th
year, bright and well educated. Gen
eral Colby and wife have no children
save the adopted little Indian girl,
| rescued from the frozen battlefield
when about five months old. Miss
Zintka retains her Indian name and
tribal rights.
In 1897 General Colby resigned his
position in the Nebraska National
Guard. He became deeply interested
in Cuban affairs, and came in touch
with the Cuban junita in New York
City He was commissioned to raise
/ d Cuban Legion in the United
States He had to watch out for the
| federal authorities, as the scheme was
a filibustering one, and he therefore
i tablished his headquarters at Ma
4 tamOrOs, Mexico, but Travelled ex-
| tensively in Cuba and the United
States. He raised S1,2OO,OOO and en-
rolled in the Legion" $4,000 men, and
was about ready to land the advance
guard OF TINS force on CUBAN SOIL
when the blowing up Of the Maine Pre-
| cipitated the war with Spain
He tried to interest Secretary of
War Alger and received some encOur-
| agement, in a scheme to accept the
Cuban Legion" as a whole, as a
i corps Of volunteers Congressional ac-
| ton thwarted the scheme, but in rec
/ OgnitiOn Of General COlby's services,
| he was commissioned by President
| Mckinley as brigadier general OF
| volunteers, and was in command in
the active campaigning in Cuba. at
| Santiago and elsewhere.
This Cuban Legion episode is, as
| General Colby put il, ''unwritten his
tory but Mr. Colby has all the doc
uments, muster rolls, and descriptive
lists Of the men OF the companies,
and regiments still in his possession
All the men and officers recruited
| had seen service" and were well
| drilled OF the $1,2OO.OOO, about $75.-
600 had been expended, and the bal
ance was returned to the cOntrfbu-
tors pro rata
The veterans Of the civil war made
history and that part as yet IN
written, with the actors and behind
the scenes, is deserving Of a book Of
q