The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1905-08-03

Relic Of Indian Fight.
J. d. Wood, the we'll known stock
man and capitalist, returned Monday
morning from a trip to Idaho and
brought with him a relic OF an old
Indian fight In which five white men
suffered death at the hands of the
redskins. The relic Is common axe
handle, weather beaten and aged
from coming IN contact with the ele-
ments throughout period OF s6
years
The men killed were.freigbters who
were en- route 10 the Salmon river
region with several wagonloads OF
goods for George l.. Shoup j. ID.
Wood ami Fred Phillips, who oper.
ated store at Salmon City under
the name OF Shoup, Wood 4 Phillips.
The wagons were loaded at Corinne
and Fred j. Kiesel, OF Ogden, helped
do the loading. On their way north
the party of treighters was surround
ed at n point some distance west OF
the present location OF Dubois, Ida. !,
by band of umatillas under com.
mand OF Chief Joseph. A Chinaman
aud one white man In the patry es-
capped. Among these killed were
Dan COMBS, Jim Hayden aud Albert
Green. When the citizens OF Salmon
City heard OF the presence In the
country OF Chief Joseph and his
hostile band. which had come over
from Oregon and on the way partici-
pated In the battle of the Big Hole
In Montana, they organized a party
prepared TO fight II necessary, but
their first mission was 10 get word
to the freighteIs coming In ffom
CorinDe. In this they failed; the
men had been massacred two days
before the rescuing party arrived at
the spot where the conflict occurred
The wagons belonging TO the party
had been burned ana the mutilated
bodies Of the 1--we men we're found q
short distance away, being later
buried by Mr.. Wood aud associates
where they fell The identical axe
handle, now In Mr.. Woods posses.
sion, was one OF the weapons with
which Dan Coombs fought; IL was
clutched In his hands when the last
spark Of life departed.
II remember this axe handle well
said Mr.. Wood. "Coombs was laying
with his face downward, the fingers
OF one OF his hands were cut on,
while some deep gashes In his arms
and bullet hole In his breast told
the story OF how he met his death IN
this terrible tragedy. turned
Coombs over myself, took the axe
handle from his hands ana later
helped To bury him. The axe han.
die presented grusome sight, being
stained with blood and gave evidence
that the light was desperate one.
The weapon used by Coombs was
thrown out into the sage brush and
there IL has remained through ali
these years, until picked IL up again
u few days ago, when | visited the
scene Of the massacre with my son.
in.law, Mr.. Iaeenbarth.
Mr.. Wood says no amount OF money
could induce him to part with this
simple relic OF an Indian fight. IL,
prizes II more because he knew
Coombs SO well during his life time
who IN Mr.. Wood describes as being d
man possessed OF sterling qualities.
Chief Joseph and his band Of brave,
were finally broken up IN Montana
10y United States soldies. under com
mand OF Gen. Miles. The chief wa,
captured and many Of his men killed
He was confined In the government
prison at Fort Leavenworth. Kan.
for several wears, after which he wa,
released and returned 10 Oregon
The Indian chief died few year,
ago.
| Mr.. Hagenbarth, who had Gamers
with him, took picture OF th'
battle ground, with Mr.. Wood stand
Ing on the brink OF the pit IN which
Coombs, Hayden and Green wer,
| buried. Salt Lake Herald,