Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1909-10-01
Continued from first page)

times, for once in a while some man
would get~his arms around someone
else's wife instead OF his own, but we
we're all good friends and mistakes of
that kind made no hard feelings.
Big Hedge Strand, as Ole Renli calls
him, stayed at our house for some
time after the people got back. He
was n of the crowd that stampeded
for Beloit and one who swore the
weeds were Indians and it was he who
ran away with the Renli boy when
Mrs. Renli would lot join the STAN
pede. A man named Gunderson had
an OK with it's hip socket out of place
and he a not able to keep up with
the rush and begged hard not to be
left behind to be butchered.
G.. X. and A. X. Fodness took
things easy. They didn't seem to be
afraid. My father and Ole Nelson
were the only settlers that had horses
and they had to agree that if the
Indians got too close they were to
take all the women and children and
fly while the men would stay behind
and fight the redskins.
While we were having our trouble
In Grant township settlers in other
parts Of the county were on the run
also.
d. S. Waldo, now of Canton and VIM.
Bedford were protecting settlers in
Perry township and they had their
hands full. Everybody without nerve
had gone and Waldo and Bedford were
standing outside the first night of the
stampede. They heard a noise like
horses moving along the creek.
''That's Indians" whispered Bedford,
are done for" Waldo knew
but to please his frightened
companion he blazed away at the
noise with a double barrelled shot gun
when out of the darkness came a yell
OF horror. "Holy mother of Moses,
we're dead" and he recognized the
voice Of mother Whalen who with her
husband were trying to get over a
nearby creek. Mr.. Waldo went out
to the frightened people and assured
them that his shot had driven the
Indians away "Thanks to God" she
said as she urged her husband onward.
Down in Norway township things
we're lively for a time. Nels Iverson
now OF Lynn township was bossing
the job OF building a church at Moe,
and had for helpers Lars Sogn, J.
Skorheim, Ole Ingebretson, Paul Han
son, Nels Larson. Stiner Paulson,
John Serum, the Wilson brothers and
S. Martinson. They were all donat-
ing their work for the cause of the
Master.
One afternoon while they were busy
along came a man with a wagon and
team. He seemed awfully frightened
and when he found his tongue he
told them the Indians we're coming
right behind him and urged all to fly
for their lives. A council Of war was
held and some for flight, some
were for fight and some didn't be-
lieve the story. Nels Larson said he
going home and would kill the
the first Indian that showed his head.
Others decided that vas the proper
thing to do. All left for their several
homes for fight, Nels Iverson going
with the frightened man in the wag-
IN. The only weapon Nels had was a
big framing chisel and his family
alone on his claim where he
ives today. The frightened driver
for Canton and when he reach
ID Mr.. Jensvold's they found him
corn. He was told the ter
,ible news. Jensvold said he was go
to finish blowing his corn, Indians
Or no Indians and he refused to leave.
He had been married a short time be-
'ore and he was going to pillow corn
md fight Indians II he had to.
The frightened driver again whip
ped up his team and before he reached
Canton the wagon. box was full OF men
who had no desire to kill Indians.
Nels Iverson after reaching Caution
uIlu ITO uuc0llS VI SOuNCyouNO
nome 50 he started afoot, covering IL
niles before midnight with nothing
put his big chisel to fight with.
When he got home he found his little
sound asleep and no signs Of
Indians anywhere.
He loaded his gun and went to bed
md next day learned that the Indian
story was q hoax.
Columns could be written Of that
scare, but it vas q difficult
at that time to head of q
because the horrors OF the
massacre were fresh In the
neInory OF MI. Many amusing things
wsrs done by brave men on the inn
pu0o Of the moment but Ne do not
,slievesny one vas 90 badly frighten-
4 - Mother Whalen when Waldo's
run went Oh.