Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-11-24
Another Historic Relic

AnOIHeT IllSlOIlC NCllO
H. H. Mccoy and J. H. Wood
ward, while out in the western
part of the county hunting last
week, made a most interesting
Sind and are now in possession
of a priceless relic in the shape of
an odd-shaped six-shooter. 1t is a
~ .calibre, shaped in some respects
like revolvers of today, though the
barrel is longer and the weapon is.
lighter. 1t has a folding trigger
which is operated on a hinge, and
!, does not have the hand-hold or
guard surrounding the trigger that
revolvers now have. 1t resembles
what many years ago was called
pin-fre. The cartridges used in
the gun were provided with small
pin at the rim and the hammer of
the weapon strikes this pin from
the top. A hollow rim between
the cylinder and the hammer pro-
vides a space for the pins on the
cartridges in which to pass with
out exposing them.
Messrs. Mccoy and Woodward
unearthed this old weapon at the
base of FlowerPot Mountain which
by direct distance is about nine
miles west of this city but can not
be reached by road under fifteen
miles. The barrel of the revolver
was exposed about one inch. Up
on digging it out, it was found to
be in perfect state of preservation
and except for rust, could be used
for shooting purposes. The wood
on the handle is less rotted than
the metal part of the gun and had
it remained in the earth a few
years longer it would probably
have petrihed.
This discovery calls to mind
Pilgrim Bard's thrilling vision in
the winter of 1871. Our readers
are we'll acquainted with the Bard
who is Scott Cummins, now living
in Oklahoma but having spent his
earlier days in this county where
he was inspired to write verse. In
his book, Musings of the Pilgrim
Bard" he tells of what he found
on FlowerPot Mountain and to
read it causes ones blood to run
cold. To sum it up briefly, on a
certain wintry night in 1871 he
saw, either in a dream or a super
human agency produced vision
to him, while camping near the
mountain, a great raging fire
! surfoundcG by Indians lending tie
very air with their hideous, unearth-
ly sounds. In the center of the
burning flames he saw the with
ing forms Of man and a woman
perishing in the flames. Presently
after the fire subsided, there came
to him hollow voice telling him
that at the edge of the mountain
under a certain cedar tree he would
find buried a metal box and di-
recting him to unearth it at day
break. He did as directed anc
found the box and in it was encased
|Nsome Indian corn, a little wheat, 6
marriage certificate of Evan Day
and Lenora Blackwood and then a
note telling that the husband anc
wife were soon to perish at the
stake at the hands of the savages
There was also a complete accoun
of the fate of a small colony tha'
started west from St. Louis, which
the Bard reproduces, and Mr.. anc
Mrs. Day were the last to survive
1t is more than probable tina
this revolver might have some con
nection with Mr.. Cummins's story
At least it was doubtless used b,
Indian fighters and was washed in
to the earth at the edge of tn
mountain.
If the giant hills of western Bar
Der could speak they would doubt
less tell many bloood- -curdlinI
stories about the fate of the frs
white people who travelled owe
them.