The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-31
Old PIainsman Tells of Narrow
Escape From Death.
Hungry Indian, Fed at Camp,
Warns Him.
HIS TRAIN DID NOT MOVE
Drivers Who Did Not Halt
Killed in Darkness.
Drivers Had to Fight as Sol
dierS Were Busy.

Hutchinson, Kan, May 31.-It was
a kettle of beans that saved the life
: of VIM. Doran and his companions,
up on the Platte river trail, in '64.
VIM. Dorth. pioneer of the plains and
| bull-whacker on the old trails, is now
/ living a retired life in Hutchinson:
1T was in 1864 that the Sioux,
Cheyennes and Arapahoes broke loose.
1 was just a boy but was holding
down job as bull-whacker and night
herder with train on the old Platte
trail said the old plainsman.
I'VE were going from Atchison to
Fort Collins. north of Denver. had
been on that trail since So and we
never had much trouble with Indians
and didn't look for any. But this
trip there were so many OF them
moving west along the trail, riding
along on the prairie by our side and
passing us and going west.
''One day after we had just finish
ed dinner, an old Indian came up and
made signs that he was hungry. We
had bacon and beans for dinner that
day, and there was a lot OF them left
in the kettle. We told the Indians to
help themselves.
When they left the old Indian came
to me and tried to tell me something
in signs. First he tapped our wagon
wheels, then he made signs like a
wheel moving. Then he got out bow
and arrow and mimicked shooting,
and then made signs like a snake
crawling in the grass.
The Old Indians Warning.
1T took me some time to figure out
what he meant after he had left, but
it came to me that he was warning US
that we would be surprised by Indians
and shot down from ambush If we
went on. 1 told the rest and that
night we remained in camp and did
not proceed. The next day we learn
ed that the other wagons which had
gone on ahead had been attacked dur
ing the night and the drivers killed,
not very far ahead of us. am salts
fled that the kettle of beans saved
us, and that the old Indian knew what
was coming and gave us the warning,
grateful for the food given him.
Mr.. Dorth was a lad of II when he
began driving teams on the old trails
His parents lived in Leavenworth
county.
81 drove from Atchison west over
the Platte trail to Fort Collins, Den
man. I'VE would hit the Little Blue
river at Marysville, Kan, then up the
Little Blue to the Platte and follow
the Platte west to Denver.
I'VE would generally have trains of
"a and &c wagons, each with five or
six yoke of oxen. We had to do our
own fighting against the Indians along
the road for the government had the
soldiers busy down south in the civil
war.
No Attacks In Daylight.
'"The Indians never attacked a train
in the day time if it was very strong
party. They generally made their
attacks either at dusk or early in the
morning, before dawn. Ten or TWEEN
ty well-armed men were generally
able to stand off a party of a thou
sand Indians.
1T was not until "a that the IN
dams really got bad. That year ev-
cry ranchman from Julesburg to Fort
Kearney was driven from his place.
We found the bodies of massacreed
men and women all along the trail
that summer. We took the last ranch
er out of that country, Jack Morrow
and his outfit, and I guess we were
the last party to drive through over
the trail after the outbreak that sum-
mer.
THE Indians were gathered in
force at O'Fallon's bluff, and we saw
great party of them-I won't begin
to say how many hundreds or thou
sands-pass by US, all night long. We
were hid in the brush and they did
mt see US. The next day we were at
tackled by smaller party, but held
them Off"
The teamsters, or bul1-whackers, |
who risked their lives to take these
wagon trains over the plains were
paid $40 a month and their board. AS /
night herder MIR. Dorth got 800 i
m onth.
1t was a two months trip from |
Atchison to Fort Collins, as a rule. /
The route followed the road where the !
Union Pacific railway now runs
across the state of Nebraska AT that /
time there was a railroad west of the i
Missouri river. The telegraph line /
followed the trail. It was frequently |
cut by the Indians.