The Dickinson press., 1912-02-10
THE DICKINSON PRESS, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10. 1912.

dians were hunting in the vicinity of
the Powder rivers,s but no Indians had
been seen and little thought was given
to any trouble with them. One of the
party had said that there were no fire.
arms Of any kind in the outfit for, pro-
tection in case1so of an attack by In
Edians. b - =
About thirty miles, below thesPumpkin
Buttes the cowboys camped fl dinner
lon the Belle Fourche river. The camp
as made at the mouth of a small creek,
now known as the FDeffebach creek. A
small bunch Of stock was seen about
three miles away and was supposed to
be a band that had. strayed from the
Driskill ranch near the DEVILS Tower.
MI. Deffebach decided to ride over and
look at them. But little did he know
of the plot that had been laid: to lure
him to his death. for it wat the last
time he vas seen alive. The men moved
about six miles down the river and
camped for the night. A large fire was
built at nightfall to enable, Mr.. Deffe-
bach to locate camp. Morning came
and the missing man had not return
ed. After a hurried breakfast Wilson
rode out to where the stock horses had
been left the previous night; no horses
were in sight. Wilson soon picked up
the trail leading in the northwest direc-
ton. 1t was quite evident that the
horses were being driven. Wilson fol-
lowed rapidly but could not get sight of
the fast moving herd. Night came and
Wilson was in the breaks of the little
Powder river. with a played-out horse.
1t was q lucky thing that he did not
overtake them, as he would certainly
have met the fate of John Deffebach.
Alone and unarmed. he was following
a war party of AIMED Sioux.
Rus found his way back to camp
about 9 o'clock the following morning.
The dead body of Mr.. Deffebach had
been found with a bullet hole through
the neck. His boots. hat and lower
garments were \ missing; the buffalo
overcoat had not been removed. The
remains were wrapped in a wagon
sheet and buried.
To Rus Wilson fell the duty of carry
ing the sad news of MIR. Defebach's
tragic death to the young wife in Dead
wood. $50 miles distant. 1t was late in
the afternoon when he started on the
long struggle through snow and mud.
At 8 O'Clock the next morning. after
having twice changed horses along the
route. Wilson delivered his message in
Deadwood. and by o he was back to
the Deffebach ranch, twenty-f five miles
northwest of Deadwood. After dinner
he and Levi Deffebach started out to
meet. the outfit. At the Orsendorf &
King ranch. on Sand creek, Wilson.
slept and rested for the first time, after
having ridden almost continuously fort
fours days and nights. :
A party came out from Deadwood
after NJ. Deffebach's body and on he
way back they were accompanied by
Mr.. Wilson. Meeting a war party of
whites from Oeadwood, Wilson turned
back to pilot them over to the Indian
trail. In this party were Dan Deffebach,
Harry Stout. Dave King; John Snyder,
& Joe Rhode, AL Woods, and others.
They took up the Indian trail and fol-
lowed it. cautiously but persistently,
until the Indians were finally located
near the mouth of Crazy Woman creek,
on Big Powder. There were about ten
men in the Deadwood party. while the
Indians seemed 10 number about twenty
five so the idea of an attack was aban-
doned until re-inforcements could be
had.
After an all night ride Dan Defebach
and Rus Wilson reached the Fruin ranch
at day break. and soon a party of fifteen
cowboys were on the way, with Nat
James, the Fruin ranch boss in charge of
the expedition. The Indians had moved
eastward to a point near the Little Mis-
souri, Buttes. They had about 200 head
of the Deffebach horses. The cowboy
brigade swooped down upon them and
were within 200 yards of the camp be.
fore the Indians became aware of their
presence. 1t is said that not an Indian
escaped with a horse, and few of them
had any use for one, for the camp was
riddled with bullets. and the white.
wrecked an awful vengeance. It is 6
rough country, and many of the Indian.
had jumped into coulees and behind
rocks. While riding in an exp osed plact
Joe Rhode was shot through the neck
and instantly killed. (The widow of 10.
Rhode died about three weeks ago a
Spearfsh. After Rhodes death, sh,
married johnson Ingersoll. who sur:
wives her,
Among the horses recovered wer,
many stolen ones, including the on,
that had carried Mr.. Deffebach to hi,
death. His hat and other articles taker