The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1915-09-03
A SCOUTS
ESCAPE
BY NJ. QUAD
Copyright. 1915, BY the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.
BY M. QUAD

followed the close of the civil war |
was attached to various western forts
and camps as scout and dispatch rider
| and in that capacity had my full share
of adventures. 1t was my fortune or
misfortune almost at the outset Of my
career to strike the Sioux a blow
which made them forever after hungry
for my life.
1t soon became known among the
Sioux what had happened, and every
branch of the tribe swOre to have my
life. A reward of ten ponies was Offer
ed to any one who would kill me and
twenty if / were taken alive. | was
advised by every one to clear out OF
that locality, but / refused to go till
the long expected war finally broke
out, and / was attached to a moving
column.
| was finally made a prisoner under
singular circumstances. I was return
ing from the flying column to. Fort
Wallace with dispatches. | had set
out soon after dark and made a good
twenty-five miles when a heavy fog
settled on the plains. 1t wouldn't have
bothered an Indian to keep the points
of the compass, but after I turned and
twisted among some dry ravines / had
to own up that l was lost. My horse
was just as badly off. When l gave
him his head he came to stop. The
only thing to do was to dismount and
wait for daylight | was sitting on the
ground, not feeling bit sleepy, and
my horse was lying down when band
of thirty-seven Indians, all mounted.
walked right on to me through the fog.
heard the footsteps of their horses.
| but could not locate them in the fog
| until too late. When | leaped up it
| was with the thought that | might
make break for it on foot, but before
| could turn they were all about me,
| and in another minute I was made
! prisoner.
The Indians were as much surprised
as / was, and it was broad daylight
| before they identified me. Up to that
| time they had treated me fairly WE'LL
| When it was known / was the scout
whose life they had SO long thirsted
after half dozen bucks tried their
| best to tomahawk me on the spot. but
were restrained.
When their anger had cooled down
there was as much rejoicing as if they
| had captured a fort Six warriors were
called out as a guard. and soon after
! sunrise I was put in their charge and
started for big Sioux village on Deer
creek, between the two forks of the
Republican river. [ was. of course,
disarmed. Then my elbows were tied
| together and my feet tied under the
horse, and for fear the horse would
run off with me he was led by lariat
When we reached the village | was
| put in tepee and my arms unbound.
1t was the third day after my cap
ture before l was disturbed. Then.
most of the warriors having returned
| to the village on purpose to witness my
| DEATH | was led out at 3 o'clock in the
afternoon to undergo the preliminary
| to actual torture. This is running the
| gantlet.
| I got ready as we'll as | could, and
| when the signal came | Sprang away
| at the top of my speed. Blow after
| blow fell upon me as the savages shout
ed their delight, and, to my great sur
| prise, | at length reached the end.
| There l fell in a heap, and they gave
| me ten minutes to brace up for the
run back. l made only half the dis
lance this time, being struck such a
| blow over the head with a club that |
| sank down unconscious. When l had
| recovered my senses they returned me
| to the lodge, where lay for many
| hours, expecting to be taken out any
moment for torture. They would have
| finished me but for the fact that the
| wife Of Little Feather. who was in
another village fifty miles away, had
not yet arrived She wanted to be in
| at the death.
| The squaw arrived soon after mid
night My ankles were tightly dashed,
and could not sleep.
| Half an hour after daylight the vii
/ lage was astir, and at sunrise a squaw
| brought me some breakfast. and the
lashings around my ankles were cast
| off. | learned several years after that
! it was intended to oblige me to run the
| gantlet again. I was eating the meal
| the squaw had brought when sud
| den excitement arose outside. There
was great shouting, followed by
cheers and the report of firearms. and
| the next minute the 200 frontiersmen
| who had been raised in Kansas and
| Nebraska as an Independent force
| charged into the village. 1t was q
complete surprise to the Indians, but
| not for long. 1t wasn't five minutes
! before the fleeing warriors rallied for
defense, but before that time I was
i safe. At the first alarm | sprang up
and ran out Of the lodge full against
one of the guards, and as I ran I was
/ fred at two or three times. | was
| with the horsemen in a minute or two.