The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-06-20
SMOKE SCREEN
PROVED HANDY
Enabled Them to Dig Out
of Burning Building
and Escape.
CIVIL WAR VETERAN
Comrades Looked Upon Re-
turning Skirmishers as
Spirits of the Dead.

Weakened by tho inflrmi,!o8 of age
Geo Dick, who IN probably the old
est fuilblood Indian citizen " Cher
okoo county lies In u critical condi-
ton AT his home out on Fourteen
mile creek. Hts end In apparently
near at hand and his old friends
never expect to SEQ him out again.
Dick, who from reliable accounts.
was born about 1896 In tho old
Cherokee nation IN doorgla. has
lived In this section for many years
lie was widely known citlzon or
Tahlequah district long before state
hood was thought OF aud since the
admission of oklahoma has con-
tinued TO live In tho old nolghbor-
hood whore he built his homo at a
period when wild game abOunded In
tho hills aud woodlands and the po-
litical machinery OF this nation was
In fun operation.
a participant in many stirring ad-
ventures, old Dick In the last OF n
large number OF "old-timc fullblood
citizens" and one OF the very fow
remaining veterans of the Cherokee
regiments which followed the flag
OF the republic during the days OF
the civil war. In that long ago con-
flict there were $500 men OF the
Cherokee nation who woro tho blue
and fought on many OF the battle
fields OF the southwest, but tho num-
bcr la now 40 reduced that even on
occasions when efforts are put
forth TO have the aged Veterans as
semblod. very fow are TO be seen.
Tho first. second and third Choro-
keo regiments will soon exist only
IL memory and among the very last
TO survive is Gee Dick.
Perhaps tho story the old man
most often related concerning his
experiences In the days OF the odd
war" is that pertaining 10 his hair
breadth escape n short distance from
Fort Gibson. The post was occupied
by white and indian soldiers, tho
latter undcr supreme command OF
Col. w. a. Phillips. Dick. with
other mon. was sent out on some
mission which took them near to
the banks OF the Bayou Menard,
southeast of the military post. quite
soop big forp OF confoderates bore
down upon them. but all escaped,
with the exception OF Dick and an
other man whose name has boen
lost. Tho two comrades found shell
tor 10 an abandoned log house and
deried tho confederatos to take
them. After spending some time
seeking to Induce the men In the
house to oome forth and he slain.
the confederatcs succeeded In set =
ting fire to the house. and soon 1t
was blazing from top to bottom.
With guns In hnnd. the confederates
waited for their game. but when tho
two supposed victims were becom-
ing very hot, with prospects OF be-
ing roasted, tho wind became
friendly" and blew tho smoke close
down 20 the ground In thick volume.
Evidently good spirit rode upon
the wings OF tho breczcs that morn
Ing, and Dick and his companion
were auick to grasp the opportunity
TO escapc,so they set to work with
their big knives digging beneath the
sllls. In very short time. so fast
did they work, they had n big hole
opened
They crawlcd out and keeping In
the shadow Of the smoke. made
their way 20 II ravine into which
they slid. After running for u long
distance In the direction of the
fort. they emerged and began to
shout and ridiculo tho armed mon
surrounding tho house. Indulging
In the most insulting remarks and
gestures, the orstwhlle prisoners
Kept on their way. Already out of
gunshot, and nearing the outposts
OF tho fort. no effort was made to
shoot or ovortake them and soon
they were safo behind the fortifica-
tons. They received great atten-
tton from their comrades. but soon
experienced somo peculiar actions
on part OF tho more superstiuous, i,
was stated that whereas both Dick
and the other man had been seen
TO enter the house which was burned
no one saw them make their escape
Seeing IL believing. seems to hav,
been tho maxim OF tho superstitious
follows. and II began to be circulated
that Geo Dick and his comrado were
actually burned to ashes In this
house, aud that the two boings who
returned to the fort were spirits.
The companion OF Gee Dick IN
the exciting episode of tho burinl
house long ago returned to dust. but
old Dick lived on year after year
There was nothing spirit like Hbou
him. lie was strong and rugged and
for many years partook freely OF
firewater whenever he felt so In,
clinod. lie lived in turbulent
noighborhood and held his own
with the toughest and toughest. liis
pistol or knife was usually carried
and should tho occasion arise for
their use he was ready TO take a
hand at any time, The excitement
OF the BAH game engaged his atten.
ton until such pastimcs became OBJ
soletc among his people. but the
stomp dances" remained. aud for
many year the leading dancer was
none other than Gee Dick. Even
when the weight OF 90 years rested
upon his shoulders, he often hitchod
an old pony to a buggy placed a
feater In his hatband and drove
away TO the scene OF festivities.
when tho sacred fire. was
lighted near the tall polo In the CEN
ter OF the grounds the aged man be-
gan To evince interest which was
augmented when the men and wom-
on entered and the dance began,
Soon, when the beat OF the tom tom
became insistcnt Geo Dick, with his
countonance depicting great plea .
sure, would dance with an abandon
not to be seen In the young and more
agile. His whoops. loud and keen
as In the wartime days, echoed far
away down the valleys. and in tho
event the dance was prolonged TO
dayhreak he remained with the
members OF the younger generation.
But the unseen spectcr which fol-
lows all mon from the beginning OF
their lives has overtaken the old