Year: 1860

Experience.


The Lafayette Journal publishes leng-
thy letter from George Winter, of that ci-
ty addressed to the father, from Carson
Valley. on the Goth of September, giving
an account of the privations he had en-
coun,ered and the iminent dangers he had
escaped. while on his way over the plains
to California. We make an interesting
extract:


| was captured twice by the Digger In
dians. on the Humbolt River, and once by
the Goose Greek Indians. escaped from
them once through the interference of a
white man. who is living among them
supposed u be a mormon-but WAS not
So lucky the last time. having received a
severe cut with knife. two inches long.
in my left bre,st. Ii was not fair blow.
or would most probably have proved fatal
The Indian who stabbed me almost lo,t
his life. | drew my revolver and Shot him
in the back oi the head. and prepared 10
shoot him again. but discovered other In
dlans ,ear-l was afraid Of being caugh,
again. SO run as fast as could 10 escape
them. In retreating for safety, | ran into
the woods amidst another band of Indians.
who were in the act stripping the body
Of a white man who had just been killed
Ore bloody de i Of an Indian tore off his
scalp. The unfortunate man belonged To
our train. by name Thomas Harding. from
Oil. In my surprise and alarm. | gave
a mos. ii fernal yell which brought BODY
of our men from the other side of the creek
which saved me from horrible fate. The
Indians were surprised, and did not seem
t. know how 10 act


But sad and bio ,dy strife ensued. Our
party killed five Indians on the spot and
took twenty prisoners. eleven Of whom es-
capped during the night. The remaining
nine were hung on the following morning.
This was done by placing the tongues of
the wagons together and lying a rope at
the apex The Indians were made to
stand upon horse. the rope was adjusted
around the necks. the horse was then
driven from under tie gallows, and each
one was thus landed into eternity 1t was
a sad scene. but one of terrible necessity
for self-preservaIion. One of them proved
TO be white man. evidently mormon
lie was stripped--the iron end gates of
five wagons were used to whip him until
he was nearly dead they were then heat
ed red hot and pushed into his flesh.


Oh! 1t was horrible and revolving; vet 1,
with many others. stood and saw him suf.
fer. They burned him so that at last he
did not seem to care any more for it than
the mere prick of pin At first he curs-
ed and swore that his friends (lhe Indians
would have revenge for this They then
hung him. and tied The knot in such way
as to prolong his suffering He was then
cut down and taken TO the willows. He
was watched by men secrered in the bush
es; In short time some Indians came
sneaking up to take the wounded man a.
way. He seemed to revive through some
thing that was administered to him. He
revived sufficiently to relate 60 the Indians
his sufierings. In their effort to run the
wounded man off. the party sprang up from
their ambush and shot the wounded man
dead and wounded another Indian The
next night the Indians slipped into our
camp and killed two men by the name oi
Jefferson. from Indiana They were broth
ers. and once lived in Lafayette. One In
dian was caught and was put through the
tortdres the next KAY.