Year: 1879

During the month Of March, our mining
camp in the Black Hills, had mystery
which the sharpest could not unravcl. Tools
provisions, gold-dust, clothing, cooking
utensils and other truck were stolen away
in spite of the closest vigilance. There be-
Ing no other camp within three miles, and
the inhabitants of our town being above
suspicion, we had Il puzzle on our hands.
| All the thicving was done at night, andarti-
clcs were carried off even with double row
of guards around the camp. A ravinc,
having two or three feet of water in it, and
crossed by bridge, divides our camp, and
1t was at length concluded that the thief
came and went by this dark road. One
night in April guards were posted along the
ravine, which then contained thirty inches
or lcc-cold water, and the night was frccz-
ing one. Soon after midnight an alarm
was raised, and the guards fired upon some
man or animal coming down the ravine
into camp. At least twenty bullets were
| fired, but the unknown got away. Next
morning evidence was found Indicating that
the mysterious stranger was an Indian
named "Gen. Scott" who had been driven
out of our camp at the close of winter for
stealing, and had been frequently seen on
the hills above us. No white man would
have dared the raync and its rush of ice
water for what he could steal, but il was


clcvcd that "Gcn. Scott" would, and that
he was the thief. Preparations were, there
made for running him down. No one in
camp went TO work, but all turned out for
sort of Fourth of July, ii being known
that "Gencral Scott" had fight IN him.
Twenty-onc miners, all well-armed, turned
out on the huut. Half a mile above camp
we struck the "General's" trail, or the spot
where he had descended and assembled the
| ravlne. AT this point two of the missing
campkettles were found. lie had stolen
five altogether, and four of them must have
ocen taken from pure Cusscdncss. The
trail ran back to the tmbcrcd hills, and was
easily followed. After slow and careful
hunt for mile and half, we suddenly got
news of the General" lie had discovered
us, knew our mission, and was bound to
have the first shot. His bullet ploughed a
furrow along the scalp of miner named
Chalmers, from Pittsburg, knocking him
over. 1t was evident that the Indian cx-
pccted no favOrs from us, and after his shot
there was no intention of granting him any


The fellow had his camp under ledge of
rocks, but, while it was a good place to
shield him from the weather, it became too
hot for him when twenty men, each taking
his own position, opened fire. The Indian
was game. He opened fire with revolver
driving three men to cover, and the next
we knew he was crossing valley for the
shelter of the timbered hill beyond The
Indian knew the risk lie ran, and as he flew
across the valley he zigzagged his course to
cmbarrass the ritlemen ready to fire. When
called upon to halt he uttered defiant yell


but was the next moment struck and brought
down. When he fell he rolled into a sink
hole and was again at bay, having a freshly
loaded revolver in hand The yclls of the
miners were answered with shouts of de-
lance, and it was plain we had not yet won
the fight. After brief consultation five of
the miners made Il flank movement to gain
point overlooking the sink-hole. This
point gained, they could pick off the Indian
with their long range rifles. This left fif-
teen men in body, and while most of them
were sitting down the General" suddenly
rose up and advanced upon u.s. hobbling
dreadfully on his wounded leg. He knew
his fate and was ready to die game. He
was within pistol shot before any one moved
and he blazcd away as fast rs he could fire,


wounding young man, Charles Judson, of
New Jersey, and knocking the hat from an
others head Even as he went down, his
finger pressed the trigger once more, send


ing bullet among the clouds. Any COM
punctious OF conscience over the "Gener-
al's" death were wiped out when we came
to investigate his camp on the ledge. Here
were proofs that he had stolen from his own
race as well as ours. He was, doubtless, an
outlaw from his tribe, or he would not live
thus alone, and the two white mems scalps
in his camp told of cold-bloodcd murders on
some lonely trail across the hills.