Year: 1876

AHo cSOAy VI q hAACA AAAAb mAMeEs
Burlington QOwal Gazette


The reporter in his rounds this
morning dropped in at the Keokuk
Northern Packet Line Oompany's
office. There he found small
crowd assembled listening to the
recital Of a returned Black Hitler,
William jenkins, by name. He
tells a frightful tale, and exhibits a
wound in his left side, which must
extend into the transverse colon, to
corroborate it. He tells it in a
rambling yet graphic manner, the
substance of which we endeavor to
give


On the Sth of last August a party
of Pennsylvania miners, under the
command Of Captain 0lin, of Oil
City, started out from st. Louis for
the Black Hills. There were forty
two men in the party, including
our informant who went with them
in the capacity of steward. We
shall attempt no description of the
route they pursued. Suffice it to
say that they arrived in the Hills
about six weeks after leaving st.
Louis. After prospecting about for
some time, finding no traces Of
gold, they finally found a spot in
the western portion of that disas-
trous country, where they found a
stream, supplied from five con-
stantly flowing springs, and traces
of the precious metal. There they
decided to halt. The captain Of
the party gave the place the name
of Missouri Springs. They went
to work, built a large log house of
two rooms, capable of accommo-
dating the entire party: and after
its completion began the search for
gold. They met with good success,
and soon made shipment to the
East. There occasionally appeared
at the settlement a white man
whom our informant calls a "silent
hunter" who acted in a friendly
manner. From what escaped him
at different times, they learned that
he was a fugitive from justice, and
had been rowing about for years.
No sign of Indians was seen until
the 18th Of last month. On the
evening of that day Jenkins was
out behind the house preparing
supper, when suddenly from some
unseen hand, an arrow was dis
charged, which struck him in the
side at the place previously men
toned. He ran into the house,
and the arrow was withdrawn by
one of the men. He related what
had happened. A portion of the
party Immediately started out and
secured the surrounding country
for two miles about, but no traces
of friends or foes could be
found. A short distance from
the house was n cave in the bluff,
which had been used as a
habitation durino the buildinp of
their rough edifce. The wounded
man said he thought the arrow came
from that quarter, but a thorough
search failed to reveal anything
that would corroborate his suspi-
cion. The party repaired to rest as
usual, the wounded man climbing
to the roof to escape the mosqui-
toes, he said. He soon fell asleep.
During the night he was awakened
by the noise ola scufle in the room
below. lie glanced down through
the cracks in the ROOF, which was
made of logs. and a scene Of horror
met bis gc2e. The room was filled
with In6ians engaged in slaughter
ing h S companions. He became so
frightened that he was powerless to
move, and SO remained until long
after the fends had departed. Dur
ing the frightful slaughter he
noticed four white men among the
assailants, who numbered between
forty and fifty, one of whom was the
stranger who had frequented the
house so often under the guise Of


friendship. The fiends, when they


had completed their work Of de-


struction, gathered up the clothing


of their victims, their arms, four


teen head Of horses, and three


wagons, and carried them away