The Omaha Sunday
PAST TWO
EDITORIAL
PAGES ONE TO TWELVE
TAUT TWO
SOCIETY
PAGES ONE TO TWELVE
VOL. XLL1I
t -NO. 52.
OMAHA, RVNIUY MOKXING, JUNE U, 15UI.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
Day When Cruel Sioux Harassed
JtVJJ
the Pioneer
By B1RG.V BEALL.
ODAY Is Pioneers' Memorial Day, by
act of legislature, as follows:
"An act to establish a day to bo
known as Pioneers' Memorial Day
for suitable recognition to tho de
parted pioneers of "tho state of Ne
Tj
braska.
"Be it Enacted by tho People of tho State of
Nebraska:
"Section 1. That the second Sunday in June
ii' each year shall bo known as Pioneers' Memorial
Day and the samo sh'all be set apart for holding
suitablo exercises in tho schools and churches of
the state, and when possible in tho cemeteries and .
over the graves of departed pioneers in recognition
01 the men and women who served and sacrificed
as pioneers in tho settlement of this great state,
and that the prosent inhabitants and future gen
erations may not forget the spirit and tho achieve
ments of tho men and women who settled these
plains and prairies and established tho institutions
'which we now enjoy.
"Approved April 19, 1913.
"Laws of Nebraska, 1913, p. 523, chap. 171."
I have wondered if I might not assist in this
good work as a pioneer, by giving a chapter of ex
periences with the Indians, of say about fifty
years ago.
At that time, 1860, wo lived at the mouth of
"Wood river in Hall county.
Tho Deadly Arrow.
A pathetic incident happened. About twenty
five miles southwest of us the Sioux attacked
George Martin's ranch, shol two little boys of
Martin's, Nat and Robert, who were riding a big
fine stallion, trying to get away from the Indians,
Tinning them together, they fell off tho horse and
were passed by. They both recovered. Then camo
the terrible massacre at Plum Creek of an emi
grant train; then the big stampede of the settlers
beginning at Boyd's ranch. About this time, an
old man whose namo was Storey, a blacksmith who
lived near James Boyd on Wood river, was killed
while over north, away hunting juffalo. Tho man
had a little time before bought a load of hay of my
father. Soon a band of Indians camo into Boyd's
ranch from tho north, about eight, and were taken
in charge by a little squad of soldiers stationed
there, who at once set out for Fort Kearney with
them. They camped on an island of the Platte and
next day returned and reported that the Indians
escaped, but afterward admitted that they killed
them. This was base treachery, the Indians wore
often wronged.
In the year of 1863, three of uswero over to
the Loup river .hunting and trapping, when at
night a war party of Sioux, with a bunch of stolen
horses, passed by closo to our camp and traps set
for wolves. Wo trailed them for a time and then,
being particular about the kind of people we as
sociated with, packed up and went home, twenty
fivo miles away. Wo found the whole country in
an uproar. We were supposed to be killed. Tho
Pawnees, who bad lost the horses, were out in
great force after the Sioux.
Murder of Captain Smith.
The event of which I now write, happened
fltly-two years ago, tho fifth of last February, in
tho year of 1862. Up to this time we had lived in
err settlement in peace with tho Indians, but upon
the above date occurred an Incidont that threw our
little settlement into a fever of excitement and
clothed two families in mourning. On that day
C&ptaln Joseph P. Smith with his two sons, Charles
and Willie, aged 9 and 11, with a four-horse sled,
and Alexander Anderson, a neighbor's boy, 14
years old, with a two-horse sled went to the Platte
river four miles from Wood River, their home, and
were all murdered by tho Sioux, a small party who
were out on a horse stealing expedition. They had
been gone about two hours from home when Mr.
Anderson, the father of the murdered boy, went
down to the woods for a load of wood where, on a
channel of the Platte about twenty feet wido, he
found Mr. Smith with a boy on each side of him
down on the Ice, shot to death with arrows. Little
Willie was not quite dead he at onco wheeled his
team about and with the agony in his heart of a
father who knows that a dear boy has beon cruelly
murdered,' whom he sent away that morning with
a father's kiss and blessing. He drove homo and
gave the alarm. Swift riders went up and down
the road and soon a little party went to tho woods
to find the Anderson boy. He had run for 100
yards up the channel of the Platte before being
killed. The party put the four bodies on tho sled3
and returned home, then pushed on after the In
dians. But they were poorly armed and but a few
of them, and a light snow began to fall, covering
tho Indian trail, so they turned back.
I saw the bodies of Mr. Smith and the three
boys after they were prepared for burial. The
sheet with which they were covered was drawn
down to their waists disclosing their naked forms
which were pierced time and again with arrows
and spears. I shall never forget that sight. I cer
tainly desire not to see such another. Sadly we
lowered the four coffins into ono grave under an
elm tree on the bank of Wood river. It was such
sights as this that so greatly embittered the white
people of that time against the Indians.
Very Strange Dream.
I wish to relate two dreams, and will some of
tho wise men of the great universities about Lin
coln give their interpretation. On the night pre
ceding the death of these four persons, Mr. and
Mrs. Anderson, parents of the 14-year-old boy who
was killed, each dreamed that they saw four cof
fins. She related her dream after getting up, upon
-which her husband who bad dreamed the same
thing remembered his own. But believing his wife
Episodes that Marked the Daily Life of Settlers Along the Platte
in the Middle Sixties -Personal Recollections of One of Them
Recounted for Readers of The Bee
A "S. f REV pYJiON HE ALL and his wifu
'y jj': glorious wnpire, mid nowin the sun-
':'$$Mti :t - oority 0t ,Volintf lo tho stirring inoi-
I illlMniii'f' v JHL f ' donts that marked tho days when lu-
l'liIrfF' 'M- ' uViS dinn hordes roamed at will over, tho
V 32$Hmfc 1 plains of tho Platte river country, oar-
IpW t$mfc' lilBP V J v'iu tm'or ,0 tho SPltls hv their
I mr T';KJ aBIHPX V ) ruthless outrages. Some of these
ta be superstitious, and thinking it would troubk
her, said nothing oflt. In two days they, saw foui
coffins, and in one of thorn was the sweet upturned
face of tho boy who was relied upon as the staff of
their declining .years. Tho light had gono out of
tl.eir household and in its stead had come a great
sorrow that cast Its shadow across . their hearth
stone filling their. hearts and homo with ch'i'll.and
gloom and darkness.
Regulars Made Indians Laugh.
Meantime John Talbot of Dobytown, a little
village two miles west of Fort Kearney, wrlth a
small company of settlors captured fourteen Sioux
a little way east of the fort, and tliinklng them to
bo tho murderers of Smith, took them to tho fort
and gave them up to tho military. Tho com
mander turned two of tho Indians loose, with in
structions to go to the Indian camp and say that
unless the murderers of Smith wero promptly de
livered up to him with the stolen horses, he would
hang every mother's son of the twelve remaining
Sioux. The Indians went away and soon returned
with a message that unless tho twelve prisoners
wero set free at onco that there would be some
dead white men ere long in that section. And now
in the face of his threat and the fact that he had
tho twelvo cutthroats in his power, and tho regu
lars back of him, with Iron nervo ho promptly set
them all free. Of course the noblo red man could
enjoy a Joke like this, and the guffaw they sent up
when their companions returned doubtless made
the woods and fields ring.
An Old Time Plainsman.
Upon the death of Captain Smith, Fred Evans
mounted one of his swiftest horses, and he was
roted for having tho fastest horses and for being
the hardest rider in central Nebraska, and strap
ping on his six shooters, rodo with hot haste to
Fort Kearney to inform tho commander of the
post so that he might get his soldiers at once upon
the trail. But that worthy did not purpose to risk
his precious carcass upon any such effort and
ccolly informed Evans so, which had the effect to
cause the plainsman to boll over with wrath, and
o denounce the captain as a coward, which truth
ful effort nearly got him in the guard house. But
Evans' work was not wholly lost, as a company of
boldlers was sent out, which went a little way up
Wood river but soon returned.
Up to this date the wily Sioux had eluded both
the soldiers and the settlers, committed a number
of robberies and murders and got away with
hardly the loss ots their usual sleep. But now a
new enepy appears, as cruel, as cunning, and M
rr.pid riders as themselves, the Pawnees. I think
i. was some time In March that a company of Paw
nees, out for horses and scalps among the Sioux,
overtook a band of them on Wood river and in one
of the terrible blizzards of that time attacked their
camp and killed all of them but one. They re
turned in triumph bringing the yet bloody scalps
with them and stopping at the widow Smith's told
her they had avenged the death of he, boys and
husband by taking the scalps of their slayers
which they showed. This to them would have boon
solid comfort; but It did not suit her and Naomi
like, her widow heart turned to tho home of her
youth and it was not long until she and' her re
maining children with her neighbor, Anderson, re
turned to Indiana.
When Certificates No Good.
While in a general way there was peace be
tween the Indians' and whites at this time, you
could never be quite sure what an Indian would do
if you met him alone. I was encamped with threo
teams on the banks of the Platte, miles from any
house in May, 1861. There were five of ub, two
young women on their way west, and two men who
were hauling my father's goods to Wood River. All
of a sudden we were surrounded by a war party
of Cheyenne Indians, numbering, I judge, about
1E0; they had just como from a fight with the
Pawnees where they had been roughly handled and
were not as a result, full of that spirit of brotherly
love that ought to mark a Christian; this I soon
haw and when they pulled out papers which nearly
ail Indians carried stating that they were "good
Indians, etc.," and to glvo them flour and meat
and sundry other things, my plan was to give them
anything they called for, that nothing we had was
too rich for them, and so we contributed to their
wants with a generosity that was by no means
heartfelt. Thoy bad one new scalp and said they
OqqqooO
had taken six; they soon departed when I found
that while we wero reading tholr certificates of
good character, they had stolen a fine pair of my
blankets from the wagon. This teaches us, I think,
that we ought oft times to watch as well as pray,
and that testimonials of good character are not
certain evidence of Its possession.
1loneers Stampede.
Just about this time the Indians surprised at
Plum Creek, an emigrant train, and massacred
nearly all of them; a big stampede of settlers fol
lowed as ono of tho results. My wife, who has
llvod In Nebraska fifty-six years and lived then at
Beatrice, said that tho runaway extended to her
peoplo and homo. Many running away up on the
Wood river whero I lived. We woro at supper, I
think, when a man rushed in from the road and
yelled, "Tho Indians aro coming, get out of hore."
Wo went to tho doot und the road was full of
teams, and a string of them coming, all of tho set
tlers west of us for miles. There was no time to
investigate; if we stayed wo would be alone, so
hastily gathoring up a few things wo hitched up
a team and joined tho crowd. One writer says of
this exodus: "The residents along the Plutte from
the mountains to Omaha were panic stricken, and
een Omaha trembled at the reports of the thou
sands of Indians on their way down the Platto."
Wo went that night to the German settlement
eight miles east and camped. The Germans re
mained and William Stolley built a fort 24x2 4 out
of logs and others put up a sod fort about ten feet
high around Koenlg & Wlebe's store, but on wo
went to Columbus; there we halted. One writer
says of us: "Honvy londcd wagons of goodts
droves of cattle and horses, peoplo on foot, and
pooplo on horsoback crowded down the valley In
ono solid mass of confusion and hurry." A fairly
correct picture. But from Columbus, Fred Evans,
nlways among tho coolest heads, organized a small
rar(y and mounting swift horses and heavily
nrmod went back to find out tho truo situation.
Tho danger was not so great as feared, and boforn
long most or us roturnod, although many never re
turned. Right hero I wish to call tho attention of good
old Dr. Blxby of tho Stato Journal, to my attttudo
toward war In that early day. By tho way I wish
to nsk, in passing, why tho dear man Ie so flerco
and wnrllko toward tho proachors, and so loving
(ownrd tho Mexicans? Ho loves excitement too
veil. His Into poem, chaste, tonder, full of pathos,
1 think shows this. It Is ontltled, "Glvo Me a
Thrill, Mister, Give Mo a Thrill." With great
beauty, ho says:
"I have grown weary in body and mind.
Tlrod of this dally monotonous grind.
Smooth flows life's current from summer to fall,
Winter and spring no excitement at all.
What Is a story of excltoment or flood,
When in my heart I nm thirsting for blood?
O, the sweet yearning to cripple and kill
Give mo a thrill, mister, give me a thrill."
Had tho dear mnn been with me flfty-twt.
tors ago, riding a bucking broncho down the
Motto valley, broaklng all speed limits at overy
Jump, ho would not havo needed to bawl, "Glvo me
a thrill, mister." He would havo-had It all right.
I warn that dear brother that a day of Judg
ment is coming for him because of his persecution
of Nebraska proachors. But my attitude toward
war, I admit freoly that 1 ran away, and that If
anyone got away foster than I, ho must havo been
going some. But, thero was a reason. I was then
too young and fclddy. I bop also, to call the atten
tion of thnt sainted man to tho fact thnt I am not
In tho Mexican war very doop; again, hero is a
reason. I am now too old and fat.
A Decoy to the Death.
I havo wrltton of these early exporlencos with
tho Indians as thoy wero common In most settle
ments, and show some of our trials. But kindly
read my last llttlo story. I had a somewhat active
part In It. I wish to noto an Incident occurring on
tho fourteenth of Juno, 1860, or JuHt forty-five
years ogo today. On tho night preceding, a party
ot Sioux wadod across tho Platto at tho foot of
Grand Island, ten mllos east of tho city, and stole
two horses, ono of them a valuablo stallion. They
stood tho horses in plain sight on the southern
bank, about one mile away. John Ii. Martin, their
owner, sent two young men, William Shouldors,
who had workod for me, and John Slfft"fcrl after
them, supposing the horses had simply strayed,
whllo he watched them from tho north bank. When
thoy got within twenty feet of the southern bank
where tho water was about up to tholr breasts, and
rdnnlng so swiftly that thoy could do llttlo moro
than keep on tholr feet, tho Indians arose and
fired, then rodo Into tho water and scalpod thu
boys permitting them to float away. A simple de
coy to tho doath. My claim was within less than
two mllos and within an hour about 100 of us were
on tho bank. It was resolved to form a party to
go over to seo If wo could find tho boys. But tho
Indians might be waiting for Just this. It wan
simply alarming to find that so many of tho crowd
could not swim, others wero In such dollcato
health. John Myers, who now lives In Custer
county, gavo it out cold that he had not lost any
Indians and did not propose to hunt for any. At
lost four of us volunteered to go, Ben Hurley, two
others and myself. We approached the south bank
with great caution. Each ono of us was a good
shot and carried a six-shooter In his hand, pre
sented and cocked with his flngor on tho trigger.
We ascended the bank and Just on the other side,
within thirty feet was a campflre, tho ashes yet hot
nnd by its side the scalp of William Shoulders
which must have been dropped. We called out
tholr names and went down the river a little way
hut no voice returned on answer, they wore still
forover. Wo returned and tho scalp was handed
to Martin, who turned pale and gasped for breath.
A Foud Good Bye.
Pioneers of Nobrasda adieu.' -We shall, It is'
not likely, ever all meet again, oven In this In
formal way over a newspaper. Some of us, It may
be, by the next Memorial and Pioneer's day, will
have passed over to the other side. It is likely
that some aro getting old. Remember we wore be
fore tho G. A. U. men. Indeed If It had not been
for us, there had not been any state to fight for.
My last word is, keep your hearts young, let the
man of Calvary live In them. Look at yourself,
and then your good wife and children, and then
say with the poot:
"I am not old I cannot be old,
Though tottering, wrinkled, and gray;
Though my eyes are dim, and my marrow Is cold,
Call me not old today.
For early memories round me throng
Old times, and manners, and men
As I look behind on my journey so long
Of three score miles and ten.
1 look behind, and am once more young,
Buoyant, and brave, and bold,
And my heart can sing, as of yore it sung,
Before they called me old.
I do not see her tho old wife there
Shrivelled, and haggard, and gray,
But I look on hor blooming, and soft, and fair
As she was on her wedding day,
I do not see you, daughters and sons,
In the likeness of women and men,
But I kiss you now as I kissed you once,
My fond little children then.
And as my own grandson rides on my knee,
Or plays with bis hoop or kite,
I can well recollect I was merry as he
The bright-eyed little wight."
But beloved Pioneers, with tears in my eyes
and a choking sonsation in my throat, again I ear
Adieu! My heart goes into this little verse:
"God be with you till we meet again,
Keep love's banner floating o'er you.
Smite death's threat'nlng wave before you,
God be with you till we meet again."
