Show I DECLARES HE DIED BUT REGAINED LIFE I OLD AND GRIZZlV WILLIAM GA ZIO A BLACK HILLS VETERAN TELLS STARTLING STORY WAS SCALPED BY AN INDIAN Comrades Prevented Redskin from Finishing Bloody Work Old Miners Experience with the Hostile Sioux Dead wood S DOnce I died Yes 1 died I Hut I did not go Into the great beyond and Join tho Choir Invisible In-visible Next time I will So said old William Gazlo tho Black Hills miner gray grizzly wenthor beat ° n tinw worn and aged still happy Intelligent fai minded and God fearllig As he spoke a smile lighted the set features making mak-ing a picture that could be tho envy of any twentieth century cartoonist gracing ns he did his broad brimmed hat hunters Jacket flannel shirt corduroy pants and heavy minors boots His low forehead and white hair showed a peculiarly shaped head the front development tending to perfection perfec-tion n look at tho back of his head showed a sudden top bespeaking lack of something a circle on tho top of his head made tho circumstance for this story His small steel gray eyes at times showing a cast of green carried still a tinge of kindliness signifying a soft and tender spot In tho region of tho loft Pocket of his vest Ho walked up to tho bar ordered drinks for tho crowd and said Drink hearty boys but drink with good sense so you will live long and bo of use to God and man while you are here Sit down and listen while I tell you how and why I died It was In 187G The government had withdrawn all opposition to Immigration Immigra-tion In tho Black Hills so all protection protec-tion to tho people was practically withdrawn leaving us to depend entirely en-tirely upon OIK own resources for means of defense against the hostilIties hostil-ities of the Sioux Indians who wore then on tho warpath Gen Crook had called a mass meeting of tho miners of tho Black Hills and we gathered on French creek near what Is now tho town of Ouster to discuss and devise some moans of defense for the settlers We were In the Black Hills proper Tho roads wore rough and rocky and tho hills were covered with a thick growth of Norway pine Wo could see signs of battle everywhere Blood was on tho stones Any amount of cartridge shells were lying about and wo know we wero near business I had not Slept for two days and nights The boys agreed to stand guard all night while I slept In lookIng look-Ing for a soft grassy spot In which to rest I went a little In advance of my companions and throwing my blanket on the ground dropped down and was soon fast asleep I dont ck + frirtiy r 1 r f arm l r tl i t Tsl r luJs I Awoke to Find the Indian Scalping Me know how long I slept but I was aroused by something falling on meA me-A big Indian was astride my body He rolled mo over and I knew my time had come Holy Mary Mother of God I cried In my prayerful de I I spair The Indian then hit me on tho head with tho butt of his gun I yelled all tho louder I blindly saw a big knife In his hand and know he was scalping me That was too much for meand I died then and there All this occurred In a period of about two minutes My companions had heard my cries and came to my rescue Just in time to prevent the Indian In-dian from completing the scalping operation My scalp was laid back and I was taken with all possible dispatch dis-patch to Fort Laramie and put in care of tho army surgeon and that Is why I am hero to tell tho story |