5/10/2005:
Today it’s back to the wild west of Dakota Territory. On this date in 1878, the Bismarck Weekly Tribune published “Our Black Hills Letter,” written by the Trib’s “Special Correspondent” in Deadwood. Written in the flowery Victorian vernacular of the times, it reads:
“Crime holds high carnival here in the Hills – at least it did a few days ago. Three were shot in a week. Two in a day is sufficient to raise the indignation of any community, be it situated in the far West, or in a more civilized town in the States. When the first man was shot there was little notice taken of the affair, and, when a few days afterward, in the morning, another was a victim to the accurate aim of a sixshooter, it was remarked that things were getting warm, but, when on the evening of the same day a worthy citizen was immolated on the altar of man’s fury, the populace themselves became satisfied that this promiscuous shooting had to stop somewhere.
“The idea spread with frightful rapidity,” the correspondent continued. “Numerous threats of ‘lynch him,’ ‘string him up,’ were made by the excited citizens. A large concourse of people quickly gathered on the corners of the street. Everyone seemed to be breathlessly awaiting and expecting something to turn up. Presently a stir was made in the crowd, and a man highly excited mounted a wagon and commenced to harangue the crowd, favoring the speedy execution of the murderer. At one time it seemed as though the murderer’s life was not worth a moment’s purchase, but finally reason prevailed, and the speaker, having exhausted himself, retired.
“He was followed by one of our justices of the peace, who proceeded to argue in favor of the prisoner, and who finally quieted the populace and turned the tide of sympathy in the prisoner’s favor, who was then quietly marched off to jail.
“That night,” the letter continued, “there was much talk of organizing a vigilance committee to prevent a (repetition) of these outrages. By some it is thought that such an organization has been effected, but no one really knows as were it organized, the members being all sworn to secrecy, the public would be only aware of the fact by their taking summary vengance (sic) on some of our shootists. This state of affairs is certainly anything but encouraging to the timid ‘pilgrim,’ or capitalist who visit us.”
The correspondent then described an unexpected flash flood through the center of Deadwood that had washed away a number of cabins. Out on the Cheyenne River, the Bearey family’s coach was overcome, and “a boat was hastily constructed from a wagon box.”
The correspondent wrote, “Into this trap were hurried the passengers, among whom were four children... The night was extremely dark. The river at this point is almost 150 yards wide, and the boat, when near the middle of the stream, capsized, and, being heavily loaded, sank. All were precipitated into the boiling, seething streams of muddy water twelve feet deep.
“When the boat went over Mr. Bearey grasped two of his children who sat nearest him and the third seized him by the back of his overcoat. Mr. Bearey being an expert swimmer managed to keep afloat, and in this situation was carried down stream over a quarter of a mile to a small island... His wife had her infant, eight months old, in her arms, and as they went over she got hold of the driver, but he said to her, ‘For God’s sake woman let go and I will save you,’ which she did, and at the same instant commenced to sink, but the driver grasped her by her hair and held her head out of the water until they two had been carried upon the same island upon which her husband had landed.”
Dakota Datebook written by Merry Helm