Memories from an old settler

Most of the time I try to find more information on someone featured in a story, but with this one, the history contained within the story speaks for its self.

Taken from the June 14, 1895 issue of the McCook Tribune comes the following memories of William Springer and his hand in settling Red Willow County.

An old settler is among us, who has been away for years: A hunter before he became a settler, and has killed buffalo where the round house and machine shops now stand in McCook.

In talking with this old friend, William Springer, old times are brought very close: who has died and who married, where this one went and what became of the others. Many of the remembrances cannot be talked about in promiscuous company. “Such gossip,” said a prominent person, one day. I often wonder how many now, are aware of the kaleidoscopic character of the early settling of the county.

Mr. Springer assisted at the first burial, that of the Indian Squaw, who was wounded in the slaughter of the Pawnees by the Sioux, near where Stratton now is. I recall meeting the wagon in which this squaw was. I had always heard that an Indian was too stoical to make any kind of demonstration in either pain or pleasure, but I was much touched by the suppressed moans of this poor woman. There are, as usual, many different versions of this massacre, but the one heard at the time, considered reliable and accepted by the government agent is, the Pawnees on their annual hunt, their meat dried and packed, were camped in a canyon on their way back. Old Whistler’s band of Sioux, still under the surveillance of the soldiers, allowed to be off their reservation, kept watch of their hereditary enemies, the Pawnees. Early on this eventful morning, as soon as it was light, they were seen by an old hunter, passing his dugout, rigged out in paint and feathers, on the war path. In a short time they returned, jubilant over their successes. The surprise for the Pawnees was complete. Many were killed outright, but all the braves who could, fled, leaving their meat, teepees, hides, robes and squaws and papooses. The Sioux made quick work with their butchery of women and children. Some days afterward, a passing hunter saw this squaw lying in the grass, dead, as he thought. Finding her alive, he took her in his wagon to where she could be cared for. This Mr. and Mrs. Korns did, but their kindness was of no avail. She lived a week, Dr. Shaw doing what he could to alleviate her suffering. She was buried on the bank of Coon Creek and her grave was recently repaired and marked by another old settler, E.S. Hill.

The first, and as far as I know, the only murder committed in the county, was when Mr. Springer was sheriff. In this case, he acted as coroner also. We have not lived far enough past that time to give the details, but a claim was jumped, the jumper was killed. Circumstantial evidence pointed to the owner of the claim, who had made threats. He was arrested. At that time there was no jail in the county and while waiting for District Court to be held, the accused was sent to Plum Creek jail. Here he was allowed mu-chi liberty. Several other prisoners, horse and cattle thieves planned to make their escape and urged him to join them. In telling me about it afterwards, he said he “had done nothing to be put in jail for, and he was not going to act like a criminal;" that he didn’t fear a fair trial. The testimony given was not such to prove his guilt, so he was cleared, while nearly every juror believed him guilty. Some have always held that he was a victim of conspiracy, while yet others still maintain he was the murderer, while yet others, holding that opinion at the time, became convinced he was a wronged, innocent man. It has been said “Murder will out,” yet the years have kept this secret and the mystery will probably never be solved, until the perpetrator appears before the Court of Final Resort, where every man will be judged according to the deeds done in the body. And when I recall that old white-haired man, whose life was not blameless, I can be wish that when he is summoned before the Higher Tribunal, that the findings, in this case, at least, will clear him, as when he was on trial in one of the early courts, held in Red Willow County.

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