The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, June 29, 1936, Page 4

Son of Man Who Died With Custer Says One Trooper Survived Indian Onslaught Oberon Man Was Born at Fort Lincoln 6 Months After Father Died “A strange story of a Custer cavalry- man who survived the Little Big Horn slaughter has come to light as Bis- marck and North Dakota prepare to Observe the 60th anniversary of the famous battle. It has been generally accepted that not a man of the five companies with Custer survived the fierce onslaught of the Sioux—that every man on the field went down fighting. History books say that the only living thing to leave the scene of death was the horse, Comanche. But Jerry Finley of Oberon, N. D., son of Sergeant Jeremiah Finley, who fell with Custer, has told the Tribune another story. He describes the attack, and then says, “The Indians had the sage- brush tied together with strings made from different kinds of hides, so that it tripped the horses, and everything went wrong for Custer and his men. Company Wiped Out “There was one horse that stood "It Won't Be Long Now” Whether you're planning the trip of a lifetime or just another business journey, carry your funds ia Travelers Cheques. They'll save you time, expense, worry and pos- sible loss. Buy them here in $10, $20, $50 and $100 denominations. First National Bank Member F. D. I. C. Bismarck, N. Dak. AGiliated with First Bank Stock Corporation ({ He Created N.D._| JERRY FINLEY on hig feet. He bolted and turned back ‘foward the river. His rider's name was John Corn, of C troop, the Seventh Cavalry, my father’s com- pany. ‘Yankee’ his buddies called him. (Note: C company was one of the five companies wiped out with Custer.) “Well, he dug his spurs in and drove for the river. The Indians saw him and they started after him. | They shot and killed his horse, just as jhe reached the river. “As they struck the water, horse and rider went under. Yankee stayed under and swam under water. “Back at the same side that the Indians were on, the water had wash- ed away under the bank, big enough jfor Yankee to crawl under and hide from them. The Indians left a guard to shoot Yankee when he came up, but they got tired and wanted to get back in the fight. So they left him, thinking they had killed him. as wel} as his horse. Met Reno's Troop “After dark that night he swam {across the river. He found « horse jwith a saddle and bridle on. He caught it, mounted, and rode for the {hills. Then he ran into Reno's com- {mand, and was assigned to I troop, the Seventh cavalry. “I knew this Yankee well at Fort Totten, N. D., when I was 10 years old, and he told me his story many times. My mother knew Yankee well when he was in C troop. “He served 14 years in I troop, Sev- enth cavalry, and was killed in 1800 at the Battle of Wounded Knee, un- {der Gen. Nelson A. Miles.” Finley’s story has not been sub- :Statiated by authorities. , Sergeant Finley, who perished with Custer, was a tailor by trade. He was tailor for Company C and Company B ‘of the Seventh cavalry. “He also tailored that buckskin THE BISMARCK TRIBUNE, MONDAY, JUNE 29, 1936 MAN WHO CARRIED ‘MESSAGE TO GARCIA’ SERVED IN N. D. blouse trimmed with buckskin fringe that Custer wore when he was killed,” Finley says. Came From Ireland Sergeant Finley married Helen Boyd in 1861, the year he enlisted in the Seventh cavalry. Both were from Tipperary, Ireland. Mrs. Finley went with him from fort to fort in the campaigns in which he figured. They were stationed at Fort Abra- ham Lincoln for some time prior to Sergeant Finley's departure with Cus- ter May 17, 1876. Finley tells another story of the Little Big Horn battle: “There was an Indian that killed \his wife and children, in the guard {house at Fort Lincoln, My father was sergeant, 80 he used to take this Indian up to the house to cut wood for him. My mother was good to him. |She used to give him good lunches every time my father brought him up. “He used to tell my father, ‘Some time me be good to sergeant’s wife.’ “This Indian's name was Rain-in- the-Face. “My father was a Catholic, and he wore @ scapular around his neck. Father Not Mutilated “After the battle of the Little Big Horn, when all the men were dead, they were cut up. Rain-in-the-Face put a black hat over my father’s face, and he was not cvs up. “In 1877 Rain-in-the-Face came to my mother’s door and handed her a dirty piece of cloth. Wrapped in that cloth was my father’s scapular. Then | he told my mother that it was he! that put that black hat on my fath- er's face, so that he was not cut up.” Finley never saw his father. He was not born until Nov. 20, 1875, at Fort Lincoln. Fourteen years later his mother died, leaving him alone. In 1900 Finley married, and his wife died in 1914, leaving him with five children. His home is two miles weet of Fort Totten, where his mother brought him as a baby, in 1878. Believe Four Persons Died in Plane Wreck Essex, N. Y., June 20.—(?)—A buoy Monday marked the spot in Lake Champlain near here where state po- lice believe four persons plunged to their death while making a good will flight to Montreal. An obstruction believed to be wreckage of the good will plane was located late Sunday about two miles off shore. It is just north of the spot where the plane went down in 270 feet of water Sat- urday. Efforts to raise the object failed and the task was abandoned until heavier equipment could be se- cured. Sergeant R. F. Walter of the state police said he believed the bodies of the four victims may still be in the cabin of the ship. They were Frank Saglimbene, 30, of Brooklyn, owner of the plane; Steve Kaye, pilot; George W. Ericson and Dolly Zar- ling, all of Queens. WALLACE COMING | 8t. Paul, June 20—(#)—The Dis-} patch Monday said Secretary of Ag-/ riculture Henry Wallace will make a personal inspection of the drouth-| stricken area of the northwest shortly after July 2 when he js to speak in Duluth. | A person sentenced to death in| Utah has the choice of being hanged! or shot by a firing squad. i Pointing out his perilous route, the man who won world note by carrying the famed “message to Garcia” is shown here —Col. Andrew S. Rowan, army veteran, reported in failing health in his San Francisco home. He was 79 years old April 23. As a youth and a lieutenant fresh from the U. S. military academy he did a tour of duty at Fort Pembina. Like a tale of thrilling fiction reads the story of how: Rowan, a young topographical expert, who disguised himself as a British hunter and carried a message from President Mc- Kinley to Gen. Calixte Garcia, a Cuban rebel leader upon whom the United States depended for aid at the outbreak of the Span- ish-American war. When all efforts to arbitrate the difference with Spain had failed and it became only @ matter of days until war would be declared, the United States realized that it had little if any authentic information regarding the Spanish forces in Cuba. General Garcia, who had long urged the Cubans to rise against the Spanish authorities then governing the island with a high hand, was decided upon. as the one man who could supply the necessary information, but as he: was hidden deep in the mountains of the interior, it was doubtful if he would learn until too late that hostil- ities were impending. Starts Deadly Mission Rowan, in the meantime, had been sent to Kingston, Jamaica, in pre- paration for the dash. Late one night a coded cable message from | Washington instructing him to | @ Spanish post. They made their way Garcia as soon as possible,” start him through thé enemy lines on the perilous expedition, which Rowan as well as every one else familiar with the conditions believed would end in’ his death. Procuring the hunter's regalia and a small sail boat, he crossed to Cuba under cover of the inky darkness and entered the Spanish patrol lines be- fore dawn. Eluding the first outpost, he was soon on the edge of the thick, | jungle-like wilds through which he was to travel afoot for a week. Under | hardships which later caused even: the most calloused army scouts to wonder how he survived, Rowan con- tinued breaking through the tropical You Won’t Want To Miss This Story! “RUNAWAY BRIDE” (By Helen Welshimer) Starting Wednesday, July —in— The Bismarck Tribune Read this story of a lovely and rich young society debu- tante who left her prospective husband waiting at the altar and sailed alone on a European honey- moon, growth and making his way across the treacherous Sierra Maestra moun- tains, and on May 1, 1808, reached Garcia with his message. The rebel general, upon learning that the United States was at war with Spain and desired his coopera- tion, not only supplied Rowan with all the military information at his com- mand, but selected three of his most trusted officers to make the danger- ous trip back to Washington to help the American authorities prepare their campaign. Evade Spanish Guns Rowan was asked if he couid start back the same night, and upon his reply that he would not be satisfied to’ do anything eles, the four left Bay-| “Carrying the amo, where Garcia was hidden, and a few minutes later were swimming the Cauto river a short distance above to the coast, obtained a small boat, and after passing under the Spanish guns late at night, proceeded to Nas- sau. One of the rebel officers had to remain on the Cuban shore, as ee eee a Nassau the three hurried to ‘Washington, where President McKin- ley and Secretary of War Alger ex- tended public congratulations to the young lieutenant who had braved death countless times in carrying out his orders. Rowan was promoted to a captain- cy shortly after his return, but it) was more than 24 years before con- gress recognized his valor and .voted him a Distinguished Service Cross with a silver star citation. Rowan’s feat was chronicled by the NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS STATE HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION 1. Proposals for the construction of @ State Highway on U. S. Route No. 10, E. of Bismarck will be receiv- ed by the State Highway Commission in the offices of the Department of State Highways at Bismarck, N. Dak., not later than 9:30 o'clock A. iy 10, 1936, at which place and time they 1 be publicly opened and read. . The Proposals must be mailed to or otherwise Department of Sti rs Bismarck, N. Dak., and shall be seal- ed and endorsed “Proposal for con- {structing a ae Highway E, of Bis- marek, P. H. Project No. WPMH 244A, in Burleigh Count: 3. A certified check for 5 gether within bidder's bond in the tull amount of the gross sum bid, must accompany each proposal. All certi- fied checks shall be drawn on N. Dak. Banks, and will be cashed by the Commissioner, and said returned to the successful bidder up- on the filing of an approved contract bond. 4. “Contemplated work consists of 0.791 Miles of Landscape & Incidental road improvement involving approxi- mately: 117 No. Trees; 816 nish & Install 15” R. Conc, Pipe; 2500 Lbs. Bonemeal; 2565 L, F, Removing Fence; 12.1 Acres Plowin; 1 Acres Seeding; 5 No. Remove Heat walls; 52 L. F. Relay C. ei P. F. 1%” Gal, Iron Pie je; . 1%” Stop cock; 3 No. Manholes a Plas 1 No. 1%” Wat No. %” by 18” Riser Pipe; 25 Ts 5. Copies mm ‘the Proposal blanks may be Ga from the Department of Stat 3 at Bismarck, N. Dak. Siant and specifications are on file in the Division Office of the ‘Department of State Highways at Bismarck, N. Dak., and the office of the Department a State Highways at Bismarck, N. Dak. id also at the office of the County Auditor in the Pas wherein the project or pro- are Invited to be ing of the propos- reserved to reject als, to waive tech- or to aeeeee such as may be to be for the best inter- ests 2 pe County and Sta’ must bid on all items contained in the proposal blank. Any bid or bids received for any number than thos contained In will considered as 1 rejected as such. wirhe attention of bidders is di- Spe Provisions cov- ing letting © or igning the con- nd to the use of Domestic Ma- minimum wage paid We all skilled labor employed on this ject shall be not less than sinty-tive (65) cents per hour. “The minimum wi paid to all zs ts per he minimum wage paid to ail un- geile labor employed on this pro- t shall be not less than forty (40) cents per hour. “Where bi furnished by. a ction in the abot made for the actu: board, but not to exceed conte per ane minimum wees to ban Mate to monthly ribasie = shall not eines than ould be arned by other labor of similar classiticats tion working the full number of hours permitted under ast Weg ot provisions.” . This contract requires 14,625 Dorothy Carlson and B. W. Meier Are Wed) ° i ‘The marriage of Miss Dorothy A. Carlson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. 8. Carlson, Lehr, to Mr. Bernard 'W. Meier, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Meier, Napoleon, took place at 9:30 A. M. Monday, at Napoleon, with Father Simon officiating. Miss Mar- jorie Carlson, sister of the bride, and Mr. Jack Greitl, brother-in-law of the bridegroom, were the attendants. The bride wore her mother’s wedding dress of cream-colored liberty satin and Irish point lace and her veil was held in place with a wreath of lilies of the valley. The bridal bouquet was pink and white roses. The bridesmaid’s gown was blue net and she wore a corsage of yellow roses. After the ceremony covers were laid for 20 at a wedding breakfast served ae home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph ler. The bride attended the high school school and attended the Valley City Normal school and the University of ‘North Dakota. He is at present Field Supervisor of Logan, Emmons, and McIntosh counties. * * & Former Local Couple Wed in Washington Announcement is made of the mar- riage of former Bismarck residents, Miss Mary Cysewski of Aberdeen, Wash., and Mr. Thomas F. Dunn of Seattle, son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Dunn, Jamestown, on Monday, June 29, at Aberdeen. Mr. Dunn, a former student at the North Dakota bate college, Fargo, and St. John’s college, Co! » 18 as- sociated with the American’ Automo- bile company at Seattle. He was formerly sports writer for the Minot Daily News. Miss Cysewski attended St. John’s aoe at Jamestown. * *% ‘Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Rowe, Werner, announce the marriage of their daugh- ter, Florence, to Merle R. Kling of late Elbert Fee in an essay, Message to Garcia,” which was said to have broken all records for circulation and also for translation into foreign languages. Subsequently Rowan was promoted to the rank of major and a few years later to that of lieutenant-colonel. Upon his retirement from the army, which he had entered from West: Point in 1881, he published a book entitled “The Island of Cuba.” He was born in Virginia in 1857, but selected San Francisco as his ee leaving the active service kinson, L. P. Wedge home, 922 south Seventh street, from Thursday until Saturday Coxey Quits Race to Aid Lemke’s Campaign Massiion, Ohio, June 29.—()— “General” Jacob 8. Coxey, S2-year-old presidential ‘ould lend his efforts to promote the traltt candidacy of Rep. William Lemke of The Days of the Balloon Stack Return to Bismarck! Dict ttie cstabrouon of the: Phoneee Days Festival in Bismarck, July 3, 4 and 5, you are invited to inspect the first locomotive to operate in this part of the country. This is the famous old ‘“‘Minne- tonka,” wood-burning, balloon-stacked engine put into service by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1870. The "Minnetonka" will be on exhibit near the Northern Pacific Depot all three days. With it will be an old coach built in 1882 and in sharp contrast to this old equipment, will be one of the luxurious air-conditioned coaches now in service on the NORTH COAST LIMITED. We cordially invite you to visit this interesting exhibit: The coaches will be open daily from 10 am to 9. pm: T. P. ALLEN, Agent OTTO KOPP, Traveling Freight Agent Bismarck, N. D. Northern Pacific Railway First of the Northern Transcontinentals manufacturer, that you don't, need BEWARE: Don’t gamble! Life is too sweet to take chances on unsafe tires. Equip your car with a set of Goodrich Safety Silvertowns with Life-Saver Golden Ply blow-out protection, Remem- ber they cost not a penny more than other standard tires. Here’s Another Great Tire Value Goodrich, of course, builds tires to meet and pocketbook, at low five cove don't real to get Tock-bottom! 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