A nice old story of gold lost and recovered years later.
Liscom Cache
Here is an intriguing story of how some gold dust got buried and forgotten with a surprise ending:
FERGUS COUNTY DEMOCRAT
Lewistown, Montana
September 29, 1908
LISCOM RECOVERS BURIED TREASURE
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INTERESTING STORY TOLD BY FAMOUS MILES CITY PIONEER.
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Of the score of thrilling stories told by visiting pioneers, one by George Liscom, of Miles City, has a local setting which makes it especially interesting to all readers of the Democrat. In 1866, Liscom was a member of a party of fur hunters who operated in this section of the state. Early in January of that year, they were camped over near the “gap.”
One day Liscom rode several miles away from the camp after some otter skins which he believed could be secured at a small creek out from the gap. When some distance from the rest of the boys, he met an Indian, who immediately commenced to manifest all sorts of interest in the destination of the white man. He asked all sorts of impertinent questions which caused the paleface to grow suspicious. He denied that there were any other redskins around close and wanted to show his friendliness by shaking hands with his white brother. Liscom reached out and shook hands, but as he brought his hand back, he pulled the Indian’s revolver from the belt.
A moment later, the red exclaimed, “Indians,” and pointed back behind. Liscom looked back, but at the same time, he divined the object of the red and threw his hand up over his head. As he did so, the wagon spoke with which the wily aborigine intended to brain his victim, came down on the upraised hand and as a result of the blow, Liscom has a stiff finger.
Quick as a flash, the fur hunter sent a bullet into the Indian who, in toppling off his horse, caught one arm in the surcingle on Liscom’s horse. Thinking he was not dead and was holding on, the white man put another bullet through the Indian’s throat. The weight of the redskin’s body finally broke the surcingle and Liscom's horse got away from him. He was left out there on the plains afoot, but fortunately, the Indian’s horse did not run away.
About that time, 16 Indians got within firing distance and commenced to shoot. The Indian horse was wounded and, using the body of the animal as a breast works, Liscom commenced to do a little execution. He got a redskin with each of the first six shots. It finally became so warm for the natives that the four or five of them who were yet alive made their getaway. But the while man did not come off unscratched, as four wounds told of the fairish aim of the Indians.
He finally made it back to camp and was a pretty sore man for several weeks. Old man Buchanan who still lives out near Kendall, attempted a bit of surgery, using a bullet mold in his efforts to secure a bullet which had been flattened against one of the bones in Liscom’s leg. A short time later (this was in January) the camp in which Liscom was lying, was again attacked by Indians, so he buried $800 worth of gold dust which he happened to have on his person.
He never thought much about the gold dust, supposing that some member of the party had dug it up, until he saw old man Buchanan a few months ago who told him that, so far as he knew, the gold dust was still where it was buried. Accordingly, in May of this year, forty-two years and four months after it was buried, Liscom came up to the old camping place in the Gap and uncovered his gold dust.
The powder box and chamois skin bag in which it was buried, were disintegrated, but by scooping up the entire lot, he secured all of the precious gold dust and took it home with him.
George Liscom is now a well-known stockman of Custer County. He has on his body thirteen scars, made by arrows and bullets, which speak eloquently, if silently, of the vicissitudes through which the trail blazers had to pass through while reclaiming this state from the domain of the hostile redskins.
Liscom Cache
Here is an intriguing story of how some gold dust got buried and forgotten with a surprise ending:
FERGUS COUNTY DEMOCRAT
Lewistown, Montana
September 29, 1908
LISCOM RECOVERS BURIED TREASURE
–––––––––––––––––
INTERESTING STORY TOLD BY FAMOUS MILES CITY PIONEER.
––––––––––––––––––
Of the score of thrilling stories told by visiting pioneers, one by George Liscom, of Miles City, has a local setting which makes it especially interesting to all readers of the Democrat. In 1866, Liscom was a member of a party of fur hunters who operated in this section of the state. Early in January of that year, they were camped over near the “gap.”
One day Liscom rode several miles away from the camp after some otter skins which he believed could be secured at a small creek out from the gap. When some distance from the rest of the boys, he met an Indian, who immediately commenced to manifest all sorts of interest in the destination of the white man. He asked all sorts of impertinent questions which caused the paleface to grow suspicious. He denied that there were any other redskins around close and wanted to show his friendliness by shaking hands with his white brother. Liscom reached out and shook hands, but as he brought his hand back, he pulled the Indian’s revolver from the belt.
A moment later, the red exclaimed, “Indians,” and pointed back behind. Liscom looked back, but at the same time, he divined the object of the red and threw his hand up over his head. As he did so, the wagon spoke with which the wily aborigine intended to brain his victim, came down on the upraised hand and as a result of the blow, Liscom has a stiff finger.
Quick as a flash, the fur hunter sent a bullet into the Indian who, in toppling off his horse, caught one arm in the surcingle on Liscom’s horse. Thinking he was not dead and was holding on, the white man put another bullet through the Indian’s throat. The weight of the redskin’s body finally broke the surcingle and Liscom's horse got away from him. He was left out there on the plains afoot, but fortunately, the Indian’s horse did not run away.
About that time, 16 Indians got within firing distance and commenced to shoot. The Indian horse was wounded and, using the body of the animal as a breast works, Liscom commenced to do a little execution. He got a redskin with each of the first six shots. It finally became so warm for the natives that the four or five of them who were yet alive made their getaway. But the while man did not come off unscratched, as four wounds told of the fairish aim of the Indians.
He finally made it back to camp and was a pretty sore man for several weeks. Old man Buchanan who still lives out near Kendall, attempted a bit of surgery, using a bullet mold in his efforts to secure a bullet which had been flattened against one of the bones in Liscom’s leg. A short time later (this was in January) the camp in which Liscom was lying, was again attacked by Indians, so he buried $800 worth of gold dust which he happened to have on his person.
He never thought much about the gold dust, supposing that some member of the party had dug it up, until he saw old man Buchanan a few months ago who told him that, so far as he knew, the gold dust was still where it was buried. Accordingly, in May of this year, forty-two years and four months after it was buried, Liscom came up to the old camping place in the Gap and uncovered his gold dust.
The powder box and chamois skin bag in which it was buried, were disintegrated, but by scooping up the entire lot, he secured all of the precious gold dust and took it home with him.
George Liscom is now a well-known stockman of Custer County. He has on his body thirteen scars, made by arrows and bullets, which speak eloquently, if silently, of the vicissitudes through which the trail blazers had to pass through while reclaiming this state from the domain of the hostile redskins.
