encouraged by this success, the indians then tried to do some more substantial damage to the track. the rails were unfastened, lifted, bent aside and a more substantial barricade built. late into the night, early 7 august, two freight trains approached. some of the indians came out of hiding and pursued the first train on horseback. they fired at it and even attempted to stop it by lassoing the engine. this did not work, but it did have the effect of causing the train engineer, brooks bower, to apply full throttle to escape the indians. the train hit the damaged track at full speed. bower was thrown through the cab window and died. the fireman, george hendershot, was poised at the open door of the firebox with shovel in hand ready to throw in more coal. he was thrown inside the firebox and burnt to death. the survivors of the train wreck retreated back to the second train, along with thompson, who came out of hiding carrying his own scalp. the train backed up to plum creek station, picked up the residents there, and evacuated them to elm creek. there was a failed attempt to reattach thompson's scalp in omaha and it is now in the public library there.