Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1840-09-19
PROM THE U. r. aAZETTR.
The Tragedy i'm the wilderness.

The Tragedy i'm the wilderness.
We presume tina, no doubt remains, in any quar-
ter, of the melancholy catastrophe that ended the
mortal career of Mr. Simpson, Of the Hudson's Bay
Company, on his return from his Arctic journey Of
discovery. Should any such doubt exist, however,
it must be entirely dispelled by the suljoined state
ment which received yesterday by the pres- |
den, Of the American Fur Company, in letter
from one of the agents ofth., company atSt Louis,
and which may be considered official.
according to your request beg 10 state the in.
formation received at St. Peters before lef and
confirmed now by Messrs. William and Robert Lc
gan, of Red River, who are here with me, regard
ing the unfortunate and melancholy offair referred
to in your letter. A party of emigrants left Red
River on the I'd June last, and were followed in
two days Afterwards by another party, consisting OF
Mr.. Thomas Simpson, the nephew Of Gov. SimP-
son, Mr.. John Bird and old lie Gros the gu de-
This party overlook the other and remained with
them two days. During this ime he Messrs. Lo-
gan remarked ,ha, Mr.. Simpson did 40, appear
right me couLi noa have resi- lxt after they en-
csmped kept walking sImos, continually. On The
third day, iO.h June, Mr.. Simp on's party separa-
tej. taking with them Mr. James Bruce and lie
Gross son, q ooy about 10, and wen, snolher
road.
On Monday morning James Bruce and lie Cross
son came riding to their encampment, about SUM
rise, and related 70 them that from the time they
had separated Mr. Simpson had kept them moving.
] 4 bsck
the return towards Red River, until the evening of
Sunday; that on tha, evening, when they were "a
company, Bird, Bruce and lie Gross SON being
busy in putting up the tent aud old lie Gros occu-
pied at the cart. Mr.. Simpson took up double
barreod gun, and after standing 9 ~hle looking
at them presented the gun at Birds back and shot
him down; he Immediately 6Ted The other barrel
at old lie Gross body, and shot him down. Mr..
Bird was killed on the moment, but lie Gros re-.
msined alive.
| James Bruce then ran scross the brook. and lie
Gross boy moved side, and Bruce heard
Mr.. Simpson say he had sho, them because they
had intended to kill him the day before. He
walked up to lie Gros, and finding him alive, asked
lie Gros answered, yes. Bruce told Simpson he
| was sure lie Gros was not in his senses. and did
no, know wha, be WAS saying. Upon which Mr.
Simpson repeated the qaes,ion, and lie Gros an
swered no.
Mr.. Simpson then proposed to Bruce to returr
To Rel River, and told him he would give hin
esOO to 90 back with him and say nothing abou
il, Bruce being frightened and wanting to ge
an opportunity TO speak 10 lie Gross boy in In
dian. they got hold Of two brides, caught horses
> camp. After riding the greater part of the nigh
,hey reached the sher encanprnent, as before sta
ted, spcut sunrise.
A party Of siI Immediately took their guns an
mounted to return to the encampment OF Mr. SimE
son. OF this party Mr., Robert Logan, jr. who
g by nv side, was one. They proceeded in tb
s greatest haste, and soon after o'clock in III
: morning arrived at their destination.
/" They pulled up about 400 yards from the er
- campment, and called out-no answer was givel
10 Thsy then called on Mr.. Simpson by nnme, ar
y still no answer. They then moved round to T.
le oher side, keeping the same distance, aRd callt
y agnin.
. They could not see Mr.. Simpson but saw dc
g. move, Immediately afterwards heard the report OF
" gun, and saw the smoke near the cart. They th'
e. moved round 10 whero The horses were, caught heI
Id and A, preached little nearer the cart. They th
at fired of lheir guns, intending to alarm MI Sim
'h son, but seeing nothing Of him, approached grad
lis slly, lntl at last Sinclair, one of the party,
near enough 10 the cart to see Mr.. Simpson, a
caled ont thai he was dead.
&C They then all advanced, and Mr. Robert Log
H. saw him lying on his gun, with his face dawnwa
g He had a wound on tho forehead aud all the ulT
o. mart OF his head WAS blown of. Has cap VII
" enc, parii.iiy burnt was found about 80 yards o
he had 40 other wound The body Of Mr.. D
was found covered over win the tent. and "
ne sticks to keep /, down. lie Gros was dead a
w. eoyered With blarkelE, and there wac path
OF twsen The two bodies, os il Mr.. Simpson had X
walking to and fro all night.
10 They buried al three bodies as they were, Wi
!, out taking "A their clothes, and covered them W
l. the tent. Mr. Simpsons portmsniean and J"
ho- trunk we're not opened, but taken 10 Lac qua ~
- lie. and there deposited in the care OF DIR. Villa
son, the Presbyterian missionary until the
. when James Pla,t, WHO will be then returning
NV Red River, has sg,eed to take them bach to the
=, B Company's agent there.
"' have thus detailed all the Information can
-' tain, as carefully and minutey as possible III
'r can remain no doub, on the subject, as Mr Los