Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-08-13
From Cfst's Adrertisr.
The late Murder ar Saurf ST. Mary.

A paragraph is going the rounds of the press,
stating the murder, on the 9th inst, Of James l..
SchOotcrdff, Postmaster at Sduh 81 Mary, by an
individual named Timer, for whose apprehension
reward of one hundred dollars is offered by brother
of the deceased. Tanner is represented as half
breed Indian In one statement, and In others as VI
white parentage, having been made captive IN early
life, at Of the early settlements OF fennsyi-
vania or Kentucky. lie was stated IN the last &C.
count have been adopted into savage family, and
passed the residue of his life IN their midst.
The following letter, for which | am under obhsa-
tons 10 Judge lHatSon Of county, will tell who
John Thaner is BE must now be % years OF age
NORTH BEND, July II, 1916.
Nix. CIsr Your friend John HIndDlai rs IN error,
alleging that Tanners Creek, Indiana, derived It's
name from young Tanner being killed by the Indians
its waters Tanner not killed at all, although
doubtless believed be by the neighborhood at the
tine Hlndman left the great Miami, which was soon
after Tanner had been carried away by the savages.
| knew the whole family well-the old man Tanner
being the first clergyman ever heardpreach at North
bend and for some time the only one.
Tanner, the father, owned the land where Peters
burg, Kentucky, is now built and resided on It, being
about three miles below the Miami, and opposite the
creek which derived Its the station also did,
from Tanner who was the principal man settled there
Hogan Tanners son-in-law, who lived with him, and
was rst-rate hunter, gave name to the creek just
above Aurora.
In May, 1870, John Tanner, the youngest boy and
nine years Of age was out in the woods gathering
walnuis, which had been lying from the previous
seasOnsamong the leaves, when he made prisoner
by party of Indians and carried to the Sha1cnese
towns, in the first place, md afterwards to the head
waters of the Mississippi.
Nothing was heard of him by his friends for "a
years. except that in 1891 the next year. party Of
Indians, composed partly of the same individuals
prowling in the neghborhood, captured Edudrd Tan
ner, brother Of John, and nearly fifteen years old.
After travelling two days journey in ;hc wilderness,
the boy appearing contented and supposing he would
be discouraged from attempting to make his escape
at such distance from home his captors relaxed
their vigilance and the boy watching his opportunity,
regained his liberty, being obliged in the hurry to
leave his hat, which was of undyed WOOL behind, and
which the Indians carried to their home. They had
told him their way out that they had carried boy
loft from the same place the year before John Tan
ner recognized the hat soon as he saw it, as his
/ brothers.. -ssts-- lr,syss
Nothing was known of John, as already stated, for
many years. although Edward attended the various
treaties for successive years. and travelled to distant
points, even west of the Mississippi The Indians
with whom John dOmesticated had been for years
ssstleon the Upper Mississippi, and traded with the
! Hudson Bay Company which of course baff1ed the
search thus made In 1898. the Tanner family left
Kentucky for NeaO Madrid, where old Tanner died,
| after marrying in the mean time third wife.
/ In 1917, soon after the close of the war; Tanner,
who by this time had married Indian wife, and had
cnuren Dy her. with view OF learning something
about his relations, and expecting to receive share
of the family property, down the chain of lakes
to Detroit, and there reported himself to Gov Cass,
Indian captive, taken from opposite the mouth
of Big Miami, in Kentucky, in 1870. He gave the
family name Taylor, which was as nearly as he
! could recollect or probably articulate it.
Governor Cass gave notice of the fact through the
medium of the press adding that the individual would
heRTesent at treaty be held with the Indians at
st. Marys, formerly Girty'S T6cn, and now the
county seat of Mercer county, Ohio The Tanner
family had removed years since to New Madrid, and
with the exception of Edward Tanner, was composed
of the widow and children, born of the later mar
riages, since Johns captnre. But nephew by mar
riage of the young men. named Merritt, who lived
where Rising Sun has since been built having seen
the notice, firmly persuaded that the individual,
although improperly named, his long lost and
long sought unsisIanner; and under that conviction
Went to the treaty ground and found the case as he
supposed to be. The two started off for the Miami
tregs0nzogether. Tanner, although in feeble health,
having fever and ague the tme was with difficulty
persuaded to sleep in the cabins which they found
the route, preferrng TO camp out; and to CRAFTY him,
one fine night, Merritt, having selected suitable
spot for repose, went to a neighboring house, got
ceGls, and attempted to kindle fire, which, the
leaves and brush were wet, burned with difficulty.
Il Tanner, who had become thoroughly Indian during
his long residence among them, now got up in pet,
kicked the fire to fiecssrasd, flashing powder from
fire nosgpod. Indian FIRE good 20 They stopped all
night my house, their way to the lower country
and there | obtained these particulars. When they
reached New Madrid, it so happened that Edward
was ont of his excursions to hunt up his bro
Their, and John after waiting few days, became
inpatient to get back, and left for home without
seeing his brother, who had sought him SO anxiousy
, for years. Soon after reaching his Indian home,
Tanner had a quarrel with an Indian, and was badly
shot, but, after lingering great while, recovered SO
far to set out with Col Long and party who
on their way to Detroit. His strength gave way on
the journey, and they obliged to leave him on
the road He finally recovered, and was employed by
the United States authorities interpreter among
the Indians at the Sault ST. Marie, at the outlet OF
Lake Superior, which is the last heard of him.
Tanners Life " was published years ago, but
never copy Of it, and do not know whether it
is now extant. Respectfully yours,
j. 1IATSON.
wretch,-uamed Martin, outraged the person of a