Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-09-10
Iron The Indianapolis Journal.l
Early Indiana Trials and Sketches.
-nE,nsuscEscEs By HON. o. H. sxrn.

TRAVELLING THE CIRCUIT IN EARLY TINES.
The fallferm of the Circuit Courts, 1926,
found Judge Eggleston and myself well
mounted, once more on the Circuit The
Judge upon his pacing pony, the same that
/ afterwards rode through an electioneering
Congressional campaign; then rode my
gray Fox" We were Joined at Centre
vile by James Rariden, mounted on "old
: Grey one of the finest animals / have
ever seen. Our Court was to be held the
next Monday at Fort Wayne. We reach
ed Winchester late in the evening and took
lodgings at the hotel of Paul w. WAY, but
no newspaper heralded the arrival. How
different was circumstance that occurred
when was in the Senate of the United
States. Silas Wright, Thomas FL. Benton
and James Buchanan, for recreation, ran
upto Philadelphia; the next day the Penn
sylvanian announced that Senators Benton
and Buchanan had arrived in that city and
taken lodgings at the United States Hotel
4 few days after the three distinguished
Senators were in their seats / sat at the
time in the next seat to Gov Silas Wright;
turning to the Gov, II see by the papers
that Mr. Benton and Mr.. Buchanan have
been IN Philadelphia and taken lodgings
at the United States Hotel; how did it
happen that your name was not announced,
as you were with them?" az did not send
my name to.the printer SO with us, we
did otsend .our names to the printer
After early breakfast we were upon our
horses, with one hundred miles through the
wilderness before us. There were two In
dian paths that led to Fort Wayne, the
one by chief Francis Godfrey's on the Sal
ammonia river, the other in more easterly
direction, crossing the Mississinewa high
er up and striking the Quaker trace" from
Richmond to Fort Wayne, south of the
head waters of the Wabash river. After
snioment' sconsultation, lIr. Rariden, who
was our guide, turned the head of "old
Grey" to the easternpath, and off we start.
ed, at brisk gait, in high spirits. The
= day passed away; it was very hot, and
: there was no water to be had for ourselves
or horses. About one o'clock we came to
the Wabash River, nearly dried up, but
there was grass upon the bank for our
horses, and we dismounted and took off
the saddles, blankets and saddle-bags when
the question arose fnot law question },
should we hold the horses while they gra-
zed, tisthemto bushes, spansel them or turn
them Iooses We agreed that the latter
was the best for the horses and easiest for
us. but raised the question of safety. and
brought up the old adage. "Safe bind, safe
find" Mr.. Rariden-"You could not
driye old Grey away from me-" Judge
Eggleston-''SIy Indian pony viii never
leave me-" made no promises for my
"Grey Fox The brides were taken off.
and the horses turned loose TO Craze. \
moment after, old Grey stuck up his head,
turned to the path we had Just come
and bounded off at full gallop, followed
~ the pacing pony of the Judge, at his
highest speed ! Fox fingered behind, but
soon became infected with the bad exam
pie ofhis associates, and away he went,
leaving us sitting under the shade of tree
that stood for years afterwards on the bank
ofthc Wabash. Our horses were, week
afterwards, taken up at Ft. Defiance, in
Ohio, and taken to us at Winchester on
our return. 1t took US but moment to
decide what to do. Ten miles would take
us to Tlf6npson's, on Townsend S Prairie
bove the reach of the wolves. Each took
his saddle bags on his back, and we start
ed at a quick step-Rariden in the lead,
Judge Eggleston in the center, and l bro't
up the rear. The heat was intense. None
of us had been much used to walking. l
am satisfied we must all have broken down,
but most fortunately there had fallen the
night before light rain, and the water
lay in the shade in the horse tracks. We
Were soon ON our knees, with our mouths
to the water. Tell me not of your Croton,
We New Workers, nor Of your Paramount.
We Philadephians, here was water 'what
sras- water, Near night we reached the
prairie worn down with heat and fatigue.
The thunders. were roaring and the light
nings flashing from the black clouds in the
west. A storm was coming upon the
wings of a hurricane, and ten minutes af-
ter we arrived at Mr. Thompson's it broke
upon US in all its fury, and continued rain
ing In torrents all that night We Were
in low one story log cabin, about twenty
feet square, no floor above, with clapboard
roof Supper, to us dinner, was soon
ready. Three articles of diet only on the
pam Walnut laOies hot cOfn-uOte,ciS, pOi-
ell squirrels and sassafras tea. Epicures
at the 5 o'clock table Of the Astor, St.
Nicholas, Metropolitan and Revere, how do
you like the bill of fare? To US it was
SYMPTOMS and thankfully received. Sup
per over, we soon turned In, and such a
night Of sweet sleep never had before or
since The next morning our saddles and
blankets were brought to us from the Wa
BASH The landlord provided us with po-
MES and We set forward at full speed, arriv-
ed at Fort Wayne that night, and took
lodgings at the hotel of William y. Hood.
In the morning Court met, Judge Eggles-
ton, President, and side Judges, Thomp-
son and Cushman on the bench. Fort
Wayne contained about two hundred in
habitants, and the county of Allen some
fifty voters. Allen Hamilton was sheriff.
There were no cases on the docket to try OF
a criminal character. The Grand. Jury
was empanneled. Gen John Upton, Fore
man Court adjourned early, and we all
went up to Chief Richardyille's to see an
Indian horse race, distance half mile
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