, 1857-08-21
Letter from Marshal COrIlSS.
OLYMPIA, Aug. 18th, lS5

Isaac n. Ebey, by the Northern Indians.
The reports received by you, and puJlishe.
in the last issue of your paper, are incorec
in most OF the particulars. ..-..
Col Ebey didnot "order Off any Indians
and consequently did not "threaten to le
loose q savage dog" But here are the par
ticnlars ...H.. ......
The sad tradegy took place at the housc
of COL Ebey on Whidby's Island at abou
1o'clock on the night of the llth inst. The
inmates of the house at the time, consisted
of Col Ebey and wife, their two sons and
one daughter, aged respectively thirteen
eleven and eight years, and Mrs. Corliss and
myself We were entirely delenseless, there
being no firearms of any description in the
house.
Col, Ebcy was aroused by the violent
barking of his dog, and arose and went out
side the front door, upon the piazza. AT
this jlncture awoke, and heard some one
sneak to the Col The next moment two
guns were discharged, Col. Ebey then ran
around one corner of the house to the win
dow of the room in which We the inmates,
were collected Here lie was seen by lis
wife with one hand to his head. She cried
odt to him to jump into the house through
the window, but he did not seem TO hear or
notice her, being stunned no doubt, by a
wound upon the head At this moment two
other guns were discharged, when Mr.. e,
sprang around back to the piazza, and fell,
sappeared next morning by marks of blood
upon the piazza doore Mrs. CorliSs now
lsaped from the window that Col. F.. had
just left--he being followed by the Indians
which drew them at that moment from the
region Of that window. She was followed
by one Of the boys, and as they had proceed
ed few steps one gun was discharged at
Aem-the ball passing between them, its
Whizzing sound being plainly heard by them.
They we're instantly followed by Mrs. Ebey,
the other boy and tire little girl. While
they were making their escape through the
window, remained on the opposite side of
the room holding fast the door (there being
no lock on iti) to prevent the entrance Of
Indians from the hall to which this door
opened, as Indians had already entered one
room on tue oppositeaside Of the hall and
were runniaging among the crockeFy and
glass ware, and were splitting down the door
to a room adjoining the last mentioned one.
As soon as the women and ehildrsn- had
made good their escape as above described,
followed, and taking the little girl by the
arm and in company with Mrs Ebey and the
two boys, we made quick fight to the
woods distant about fifty rods The boy
that had started with Mrs Corliss, not prov
ing as aeetasher, hadfAllen back and joined
wswile She notknowing that We had made
good our escape, proceeded to the road in
curing the danger Of Indian seDtinels being
PLACED thereon, and succeeded in reaching
The house Of Mr.. Hill, distant little more
than a half a mile. The alarm was immedi
IVY sp,S.u utVusn 'n0 nC,sN'yo'uoOo u, "
meeOs Of friendly Indians dhe place Of ' The
attack vas soon Tecohnoitered, when the
body Of Col. Ebey was found, the head be
ing severed thercfrom and carried off. The
syIsA 4SS, u inc neg oOrn0oa Ssse ~ .nl' '''i'
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t. -i'' '0"'"'"o" !" '"e "O0u' W Una
Iw.,.l l-.5ar 90
- .Suso way ieuAin " ~ piuiiNeisu :
Il y I, 10y ?, rs enef's,
..'ean ueeni " y not 20 F" the darKness OF th'
hSAt that We are indebted for our safety,
Int N a. G. "a : e Al !. y !. = .-.... !. q I'll