Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1860-03-10
TVetZeI,
The lNDrAX-HU

Manv passages in the stirring history
of our western frontier are so startling and
romantic as To- challenge for their thrilling
in!eres, the most Wild and wonderful de-
lsiFs of fiction. The story of Wezel-I
one of the pioneers ofthe forest, and one OF
the most caring Of advenlurers-ls OF tins
r,ind. We subioin the sketch. from
uowe's Historical Collection OF Ohl9.y !
Whie bunting, Wetz,l fell in with
corns hunter v 10 lived on Dunkard's !
Creek, and was persuaded 10. acco uPany
him 10 his home. On rhefr arrival they :
found The louse in ruins, and all tie lam
MY murdered except a young woman VINO
( had been bred UP with them. and 10 whom
the Young man was ardeDlly attached.
/ Size was taken alive as was found by
examining tie trail Of the enemy, who
were three Indians and white renegade.
} Burning with revenge, they followed the
liraIl untlI opposite the mouth OF the Cap
uva, where the enemy had crossed. Ihey
swan tie stream and discovered the In
dian camp, around the fires OF which lay
/ ihe enem9 in careless repose. TGe young
woman was apparently unhurt, but vas
making much moaning and Iamentauon'
1.-THE young man hardly atle 10 resiran
his rage, was for firing and rushing IN
stanny upon them Wezel, more eau
nous, told him to wait until daylight
> when there would be better chance vi
success in killing the whole party Al
dawn the Indians prepared 10 depart, The
young man selecting the white renegade
and WelzeI the Indian, they both fred
simultaneously with fatal effect The
Young man rushed forward knife in hand
J 10 relieve The mistress Of his affections,
while Wetzel reloaded and pursued the
two Surviving Indians who had taken TO
The woods until they could ascertain the
number of tbelr enemies. NeiZel, as
+ soon as he was discovered, discharged
/ his rife at random in order 10 draw them
from their covert. The ruse took efiecI
and taking 10 his heels he loaded as he
ran, and suddenly wheeling about dis
charged his rifle through the body of his
nearest and unsuspecting enemy. The
remaining Indian seeing the fate of his
: Icompanion, and that his enenys Tte
. was uuloaded, rushed forward wnh all
energy, the prospect of prompt revenge
being fairly before him, Welztl led MN
on, lodging from Tree 10 tree, nnnI his r.
; Ae was again ready, when suddenly turn
ing he fired and his remaining enemy
: dropped dead at his feet. Alter taking
,,i,heir scalps, We;zcl and his friend, wi>l
y their rescued captite, returned in safety
no the settlement.
F, A short time alter Crawford's defeat, in
D 1882, WeizgraScOmpdnied Thomas Mills
i a soldier III thalaciion, 10 obtain 'liis horse
! which he'had left near the size Of 81
0 UIarsviIle. They were met by a ParI
i Of about forty Indians at the India
S Springs, two miles from ST. Clairsvilld
a on the road to Wheeling.
a Both parties discovered each other
: the same moment, when Lewis irslantl
: fired and Killed an Indian. while the Ii
: dian wounded his companion in tile hee
: overlook, and killed him, -Four lndlan|
: pursded Wezel. About half mile I'D
= yond, one Of The Indians having got wiiii
{ in the pursuit few steps, Weizel wheel
: ed and shot him and then continued tie
j retreat.
II In less than mile farther a second
: one came so close to him, that as he turn
: ed 10 fire he caught the muzzle Of his gun,
when after severe Struggle, WetzeI
brought il 10 his chest, and dischsrging it,
his opponent fen dead. Wetzel still con-
d, ,iaued on his course; pursued by the two
: INDIANS. All three were pretty well ia
I1igued, and often stopped and freed. Al
, her going something more than mile.
kWefzsP took advantage Of an open ground
; over which ,he Indians were passing,
stopped suddenly 10 shoot the foremost.
wioi thereupon sprsng behind a small
bsapIihg. We,zeI fred and wounded him
; mortslIy. The .remsining lHdians then
gave little yen. 1excsiWing, "No catch
that man, gun always loaded" After the
peare ofl795, WetzeI pushed for tile
Iiroh,ier on ,he Mississippi, where he
could trap The beaver, hnnt the boffslo
and deer, aud occasionally sit6o, an In
dian. tile objecl of his mortal hatred.
lie finally died as he had lired--a free
man OF the forest. ' '"'' ',
Old FaIlacies Broken Down. yss
| Tie Reqsless Progress Of Fufk-