The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-08-03

AAV" VIC VHHco net w thc bOy OUV-
IN to Defend ThemseLves-Mr. H
gets up big scare-Scredmiag and
Alarm IN tie Cabin One Man hides
in the Bdke Oven--1fr. B. stands
Picket Guard-Ho1 tie Indians tor.
tars one of their own Men. liE
The Bibler log. cabin, spoken of in
my last, erected in 1904, was situated
on the lot where Mr.. Chapman now
lives, being In the eastern addition to
Basil. When Mr.. B. first landed here
the Indians were often their most nu-
merous visitors. TLey had wigwam
on the very spot where now the foun-
dry is located, owned by Switzer &
LAYER, who manufactur wood saw
mac hines, ploughs, cane mills and 9TH
er castings, as well as repairing
done here. Mr.. Bibler tells me that
when he was q boy, on many Sun
day he played with the Indians, The
few white boys and young men in the
neighborhood would meet on the Sab
bath day and have their sport with
their red comrades.
l remember, when I was yet boy,
l saw a number of elms and water
ash trees from which the bark had been
peeled off, say eight or ten feet high.
This bark was used in constructing
their huts or wigwams. From here
the,Indians soon m owed their quarters
to where Mr., Thomas Warner lives,
being the premises now owned by
Mr.. Thos. B. Warner. Mr.. W. was
an old hunter, as already stated in o
previous communication. Here, lust
as on Walnut, did the white folks,
girls and boys, meet with the Indians
on Sunday, and have their fun. Old
father Jacob Bibler, now living, told
me that he was present on one Of these
occasions, at the above mentioned
place, on Sunday, with about forty
Indians. Among the whites there was
n Mr, William Fitch who was q very
tall and strong man, and was anxious
to measure his strength with the In.
dians. This was done by sitting on
the ground facing his man and at the
same time put their feet together and
then both take hold of a spike or
stick; and then see which could pull
the other up from the ground. The
result was that Fitch raised all except
the Chief: he waited until the yery
last, when he sat down and took hold
of the stick. But he proved too heavy
and strong for his pale e-faced combat
ant, and soon raised him from his
scat. Mr.. Bibler says such shout as
then went up from all the Indians.
This pleased them that their chief
gained the victory, E4
Some years after this, perhaps in
the year 1872 Or 1913, rumor was in
circulation here, and believed bv
many, that the Indians were about to
come into the settlement and massacre
the whites. On, certain night many
of the neighbors met at the residence
of Mr.. Francis Bibler, for the pur-
pose of defending themselves as best
they could. My informant tells me
that the cabin was full below and in
the garret with men women and chill
drcn leaving scarcely room to move
around. Mr.. b. b. o schoolmate of
mine, and few years my senior, says
that Mrs. Bibler gave him some bread
and milk to eat, but he was too young
to see much danger. i ,7I :
| There were two of the nei hbors
who shouldered their muskets and
made their way toward the log cabin
fort, but who from their subsequent
actions did otappear to have much
faith in the report. Their names
were House and Hiser, and when they
had arrived within about two hun
dred yards of the cabin Mr.. Houser
said to his companion, "let's get up q
scare" and 80 he fired off his gum
This was sufficient TO alarm the in
mates, especially the women; such
screaming and crying and confession;
all thought the Indians were on hand
and ono old dutch woman exclaimed
in her agony, 80 ich wot die Ingin
hetta mich schon lang tod g'shossa, -
or, in English, "OI wish the Indians
had shot me lorg ago. / presume
she meant that then she woull not
have had to suffer so much. Mr.. Bib
Ter was one Of the picket.guards that
night, and while upon post was much
alarme d at heal ing footsteps approach
ing him. Upon his challenging tho
reply "Bcighler" was given,. and it
proved to be one of the'neighbors who
had failed to get in until late. Mr..
Bibler would have fred had not the
reply been given 30 promptly. / was
further Informed that one of the par
ties who came to seek refuge in the
cabin proposed to hide in the bake
oven, 'lrN e''''
| will make mention Of another In
dian story, which transpired in Indi-
ana, close to the residence of a son of
one of the old pioneers of Liberty
township. Several Indians had beon
murdered, and suspicion, of course,
fell upon The whites in the settlement.
AS there were but four families con =.
siderable alarm was felt. One night
Mr.. E. went out of doors and was
greatly frightened to see big light
and heara loud noise in the direction
of one of his neighbors. His first
III orr.h s1uoe fhok. A. n fatal han, h.