Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-10-10
III Y.
AN INDIAN MASSACRE

member the accounts pubilsheu III 'hs
New York papers sometime ago, concern
ing the murder, in Texas, of Mr. ii.
P. Darling, whose daughter, Miss
Mary A Darling, had long been resident
of this place. but who at the time OF the
murder, was on a visit to her father; and
they will not forget the fears excited by
the report that she was captive In the
hands of the Indians. Those fears, 1t
seems. we're without foundation, but the
accounts of the murder were true, except
in the Mariner of its commission. Miss
Darling has recently returned to New
Britain, and we have been furnished with
the particulars of the murder which we
herewith publish. a.
During the rebellion Miss Darling had
not seen her father, but last February he
came here from Texas and took his daugh-
ter to that state with him, where he
owned rancho, situated on the Eagle
Pass nd5Laredo road, about forty miles
above Laredo, known as the Salado Ran
cho. He had in his employ number of
men, who, with their families, resided on
his place. Among the number en-
ploy number Of men, who, with their
families resided on his place. Among
the number employed by him was a
Mr. Abbott, gf a Mr.. Smith, Mr..
Cosser, Mexican and negro. On the
eighth day of last May all of these persons
except Mr. Abbott, went about two miles
from Mr. Darling's residence for the pur-
pose Of shearing sheep-Mr d. starting
for Laredo Oh business. AS the men did
not return to their families at the time
they we're expected, search was Instituted
and their dead bodies were found where
they had been at word, pierced with ar
rows, the negro also having a bullet
wound in his head.
Mr., Abbott Was one Of the party who
discovered the bodies, and suspecting that
the deed had been committed by Indians
who might be watching for opportunity
to do still further mischief, he repaired to
the residence of Mr.. Darling, secured his
gun, and acted as a guard during. the
night, saying nothing to the inmates of
the fearful crime which had made Mrs.
Smith and Mrs. Cosser widows, (but i'm
mediately dispatching Mexican to Lare-
do with the mournful news.) and it was
not until morning that he informed them
of it.
About nine o'clock that night, May 9th,
company of infantry response to Mr..
Abbott's call, arrived at the rancho. made
themselves known as friends. and re.
ported the finding of Mr.. Darling's body
only about one quarter of mile distant
enti,ely stripped of clothing, and pierced
with Indian arrows. Up to that time it
had been hoped that his absence from
home had been the means of preserving
his.life. and sad indeed must been the in
telligeuce which destroyed that hope.
On the morning ofthe 10th Of May the
body of Mr.. Darling was brought in and
buried; in the afternoon a company of cav
airy with an ambulance arrived from
Laredo,-havipg been induced to make
the journey by reason Of a message which
Miss Darling had sent to that place-and
the day following, Miss D., and those who
had suffered with her, were taken tc
Laredo-from which place she came to thu
friends who have 80 deeply syhpathizet
with her. d ra WEES
b, t5fMr. Darling was man Of exemplar,
life. o staunch unionist honored by al
who knew him best; and no one seems abb
"a to account for the spirit which prompt
ed his murder and the death Of thos
% in his employ AS. however, he had detect
ed a Mexican in stealing from him. an,
some difficulty in consequence had arisen
between them, it is thought that the Mex
lean, out of revenge. may have led part,
of Indians to the slaughter.
T W ~s~-s----