The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-20

OF Indian depredatlOnS upoll Iue appa-
rently helpless people OF Texas
REPRESENTATIVE HALL.
Austin, March 10, 1866.
In compliance with your request, I
hasten to lay before you such informa-
ton in regard to depredations by Indi-
ans upon our Northwestern frontier as
has con1e within my personal. know
ledge during the last few months. I
shall confne my remarks to what [
know to have occurred within the dis
trict which I have the honor to repre-
sent About the time of what is known
as ''the break up" in Texas, the Indians
some twenty-five in number, came into
Mason County, not more than three
miles from where I live, and killed Mrs.
Todd, wife of Geo. W. Todd, who was
our County Clerk, carried off her
daughter Alice, young and interest
ing girl of fourteen years, who had just
a few days before returned from the
San Saba Female Seminary, and killed
a negro girl who was in the party. Mr..
Todd was in the party, but managed to
escape unhurt.
The Indians were generally dressed
in the Mexican scytle, but were chiefly
armed with bows and arows-only
few guns. That same party went on
into Gillespie County, and there within
two miles of Fredricksbureh captured
two young German girls, one eighteen
and the other fourteen. They killed
the elder one, before theyleft the neigh
borhood, butnot until after they treated
her in manner too revolving to des-
cribe.. The girls were the daughters
of a Mr.,& Mrs. Englss, of Grape Creek.
On Grape Greek, in that County, they
shot an old lady by the name Frail, and
carried off her little son, a promising
boy of ten years. On Crabb Apple
Creek they killed an old man. whose
name was Walker, burned his house
and carried off two Of his children-a
little boy and girl. From every neigh
borhood they so far succeeded in collec-
ting and driving off all the serviceable
horses that there was no possibility of
overtaking them. They went out with
out even feeling the necessity Of being
in hurry: In the month Of August
last they returned to the Seine, in Ma
son County, and there killed an old
gentleman by the name of Park, his
wife and grandson, burned thuir house
and drove off their horses.
On Red Creek they killed a man by
the name Of Fred. Conway, who left an
excellent wife and five little children to
mourn his untimely loss. Fred. was q
noble man, and brave as brave could
be, but the savages overpowered and
murdered him in q most shameful man
ner. Not far from there they killed an
old man, German, by the name Of
Sheeman and his little son. On Spring
Creek, in Gillespie County, they killed
Mr.. and Mrs. Taylor and carried off
their children, I don't now remember
the number, but three or four I'm sure.
They killed at that same time and place,
a Mr.. Mcdonald, and carried off his
family, consisting of q wife and five chill
dren. On the Tortenois, in the same
county, they carried off promising boy
fourteen years of age, the son Of a MIR.
Fisher, and again took horses about the
different premises, and escaped without
injury. Still later they came again,
and on Beaver Greek, in Mason County
they killed Mr.. Gancing and his wife
but not until six Of the red devils had
violated her by turns in the presence OF
her, husband, who was, of course.
wounded and helpless. They finally
scarrifed Mrs. Gancing. by drawing
knife across her abdomen and thighs in
every possible direction, and then left
her to die by slow degrees; she was far
gone in pregnancy, but strange to say,
she retained her senses to the moment
of her death, and when found, was able
to give the statement as just related.
They killed an old man by the name
of Couch, on Deer Creek, on the edge
Of Mason County, shot a young: man by
the name Of John Lowe on the little
Liano, did many other depredations,
and, as usual, drove our horses before
them and escaped without injury.
Just as I was leaving home they came
on the Leon, in Mason County, and
shot old Mr.. Putnam and son, and
drove off quite a number of horses that
were making their way further down
into the settlements. I have not men
toned near all the depredations that
have been committed on the Sixty-se-
venth Representative District alone
within few months past do not