Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-01-17
INDIAN HISTORY.

The Fat Contributor is engaged in
rewriting I" Ipjun" history for the Cin-
cinnati Times. This is his version of the
great fight between Adam Poe and Big
Foot:
Big Foot, Chief of the Wyandottes, who
fourished This war-club, tomshawk and
scalping knife) on the banks of the Ohio
during the days of the early pioneers,
was an Indian of immense stature, and
pow wow)erful frame, who received his
name on account of the extraordinary
size of his scet--that organ measuring
more inches to the foot than the most
liberal table in "long measure" allows.
In addition to having big foot he was
sorely afflicted with oorns, SO much so
that his shoemaker was compelled to use
q bag of hickory nuts instead of last to
make his moccasins on.
One day Big Foot, who was sort of o
bully at home, attended log rolling at a
neighboring settlement, where he met
Adam Poe, an athletic young pale-face,
who had recently come there to settle /;
and Big Foot, who had taken dislike to
him from the first, determined to settle
him. He was an "old settler" Big Foot
was. An opportunity finally offered to
pick q quarrel with him. They were
lifting at log together, when Poe, al
though he had allowed twenty-five inches
to the foot, accidentally turned upon Big
Foot's corns. Big Foot thereupon began
TO stamp and rave, and swore he could
whip Poe at "the drop of the hat" These
were his precise words.
Poe, who was a good.natured fellow
and not at all quarrelsome, stood his
abuse for some time; but when he told
him that his clothes didn't fit him, and
taunted him with having q cross-eyed
sister--in fact poo poo'd at the entire
Poe family blood was up, and
jerking off his patent hunting case shirt,
he struck an attitude similar to what he
had seen in the prints representing the
prize fight between Heenan and Sayers,
and yelled,
Come on, Big Foot, and dog my but
tons if don't grind you into lnjun meal
to slop my COW with:
That's me" said Big Foot, taking
off his cravat and paper collar, removing
a valuable diamond pin from his shirt
bosom to his portmonaie, and then tying
his suspenders around him.
A ring was quickly formed, and the
Red man and the Pale Face glared at
each other from their respective corners.
"A stand-up fight, or rough and tum
BILE p asked Poe.
~ don't care, Adam Poe" yelled
Big Foot, and at it they went with a run
and catch.
II was about the biggest fight ever
known, reckon. They kicked up such
a dust that very little could be seen OF
the complaints. At intervals Big Foot's
big feet would be seen TO fash above the
clouds of dust, as Poe stood him on his
head, and then again Poe would be seen
to rise about ten (l0) feet in the air, that
big foot, being skillfully applied to raise
him. Fragments Of moccasins, strips OF
buckskin breeches, arrow heads, festh-
ers. Indian earrings, (Poe made the
Indians ear-ringsl) suspender buttons,
scaly looking pieces of leather leggins,
etc etc, filled the air. Big Foot howled
and Poe raved. (Alf Burnet gives n
very good version Of Poe's raven.) For
long time the issue was doubtful, but
after an hours hard fighting all was still,
cleared away and revealed Poe on his
rife. whose stock had bean broken, and
nanting badly-his best pants had been
ruined in the fight At his feet lay Big
Foot stone dead.
HI stood ready to give him fair fight,
eouging ia" said Poe, as soon as be
CON III catch his breath, but the pesky
cr;tter drew q knife on me, aud, pointing
s;gnifcantly to his shattered gunstock-
II think / fixed him. I'll learn him to
draw q knife on me in fair fight, durn
him.
A coroner jury sat on the body-that
IL az many as could be seated on 1t,
when q playoard was put up, Standing
room oniyf" who bro1ght in verdict OF
"death from too big feet"
They barred Big Foot where he fell
all except his feet, which would stick out.
They finally raised mounds over them,
and TO this day, too Indian mounds re-
main to mark Big Foofs grave.
victor HugO's Address to the crstsns.
NJ. Victor Hugo has written the letter
here translated, in support OF the
Cretanss
{" A CRY reaches me from Athens In
the CITY Of Phidias and Eschylus sn
I