Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-06-23
Selected gaisteIIanu.
THE INDIANS,
The Latest Raid-MaSSaere on the
Upper Salina-Horrible Scenes.

Correspondence of the N. Y. Tribune
SPHMAN CREEK, Lincoln County, Kan
sas, June 3.-LaSt Sabbath opened quietly
ON the settlements of the Upper .Salina
Rumors had indeed reached these border
settlements of Indian depredations on the
Blue and Republican Rivers, and near
Fort Hays, few days before, but they
were not generally believed. Many fields
of corn had been planted. Some wheat
and other grain was looking fine. New
Emigrants were pouring in, and many of
the heads of families had left their women
and children to attend business at the
Land Office or procure provisions at Salina
10 miles distant.
1t was late in the afternoon when two
men named AlyeTson and Zeigler were driv-
ing with horse team down the valley of
Spilman Greek, some eight miles from it's
mouth, when they saw a body of armed
men, riding by fours in regular order be-
hind them. At first they thought them
soldiers. They were about so in number,
and as they approached bore off toward the
hills in passing the wagon, keeping half
mile distant until they had got below them
on the valley, when they broke and charged
on the two men and the wagon Then there
was race for life. The Indians wheeled
and circled round the flying wagoners.
horses to the gallop, while the other held
rifle ready for any that might approach
too near. After several miles race they
reached the timber, and, abandoning the
team, escaped through the brush with their
rifles, where the Indians did not care to
follow them. A short distance down the
creek, q Swede and his wife, in Sunday
dress, were walking out. They were sur
rounded and killed on the prairie. Their
little boy had been q quarter of a mile be-
hind them. He ran back to a dug-out, or
adobe house, and reported thatthe Indians
were killing his father and mother Sever
al families clustered into the adobe and
closed the door, and the Indians were I'M
able to effect an entrance. A Swedish
silversmithsfrom Chicago, named Peterson,
had gone some distance down the creek,
and the beseiged inmates of the adobe
hoped he was III search of help. About
sundown the Indians approached the adobe,
and one who could speak English, threw
the Swede's boots against the door, and
called out with oaths that the mans body
wou@ be found down the road. He was
nearly cut in pieces. At about the same
hour in the afternoon, q party of 16 sur
rounded n settlers house at the mouth of
Spilman Greek (on the the Salina.) An old
Swede and his two sons saw them coming
and took refuge with the two families in
the house. He drove off the Indians with
a shotgun. About the same hour of the
day a similar party, evidently part of those
who had chased Alverson an hour earlier,
emerged from the hills between Spilman
and Bull Foot Creeks, chasing two Ger
mans on horseback. As they reached the
valley of the Salina the Germans were
overtaken, riddled with arrows, and beaten
to death with war clubs. These two men
were but recently from Lunenburgh, Han
over. One of them was named Wishel, and
his wife, beautiful young woman, was
carried off, and is now in the hands of the
Indians.
In full view of the scene of slaughter of
the unhappy Germans were several houses.
At one of these were Mrs. Alderdice,
young and married woman, her babe, and
three other children, respectively three,
six, and nine years. Another woman,
Mrs. Kinds, with her baby was in the
house. The husband of the latter was at
the Land Office, rs miles distant. Alder
dice, together with the two Messrs. Hen
derson and Mr.. Stery, were at Salina, 45
miles distant, getting provisions In the
house were a couple of Irishmen. These
were armed, bat started for their horses,
which were down in the bend. The wo-
men implored them to stay, but terrified
at their flight, and without think
ing that their greatest safety
was in the house, they gathered up
their children and fired. Mrs. Kinds had
her baby IN her arms, and took Mrs. Alder
dice's second child on her back. Mrs AL
derdice, with her babe at the breast and
another at her back, and her little boy and
girl at her side, started with the other
They fled down Salina River. From the
bend where the house stood to the next
point OF timber was a prairie stretch of
three quarters of q mile Ere they had
tTaversed great portion of it, the Indians
saw then and pursued. What race for
life As they reached the point of timber
the Indians We're close on them. The chill
dren were tired, and the woman exhausted.
81 can go nofmther," cried the unhappy
Mrs. Alderdice. Unable longer to bear
the double burden, and earnest to save
her own babe, Mrs. Kinds put down
the other child and pressing her babe to her
breast flew forward, crossed the Salina Riy
er. and hid in the underground and escaped,
reaching schemmerhom's ranch with bleed
ING feet late that night. Not so Mrs. Alder
dice. Surrounded by her little children she
saw the Indians approach. Lifting her two
Youngest under her arms she made last
effort. She was surrounded. Her three
oldest children were shot before her eyes
She with her babe were placed on horse,
and as the ehilds hood was found, bloody,
short distance OFF, it is feared that it, too,
was slain, but carried off dead on its moth
er's bosom. Her eldest, boy ofnine years,
had four balls and an arrow through him,
butts still alive, and it is hoped will recov-
er. The other two have been buried.
ABOUT the time of the first attack three
INDIAN horsemen had galloped down the
9alIna 1i "a valley nom Spilman Creek, below
bun Foot, nine others following after, OF