The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-11-04
THE MxsTRRIoUs Turkey.
A RemIniseence OF the Early Days OF
Wheeling.


From LIe Springfield (MaIa) Repttblicdn.
The first white settlers OF West VIr-
ginia experienced dark and troublous
times In e1feotlng @ permanent lodR-
ment on the banks OF the Ohio, The
Indians, being subsidized by the Eng.
llsh, were hostile, and conflicts were
inevitable whenever a colonIst met q
native. To protect the pioneers OF this
then far remote region, o stockade was
constructed at Wheeling somewhere
about the clese OF the revolutionary
war, and small garrison placed with.
In II, which was more than once un-
successfully besieged by the northern
tribes Of red men. It's neighborhood
became the scene OF many personal
deeds OF daring, perilous encounters,
hand 10 hand fights and hair. breadth
escapes on the part OF both soldiers and
settlers. Some Of the Immediate de-
aoendants Of the actual participants In
these scenes were living thirty years
since, when was sojourning In that
interesting section ofcountry, and from
them l learned many facts proving con.
clusively the skill and boldness OF those
early adventures, and the price thew
paid In hazard, suffering and blood In
establishing an ownership to the banks
OF La Belle Rlviere.' Among the in.
cidents related was the following:
Game OF various kinds, particularly
Wild turkeys, abounded In the Vicinity
or the fort, and was sometimes hunted
BY the soldiers OF the garrison TO res
lie7e the tedium Of their monotonous
LIE and vary their ordinary rations.
On one occasion the seeming call OF one
OF these birds from a rocky ledge not
far to the rear Of the stookade. prompt.
ed soldier to go out ut early morning
In search, who, at the expiration OF his
leave OF absence, had not returned
The autumnal sun declined and set 10
the hszy forests beyond the Ohio, and
still his quarters Ia the fort were va
cant, nor did he ever again fill them.
Known to be or Q restless disposition,
It was Surmised that, wearied OF his
confined garrison life, he had taken the
opportunity to desert. A day or two
after, the same bird call from the same
direction Invited more truBty soldier
to solicit permission to 20 out to the
hunt. The report OF rlAe was heard
anon In the direction toward which he
had gone, and his comrades began to
look for his return, successful or other.
wise. Bot he, too, came not, nor WIS
he ever after seen alive. These disap-
pearances were accounted very singular
and parties were sent out for the miss
Ing, but In vain. Before the excite.
ment thereby occasloned had subsidized,
q squad OF recruits to make good the
places OF mon whose enlistment had
expired, arrived from lPenusylvania.
Among them was one Louis Wetze!, q
veteran Indian hunter, acquainted with
all the subtleties Of Indian strategy,
and Of boldness equaled only by his
success. LeSrning the recent mysteri.
Gus occurrences, he quietly remarked
that he thought he could solve them II
the like Invitation to hunt should hapa
pen and leave to do so be given him.
Fortunately he had not long to wait;
for one toggy morning the same sound
echoed through the eastern forest, and
WetZel stole forth on his perilous ex.
ploration. An hour passed on, sutfi.
ciently tedious to his Intensely excited
comrades In the fort, and then the
sharp crack Of q rifle broke the stiffness
Of the woods. 4
that's Wetzel's gun = exclaimed the
new comers. we should know IL
among q thousand u
Shortly the long, 1.-THE figure Of Its
owner stAlked out OF the forest Into the
clearing, and as he drew nearer, a
bloody scalp was seen dangling by its
single gray lock- OF hair from the muz!
zle OF his rifle. A rouslng cheer .wel~
coined his return through the sallyport
and the tale he told was on this wise:
Ever suspicious OF Indian subllety,
and fertile IN his expedients to meet It,
he went out believing that the omlnous
bird'call Issued from q wary biped
without feathers and was uttered TO
bring some unsuspectIng victim within
the reach Of his deadly lomahawk. A
repetition OF Il having enabled him to
tx more definitely It's direction and
distance, he slung his gun over his
shoulder and climbed tall pine which
gave him View Of the ledge of rocks
from which the sound seemed 10 pro.
coed. Shortly, from between the
branches Of his lofty perch, he espled
the gray scalp lock OF an old Indian
warrior ensconced behind large rock
oyer which he was cautiously peering
10 watch the result OF his sIratagem,
Instantly covering the mark with his
unerring rifle, WeIzel drew trigger,
when the mead dropped upon the rock
and then disappeared behind 1t. He
had obtained too sure an aim to dis
trust the success Of his bullet, and wait
Ing only few minutes 10 ascertain
whether the enemy were single or not,
he descended, and taking q circuIt so
as to bring him above the rock, got an
observation Into kind OF cavern be.
hind 1t, where lay the UiId turkey with
. perforated brain. Fastening down
he secured the rifle and other weapons
OF his foe; found attached to his belt
the scalps Of the two missing hunters,
% which he Immediately added that
fort. fTI'1I'
Wetzers subsequent exploits In the
wars along the border rank hIm with
Daniel Boone In daring and success,
The Indians considered him inyuIner.
able, and from his ability to load his
rifle on the run, thought the Great
Spirit had endowed him with an ever
ready weapon. They stood in great
fear OF him, but were never able TO
harm him, for he died at length at q
ripe old age In his bed. E.w,A.o.