Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-10-04
A Drama of the Plains.

land were nelghb0rS IN village OF
Indiana three years ago. Both were
middle-aged men with families, and
both were discontinued with their
immediate circumstances but while
Newland possessed between two and
three thousand dollars. and kept his
wife and infant child from anything
like. distress, Waller was penniless,
and his household actually suffering
for the necessaries of life. The richer
man, however as already stated, was
scarcely better satisfied with his pres
ent lot than the poorer, and, late in
the summer of 1867, declared his
intention to go farther westward.
across the prairies, in search of some
spot where his little fortune would
purchase a farm worthy his ambition.
Upon hearing this, his friend and
neighbor, Waller, bitterly lamented
that he had not the means to go. also,
where something better than starva-
tion might crown his labors. and
evinced such a despair at the thought
of being left behind that even a hard
er heart than the kind Newland's
might have been moved by it. Of
course Mr.. Newland had not much to
spare from his limited store, yet he
generously insisted upon taking his
poor neighbor's family with him on
the journey as guests, and even fur
nished Waller with the needful outfit
for the plains. So in due time the
little wagon-train set out from the
village of Indiana, carrying two fami-
lies, and followed by the good wishes
Of many an old friend. Far on their
westward way the emigrants stopped
for night at the house of cousin
Of Mrs. Newland's, in Missouri, when
all seemed well and full of confidence
for the future. When next, however,
the wagon-train was seen, some eighty
miles from this house, Waller, his
wife and son were its sole guardians,
and in the course Of conversation
with some trappers, the first named
related that another family, started
with his own, had, while camping out
on the previous night, been killed by
a rowing band of Indians. While the
Walters, after volunteering this sad
Information, went onward as before,
the trapperS reported what they had
heard to all whom they had met, and
before long, cousin of Mr.. Newland's.
named Hirschkager, became aware
Of it. This latter gentleman, instinct
lively suspecting foul play, lost no
time in arousing the nearest legal
authorities and instituting a search
for traces of the missing emigrants.
Under his leadership the last camping
place of the two families was easily
discovered, and in retired spot,
where the turf had been recently dis
turbcd, the searchers disinterred the
bodies Of poor Newland and his wife.
The former had been shot through
the head, the latters throat cut from
ear to ear; but Of their little child no
sight or sign could be obtained. 1t
was plain that the murderers had
not been Indians; it was as morally
certain that the awful work was that
of traitorous friend; and over the
nutilated remains of his kinsman.
Hirschkager solemnly made oath that
be would never rest until the perpet-
rators Of the dastardly crime had been
hunted down and brought to judg-
ment. In the mean time the Walters
had disappeared in an unknown di-
rection, and, with none but the law
to pursue, might have eluded retribu-
ton; but they had upon their track
an avenger of blood more persistent
than any hired constable, and he
found clues invisible to other eyes.
Having obtained an indictment against
the iugitives from the grand jury of
Webster County, Mo-, the cousin of
the slain man tracked his game to
Arkansas, and, with a requisition
upon the Governor. entered that State.
A correspondent Of the st. Paul
Press, writing from Faribault, de-
scribes the deadly man-hunt, which
lasted three years, and ended only
last week at the last named place.
In Arkansas the pursuers found a
place where the Walters had passed
the winter in reckless dissipation,
where the son had clothed his newly
married wife in the wardrobe of Mrs.
Newland, and upon starting from
whence the father and mother had
turned northward, while the son and
his wife took southwark direction.
Eight hundred dollars of Mr.. New
lands money was gold, and by this
the avenger more easily traced his
prey from place to place; but it was
by letters written after the separa
tion, from young Waller to bis guilty
father, that the final hiding place o.
the latter at Faribualt has recently
been discovered. The son sent his
letters to friend in Illinois, by whom
they were re-mailed to another conf
dante at Rice Rake. who, in turn, pass.
ed them to the father. No pains or
ingenuity were spared to elude betray-
al; but the hand of Providence turned
all the schemes to naught. In the
course of his tireless inquiries, Mr.
Hirschkager addressed a note for
information to the Sheriff of Dodge
County. BY some inexplicable chance
it reached the Sheriff of Rice County
instead, who at once answered tha
the Walters were living in seclusiol
, in his county. To Faribault, then
last week.. Hirschkager FASTENED
with a requisition from the Governor
of Missouri and a suitable constabu
larry force, and there arrested maj
and wife, who, for three years, haC
evaded him. When charged with thC
crime and taken into custody, th'
, Walters displayed neither surprise
} nor fear, but obstiuately refused tt
tell the whereabouts of their married
! son. Without the capture of the latte
|, Mr.. Hirschkager's great retributiv,
t work would not have been complete
for this son had evidently shared il
the crime of his parents. Here tn
t hand of Providence seemed special,
visible again. For two years, younl
I | WalIo. II, oil liz .:.e. tl, liz GO tI q,