The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-07-26

/ thus he was arrested and heavily IRON
ed; but after few days confinement.
escaped still having the hancufs on
his wrists. This was bold and haz-
zardous but successful.
A heavy reward was now offered
for his apprehension, but no person
was found willing to undertake the
dangerous job-no bordermen indeed,
approved of any arrest for merely kill
ing an Indian. He was re-arrested,
however, by guard of soldiers, one
! day, few weeks later, and taken to
Cincinnati for trial. The second seiz-
ure aroused the settlements among
which the young scout was favorite,
and great excitement followed. The
people resolved to rescue the prisoner
at all hazards-an enterprise thwarted
by the good sense of civil magis..
trate, who, under action of a writ of
habeas corpus set him free. A real
ovation followed, and Lewis was re-
confirmed in his zeal for Indian kill
ing by these plaudits.
He was thus described at, this TIME,
august 26th, 1789) oeigg then about
26 years of age:
He was full breasted, very broad
across the shoulders, his arms were
large, skin darker than the other broth.
ers, face badly pitted with small. pox; !,
and his hair, of which he was very
careful, reached, when combed out,
to the calves of his legs; his eyes, re-
markably black, when excited, spark
ling with such vindictive glance as
to indicate the dreadful fury of nature.
He was taciturn in mixed company,
but joyous enough with his chosen
companions. His morals and habits
compared with those of his associates,
were quite exemplary.
He usually hunted Indians alone,
going off on his expeditions for mur-
der just as other hunters would to
hunt ordinary forest game. He SEEM
! ed literally to know no fear. He
would attack at any hazard, relying
on his skill and immense power of en-
durance for escape. He became a
kind of forest knight, befriending the
weak settlers, and ever ready to take
the trail where Indians had made an
appearance. Once on their trail he
was dreadful foe, and he became at
once their dread and the object of
intense hate. Many noted brave
vowed his death, but no savage was
fortunate enough to seize his coveted
scalp, so richly loaded with its mag
nifcent length of raven hair. This
pursuit of the implacable Shawnee
and of the willy Wyandot only ceased
as the line of the settlements advanced
and Wayne's treaty of 1895 gave
peace TO the border.
After this peace, Wetzel led rowing
wood life. Finding it now danger
Gus matter to kill a peaceable Indian,
he grew restless and finally embarked
on fiat boat for New Orleans. There
getting into trouble with Spaniard,
he was arrested and thrown into pris-:
on. New Orleans then being under
Spanish dominion, (the Louisiana,
Territory was a Spanish colony from
1869 to 1903 when it was transferred
to our government, the friendless man
was incarcerated for two years, and
treated most ANONYMOUSLY by the ty-
rannical powers in authority, and not
until our government authorities in
terceded was he at length released.
This incarceration much impaired
his robust health and spirits. He re-.
turned north by sailing vessel to Phil
adelphia For a few months he how,
cred around his old haunts among his
friends along the Ohio; but, at length,
suddenly disappeared down the river.
1t is stated that he went to New Or.
leans and took ample revenge for his
wrongs; but nothing certain is known,
regarding his acts. He never return
ed north, but died with relative near
| Natchez in 1903.
His brothers became settlers and
farmers, and their descendants are.
now to be found in the Ohio valley
in considerable numbers. Lewis
never married. 1t was not possible
for his wild, restless nature to submit,
to the bonds of Tedlock, He lives on
the page of history an avenging spir-
it, whose mission was one of blood
Such men should not leave descen-
dants. Like the red savage. whom he
resembled in form, feature, complex
ion and disposition, there is no place,
for such greatness as was his in our
new civilization.-M Y. Weekly.
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