The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-06-21
A Leaf from the Early History Of
Illinois.

In the story of the early settlement
OF Bureau county, in course of publica-
ton in the Bureau county (Ill.) Repub-
lican, is the following account of o
fearful tragedy:
In the fall of 1881, Rev. James Sam
pie, living in the settlement at Henne-
pin, was married, and removed with
his young wife to Rock Island, the
Intervening country being then mostly
unoccupled. In the spring, alarmed
by the threatening aspect of the In-
dams, Mr.. Sample sold out his proper
ty at Rock Island, and started with his
wife, on horseback, to return to Hen
nepin. Starting on the morning of the
18th of May 1882, they rode across
houses of the settlers all abandoned,
and Bureau creek so SWOLLEN by rain as
20 be impossible They were thus
compelled to sleep on the grass, wet,
cold, and hungry.
In the morning they proceeded on
their journey, but found every cabin
abandoned by the frightened settlers.
In the afternoon, when they were ii
ding across the prairie where Prince
,, ton now stands, cheered by the warm
sunshine, the beautiful flowers that
, decked the landscape everywhere, and
, the prospect of soon being again with
! their friends, they were discovered and
, pursued, by band of Indians who
/ were ravaging the country. They
|, would have escaped had not Mrs
. Samples horse mired in slough ant
n thrown her over his head. Mr.. Sam
! pie turned back to certain capture
rather than desert his wife. Both wer'
taken, carried to the camp of TIN
g savages, and bound to large tree will
~ deerskin thongs.
8 Divesied of all their clothing, bonn,
q hand and foot, they sat waiting thei
h doom. A fire of dry limbs was kindl
IS ed around them, while the Indian
q stripped themselves OF clothing, wit
e their faces painted red, in preparation
i for dance. Everything being no'
~ ready for the execution, half-bree
a Indian, named Girty, scalped tn
~ prisoners. Taking the scalp of Mr.
IT. Sample, and tying the long hair aroun
= his neck. leaving the bloody scalp
~ hang on his neck, in this way Girt.
~ assisted by the other Indians, dance
.. around their victims, yelling lil
N demons. Mr.. and Mrs. Sample sat Q
s .;s the ground, bound to the tree, SD
II rounded by burning fagots, the
If scalps taken off, with the blood rul
or ming down over their faces, and cove
nj ing their naked bodies with gore.
W. Soon the flames began to take effe
w. on the victims, and, in their agon
l,o they besought the Indians to shoot
nJ tomahawk them; but their appea
60 were in vain. When life was extint
~" M more fagots were put on the fire, I'M
W. the remains were consumed. NOthil
''' was known of these murders at t
>, time, and for more than 30 years t
TO sudden disappearance of Sample a.
- wife remained a mystery to TIL
ro friends.
I.Uu The next year after this tragedy
~ Cured, Mr.. Hayes made claim the
W.. and built cabin by the side of t
80 spring, where the residence OF
~ where Sample and wife were martyr'
,ha Mr.. Hays had noticed many hum
,nb bones, and in ravine close by a
.oa man skull was found. But little y
nr thought of this affair at the time, a
"s these bones were supposed to be
remains ofIndians, it being well kno
no that they were in the habit of bury
49, their dead so near the top of the gror
that wolves frequently dug up and
Or voured the corpse.
The old burr-oak tree, where
no. victims suffered, and around VIII
Ca, e." the Indians danced, has long 81
.oif fallen by the woodlands axe, but
BAT, stump a'n 80 az .aa,, tn Do y
md past' '..u "S .uonoa,-
100 rene oi 'ha' a"iui 'i"Sou1'