Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-07-14
ATHRILLNG SCENEM TEE PITTS
BURG COUNTRY in 1872.
The Capture of Massey Rorbison-
Murder of her Children and her
Escape from the indians in 17S2-

ESCAPE from the 4noianS An A~Ms
Vioissitude is the characteristic feature Of
the present life. All are the subjects, in q
greater or less degree, of the trials and
changes of life but although it is certain
that there is q general allotment of trials in
the present world, so that every "heart
knoweth its own bitterness, yet it is too ev-
ident that there are some Of the human fam
lily who are called to pass through those
which are infinitely more severe than others.
Some seem to pass over the season of life
without encounteriug those awfully agitat-
ing pillows which threaten their immediate
destruction while TO others, the passage to
the tomb is irAught with awful tempest sand
overwhelming pillows. Happy will it be for
those who, after having sailed over the
boisterous ocean OF time, shall eventually be
waited, By divine breeze, into the haven
Of eternal repose. That those srislS, which
we're of a particular nature, and of an al
most overwhelming magnitude we're endured
By me, will appear by recital of those SO
Der facts, to which the attention of the read.
er IS now invited;
"On he return Of my husband from Gen.
St. ClSir's defeat, and on his recovery from
the wound he received in the battle, he WAS
made r spy, and ordered to the woods on
duty about the 22d of March, 1892. The
appoin tment of spies to watch the move
ments Of the savAges, was so oonsonAut with
the desires and Interests of the inhabitants,
thst the frontiers now resumed the appear
Ance of quiet and confidence.
Those who had for nearly q year been
huddled together in the block house, were
scattered TO their own hRbitstions, and lie
gan the cultivation OF their farms. The
spies saw nothing TO alarm thcm, or to in
duce them TO spprehend danger, till the
fatal morning of my captivity. They repeat
eddy came 90 our house 10 receive refresh
ments and to lodge. On the 18th of May,
my husband, with Capt. Guthrie and other
spies, came home about dark, and wanted
supper; to procure which, requested one
of the spies to accompany me to the spring
and spring house, and William Maxwell
complied with my request While be was
NJ the spring, We both distinctly heard a
Tn greatly alarmed "a. and induced us to
make hasty retreat into the house Wheth
er this was an Indian deeoy, or warning
o, what ! was TO pass through, | an unable
to determine. But from this time and cir.
cumstAnce | became considerably alarmed,
and eutreAted my husband 10 remove ne to
some more secure place from Indian cruel
ties. Bot Providence had designed that !
should become a victim to their rage, and
that Mercy should be made manifest in my
deHveTsnce.
On the night of the 2lss of May, 1892,
two Of the spies, James Doris and John
Sutton, came to lodge II our house, and on
the morning OF the I'D, at day break, when
the horn blew at the block house, which was
within sight Of our house and distant about
two hundred yards, the two men got up and
went oat | was also awake, aud saw the
door open, and thought, when ! was taken
prisoner, that the scouts had left It open.
intended 10 rise i'm mediately; but having
Young babe on the breast. and it being
awakened, ! lsY with il at the breast, to get
Il TO sleep again, aud accidentally fell asleep
myself.
The spies have since informed me, thAl
they returned TO the home again and iouno
that i Was sleeping; that they softly fast
ened the door aud went Immediately TO the
block house ; aud those who examined the
house after the scene was over, say that both
doors had the appearance of being broken
open. The first thing ! knew from falling
asleep, was the Indians pniiing me out o.
bed By the feet, then looked mp, and saw
The house full OF Indians every one having
his gun 10 his left hand and sonahawk in his
night Beho.dIng the dangerous situation
in which | WAS, / Immediately jumped to the
Aoor on my feet with the young child IN
Iny arms | thea took petucost 20 put on
having only the one in which slept; but
the Iudiahs took 1t from me, and as many
rs attempted to put on, they succeeded il
taking from me, ~ that hsd to 20 Just IS
| had been in bed. While | WAS struggling
with some Of the sAvsges for clothing, others
OF them went and took the children out OF
another bed, immediately took two feather
beds to the door and empted them The
ssvages immediately began their work OF
plumber and devastation What they we're
unable to carry with them they destroyed,
while they were I'll their work / made to the
door and succeeded ia getting out, with one
child in my arms and another by my side
bat the other little boy was so much dis.
pleased by being 80 early disturbed in the
morning, that be would not come to the
door. When got out, saw MIR. Wolf, on,
OF the soldiers, going 10 the spring for
water, and beheld two or three OF the saw
ages attempting to get between him and the
block house but Mr.. Wolf was unconscious
Of MS danger, for the sAvsges had not YET
been discovered. | then gave a terrific
scream, By which means Mr.. Wolf discover
Cd his danger, and started to run for the
block house seven or eight Of the Indians
fired al him, but the only injury he received
was a bullet in his arm, which broke it. He |
succeeded IL making bis esospet to the block /
h0uss,-when / raised The alarm, one of the |
Indians came up to NE with his tomahawz, /
Gs though about TO take my lie; a second |
one came and placed his hand upoE nv /
mouth, aud told me TO hush, when a third |
came with upllited tomahkwk and attempt |
ed 10 give me blow; but the first lhAt
came raised his tomshswk and sverted the |
b ", and claimed me ~ his squaw The |
commissary vita his waiter, slept in the store
house, and upon hearing the report of the
guns, came to the door 10 see what was the
matter, and behoIdinR the danger he was in,
without being discovered by the Indians,
several of whom fred at him, and one Of the
bullets went through mis- handkerchief,
which was tied about his head, and took of
some Of his hair. The handkerchief, with
several bullet holes in it, he afterwards gave
to me. The waiter, on coming to the door,
WAS met by the Indians, who fred upon him.
and he received two bullets through the
body, and fell dead by the door. The saw
ages then set up one of their tremendous
and terrifying yells, and pushed forward and
attempted to scalp the man they had killed !;
bat they were prevented from executing
their diabolioAl purpose, by the heavy FIRE
which WAS kept up through the port holes
from the block house. In this scene Of
horror and alarm, began TO mediate an
escape, and for that purpose l attempted to
direct the attention of the Indians from me,
Il l. L III .