Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-04-04

Twelve miles south of New Philadelphia, we
find the picturesque little village of Gnadenhut-
ten, on the east bank of the IuscarawaS river, a
place of nearly five hundred inhabitants, SEEM
ing in its beauty and secluson TO be haven OF
rest from the worlds cares; but ninety years
ago the eighth day Of this month, it was the
scene of the most horrible massacre on record.
the principal details OF which we give below.
At the time of this dreadful transaction and for
several years previous, the indians composing or
forming the Gnadenhutten Moravian mission
were subject TO suspicion (undeseryedly bowev-
cry, from both the American and English, and
at one time they were persuaded under the mask
of friendship to leave their settlement, but after
enduring untold hardShips and many persecu-
tons, they were eNOnerated from blame, and
with thankful hearts, praising God, for they
were Christians, they formed themselves into
several divisions, numbering about one hundred
and fifty men, women and children, and re-
turned to their forsaken fields, the greater por-
ton to fall victims to the Teachery of the pale
faces. The actors in this notorious murder con-
sisted of about one hundred men, commanded
by Colonel David Williamson, whose purpose
was 10 destroy all the Moravian Indians, sup
posing them to have been accessory to the kill
ing of some white families on the Ohio river,
whose clothing had been traded to them by their
wild brethren that had actually committed the
bloody dee1. Innocent of any wrong doing
these civilized red men were busy at their usual
ayocations, when they were captured by Will
lluAilsDu Ddltts dlll question: as 10
whether they should be taken TO Pittsburg as
prisoners, or put to death, was presented by the
commander TO his company, to be decided by
vote, Eighty against eighteen or twenty deter
mined the fate of the Indians. One night more
OF life was granted them. At the first intima-
ZION of this news they were almost distracted,
but placing implicit confidence in the Great
Being they 50 devoutly served, they offered to
him their prayers for strength to meet all that
was to come Tender good-byes were inter
changed, loving words ofencOuTagemeni spoken,
infants claSped closer to the mothers breast and
then, with the coming of morning, gray haired
men, brave women and little children were
doomed to be sacrificed. Two houses were
chosen, and two at time they were led thither,
the men TO one and the women and children ~
the other, and as they entered they were knocked
down and butCheied. A Pennsylvania killed
fourteen indian men with a cooper's mallet, and
then handed it to another, saying, GO on IN the
same way; | think / have done pretty we'll"
One poor woman, who had learned to speak
English, on her knees begged the captain to
spare their lives, but her appeal for mercy was
lruitless. Even the bodies after they were
dead were dsfgured by their inhuman cap
tors. In this manner seyenty-two were
killed, hut Others were shot, tomahawked
and killed in various ways, until the
number reached nnety-siX, One, after being
scalped aud mangled, attempted to rise, but was
soon dispatched by the murderers. The same
night of the massacre, the two slaughter houses
with all the other buildings of the Gnadenhut-
ten settlement, were burned, and, the dead
bodies being but partially consumed the bones
of some remained upon the ground for twenty
years, when they were buried by friendly per-
sons. The perpetrators of this tendsh act
departed by the light of the burning village,
whose very ground stands as evidence against
them to-day, for visitors at Gnadenhutten never
fail to visit the ground wherein stood the In
dian store-houses and secure some of the
charred corn, the grains of which are kept
among the curiosities and relics of many of our
households.
But two boys, of fourteen or fifteen years of
age made their escape to tell the story. These
two fortunately met each other, and together
proceeded to Sandusky. The noble martyrs of
the Indian Moravan company consisted of forty
men, twenty-five women and thirty-four chill
dren.
The site of the former Indian Village of
Gnadenhutten, of about six acres, has been
purchased by a society thar was organized in
1913, having for its object the erection Of a
suitable monument, at this spot to perpetuate
the memory of the ninety-siX Indian victims.
The exact location of the slaughter houses can
still be identified. This portion of ground has
been fenced in and improved and beautifed in
all respects, and all funds given previous to this
time have been iudiciouSlv invested by the
"Gnadenhutten Monument Society,"" and now
amount to about nine hundred dollars. - lece-
land Herdld.