Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-04-03
TIMOTHY MURPHY.

If Timothy Murphy had been an edu-
Gated man, possessed even of the ele-
ments of education, he would have made
another Morgan or Marion. But he
could not read or write, so he steadily
refused to accept commission, feeling
that his deficiencies would subject him
to much inconvenience and modification.
Therefore, he lived and died without q
title. But his name yet supplies the
crones of Schohar1e Valley with tradi-
tions for the long winters night, and if
ever there was true patriot born of our
struggle for independence, Timothy
Murphy was one.
He resembled the Father of his Coun-
try In one striking particular. His
seemed to be a charmed life. From the
beginning to the end of the Revolution
ary war he was almost constantly expos
ed In border conflicts, always seeking the
post of danger, and at the lowest esti-
mate he must have had several hundred
bullets fred at him by good marksmen,
and yet was never touched. He seemed
preserved, like Washington especially.
Murphy was stout, well made man
with rather large body and small limbs,
handsome IN face, with jet black hair
and eyes. He could out-run most In
dians and surpassed the noble savage in
heathen Chinee games. Here is an ex-
ample:
Upon one occasion he, with twenty
seven others, were surrounded with q
thousand Tories and Indians. Odds
enough to satisfy any one, more than
forty to one They tried to cut their
teen men out of twenty-eight. Thethird
time Murphy tumbled a huge warrior
into the dust (Which made his dusky
brethren laugh even in the heat of bat
tle), and led his comrades out. Then
they scattered. After Murphy had been
pursued some time he saw that he had
distanced all his blood-thirsty pursuers.
except two, tall and short Indian.
Several times, as they neared him, he
would raise his rife, which was unload
ed, whereupon they would fall back.
He found, as he ran, that his moccasins
began to bind him, owing to the swelling
of his feet. He opened pocket-knife,
and, while running, slit the tops of the
moccasins Cat the hazard of cutting his
shins), and SO got relief. Shortly after
he entered a swale, and getting his feet
caught in long grass, fell. AS the place
was a favorable one for concealment, he
lay still. When his pursuers came over
knoll which overlooked the long grass
he saw them, but they did not see him,
and SO passed by. Murphy loaded his
knew from the beginning what his fate
would be if caught, for he had an Indian
scalp in his pocket, and the same hair
less redskins moccasins on his feet.
He had not gone far before he found
that he was headed by a savage, which
discovery was mutual, and they simulta-
neously took trees. After lodging each
other some time Murphy drew his ram
rod, placed his hat on it, and gently
moved it on one side of the tree. The
Indian put ball through it and it drop.
ped, whereupon he ran up to obtain the
scalp and received Murphy's bullet
through his breast, exclaiming as he
fell, "O-wah p which, being interpreted
means, I" Cards stocked"
Lieut.. Boyd, who attempted tc
escape with Murphy, but who was cap
tured, being less feet of foot, suffered
horrible torture. The Seneca Indians
made an incision in his abdomen, fasten
ed his intestines to tree, and compelled
him to move around it till they were al