The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-12-25
An Old Indian Killer.

Mr.. Andrew Whitley, of st. Louis,
enroute to Lexington. visited the Cour-
ier-Journal Office yesterday with race
relic of the earliest days of Kentucky.
1t was rifle, made by Jacob Young, of
Virginia, in 1744, and owned by Mr..
WIS grandfather, William Whitley,
who was one of the first white men that
came to Kentucky and was a companion
to Daniel Boone. The gun is as much
a curiosity on account of its great length
as it is a prize on account of its great
age, its history, and recent associations.
1t is of the old-time flintlock pattern
about five feet five inches in length,
with a silver plate mounting on the
stock, bearing the inscription, "W. and
E. W." which stands for William and
Easter Whitley.
The gun, in the days of its usefulness,
was a piece of the family property, and
the wife learned as well as the husband
to coolly draw the bead on a deer or an
Indian whenever occasion required.
The weapon is of large bore, with per-
feet rifles, and the stock and ferruled
rammer are APPARENTLY in a perfectly
sound condition.
Accompanying the gun is a large
powderhorn of beautiful shape, carrying
large supply of powder, and suiting
the use of the hnnter as well as the or
dinary small huuting-fask or horn, its
shape being as we'll adapted to the pur-
pose. The horn is well known through
out the State, and bears ON one side the
following verses, carved on the bony
substance. The words were composed
by VIM. Whitley himself, and will
doubtless be remembered by many read
ers of the Courier-J ournal familiar
with the lives of the early settlers:
William Whitley. 1 am your horn;
The truth love, lie scOrn.
Fill me with the best of powder,
lie make your rifle crack the lowder.
See how the dread terrifick ball
Make Indians bleed and torreys fall.
You with powder lie supply
For to defend your Liberty.
The belt to which the horn is attach
ed is heavily ornamented with beads
made of the quilts of the porcupines,
which are said to have been killed in
Kentucky.
After passing through all the scenes
of terror enacted on the dark and bloody
ground, incident to the settlement of the
Commonwealth by the whites, the
faithful old rife was associated with
events which add great interest to its
history.
VIM. Whitley was a soldier in the
war of 1872, and directed the bullets of
his old-time friend against the British
and Indians at the battle of the Thames,
in Canada. Here he was killed in the
thick of the fight, but the gun was pre-
served and returned to his people in
CaEada.
Some time before the recent civil war
the present owner came to this State,
found the gun in the possession Of Mrs.
SalIie Ann Higgins, near Crab Orchard
and purchased it at a cost of $50. He
carried the relic to his home in st. Louis
where he kept it until the breaking out
of the war, when he was arrested at
Camp Jackson during the demonstration
there on the 11th day of May, 1861, and
was for some time a prisoner in Federal
hands. A short time previous to this
occurrence, while contemplating entering
the Confederate army, he placed the
gun in the keeping of man named
Bates, the janitor at Wyman's museum,
st. Louis. A short time afterward the
museum changed hands, and Bates went
to Canada, taking the gun with him.
At the close of the war Whitley return
ed home and Immediately commenced
looking after Bates and his gun, but all
efforts to find the man proved fruitless
until about twelve months ago, when
Bates returned to st. Louis, and was en-
gagged in the business of stufing birds
and animals for a natural history depot
His name appeared soon after in the
public print, and by this means his
whereab bouts was revealed to Mr.. Whit
ley. He went Immediately to the place,
found Mr.. Bates, who readily recognised
him as the owner of the gun, and in due
time delivered to him the valuable fam
lily relic, which he had kept in good order
for twelve years.
On returning to Kentucky on a visit a
few days ago, Mr.. Whitley went down to
Crab Orchard and obtained from Mrs,
Higgins, the horn and belt, which were
the only accouterments belonging to the
highly priced piece. Mr.. Whitley has
refused an offer of $500 for the gun, and
would be 10th to part with it at any