The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-08-01
Sad story of a Missouri Family.

Inc Seua1ld BGz00 says a IdInlly, COLI
sisting of a man and three children, passed
through this city this morning, slowly
vending their way northward to their old
home in Rails county. They were in a
covered wagon, and had a team which,
some day, had been a good one; but its
travel-worn appearance, together with the
jaded look of the travellers, attracted the
attention of Bazoo reporter, who elected
the following particulars of their journey
to the western portion of TeXaS-and how
their number was one less now than when
they started from their Rails county home :
Mr.. Ressler was well-to-do farmer,
who in an early day went to the State OF
California, and by hard work amassed
what he considered a sufficiency for good
start in farming life. He returned home
to Missouri, married and settled down to
regular farming life.
This spring, when emigration COM
menced TexasWards, the old fever which
had taken him to California in 1851 began
to rage, and although he had good home
he grew restless and concluded to try his
fortune in Texas. He was looking for
cheap lands, and passed through GraysOn
county west into Cook and out into the
western portion of. Montague county.
This county, though wild and subject to
frequent incursions of the nomadic tribes
of Indians that infest the western border,
is rather rich and is full of game. Mr..
Ressler pitched his camp on a little
stream. near good spring, some four or
five miles from any habitation, and little
dreamed of danger.
On the fourth day of their stay there,
| the oldest daughter, young lady OF sew
enteen, went to the spring for a bucket OF
| water, but, alas, she never came back. One
scream like that of the surprised panther
was carried to the ear of the mother, who
| was at the camp, the father being out
| hunting. The mother rushed to the res
cue of her first-born, only to hear the re-
ceding footsteps of the Comanches' pom
les. The mother was paralyzed with
grief and tainted away as soon as she re-
allied the fate of her daughter.
| The father returned in few hours anc
examined the locality of the spring, anC
found that about fifteen ponies had beer
hitched hard by, and the Indians had evt
! IDENTIFY crept up to the spring and were ly
/ ing in wait for their victim. Mr.. &. careC
for his wife, and at once started for the
next neighbor, and the alarm was give1
that young lady had been stolen. Tht
frontier Texan is ever ready to jump int
his saddle at moments notice, and a par
| ty of ten determined men were soon OF
j the trail of the red fiends, who had takel
a westerly direction. The superior horse
of the Texans rapidly gained on the poo
ponies of the Indians, and after trayelin!
/ all night on warm trail, came up with tn
Indians the next morning, Just as the,
had come to halt, and fight ensued, i
which the object of the chase lost her life
and was scalped, all of the Indians gettlni
away but three. One of the three kille
had the CORY scalp of the young girl al
tached to his belt. They had killed he
lust as soon as attacked. The father wa
almost distracted. and absolutely frenZie
with grief, and when the chase was give
nm by the others he could hardly be keI
back. The young lady was buried wher
killed, in the western wilds OF Texas, an
the family could no longer remain IN th
country that had caused them SO muc
misery.
/ The Bazoo reporter asked what becom
of the scalp. The tear-dimmed eyes
the mother looked in the direction OF
, substantial chest in the wagon, and sh
said :: sit is there We asked If the
J had any objection to showing 1t. Ihe
| said no. and the father unlocked the che
and produced long lock of dark hair, cl
: from the crown of the head, with abot
, an inch and half in diameter of the seal
{ When this was produced, the entire tamil
gave way to loud sobs, and we wondere
E why so ghastly a memento was kept, tn
r would ever keep fresh in their memory Il
tragic end of their beloved daughter an
sister. &VE