Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-03-04
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ed with the examination; for they had
unbounded confidence in Luther, who
had shown them maay favers-only,
however, for fear of incurring their en-
nifty in case of refusal. Still. they
were not convinced of Fosters innO-
cence of the charge they had preferred
against him; and Waughlegskah, the
ex-chief son, said to him:
Your turn next; Injen have revenge;
revenge sweet
All right said Foster, casting a
glance at Luther's rifle hanging against
the wall (his own concealed beneath
the feather and straw beds.) All right,
Waugh; you redskins killed fathers
family, all but me; and am ready to
go when l can stay no longer. Come
rifle, let's go out and settle it now.'
No. said Waugh; 'Injen no fight rifle
with bow and arrow; he have rifle next
moon; then white mans bloodp
Waugh was strong, athletic fellow,
active as cat, and splendid shot;
and Foster knew that his were not
mere words of sound, and that a terri
bic meaning was wrapped up in those
brief utterances. And very soon there
commenced most exciting contest.
Another Indian had mysteriously dis
appeared; and, whether justly or not.
Foster was held responsible by the In
dians for this subtraction from their
forces. Waugh had now received his
rifle; and he sailed forth in search of
Foster, who was also upon the lookout
for the Indian. About noon they dis
covered each other, half a mile dis
tant, on either side of an almost impas-
sable swamp. Foster sent his coInpli-
ments as near TO Waugh as the carry
ing capacity of his 'shooting-iron'
would allow; and the Indian politely
reciprocated. OF course, no damage
was done; and these were the only
shots exchanged during the day. The
contestants plunged into the swamp,
thickly studded with black alders and
cat-tail flags, and mutually strove to
reduce the distance between them.
Every step must be cautiously taken,
and every SOUND be carefully noted.
In this manner was the entire after
noon spent, the parties having present.
ed themselves to each others view but
once, and then not long enough to ad-
NIT the drawing of bead The
darkness of night at length puttinga
period to the paragraph of the day, the
contestants, as by mutual consent, sus-
pended operations until an early hour
ON the morrow.
Immediately after breakfast next
Foster shouldered his rifle
and started for the scene of conflict, to-
day to become the field of blood and
death. Following a circuitous path
which led through a forty-acre lot of
woodland, he at
length reached an elevated point from
which the entire swamp was visible.
Taking position upon ledge of rocks
he calmly awaited the appearance of
nor had he long to wait, for
the Indian, aware of ftheadvantage this
rocky prOmOntOry would afford, was
making all the haste consistent with
prudence to reach it. So far neither
had discovered the other. Foster was
anxiously watching the swamp, and
the Indian was approaching, cat-like,
in his rear. Accidentally stepping on
A small dead limb it cracked under the
Indians foot. Fosters quick ear de-
.ected the sound, and he turned in
'tantly to ascertain its cause. The
eyes of the fOemen inStantaneously met
and sparkled CLEANS of peculiar salts
action and undissembled hatred. Each
nan sprang for his tree, not more than
'iXty PAGES apart; and various were the
ievices employed to draw each others
ire. Not aword had been spoken;
md, since the first discovery, not q
land's breadth of either person had
been exposed. And thus hour after
hour whlled away, no advantage being
ecured by either party. The sun had
low gone to his western home; and it
vas needful that if anything be done
o-day it be quickly done. Foster f.
lally adopted this expedient, as he
TODD behind his large-bodied beech:
Placing his seal-skin over the muZZle
If his rifle, and attaching his coat to
he barrel, he projected this effigy suf-
o attract the Indians attention, and
ford him, at the same time, tempt
ng mark. The ruSe was successful.
Waugh leveled his rifle and sent bull
ct right through the centre of that
which appeared to acknowl-
dge the compliment by striving to
ling to the tree for awhile, and then
linking slowly to the ground. Waugh
vas delighted, and started from his hi
ing-place with bound and whoOp,
nd brandishiDg his scalping-knife.
'Ossing sealSkin and coat from the RI
e, Foster now stepped from behind
is tree and sent his furious death mes
enger tearing through the brains of
he aStOnished Indian.
Just how many Indians Foster had
lain in the prosecution of his 'Iife-
1ork' we could never learn. 1t was
is habit to cut a notch in his rifle
took every time he brought his man.
his being his only method of preser-
ing the bloody record. The last time
,e examined these 'notches' they SEQ
ed seventeen; but the number was
robably increased subsequently,.
We do not think that Foster was ma
lrally bloodthirsty or cruel. On the
Dntrary, he was very considerate of
ther peoples feelings; never inflicted
yanton injury upon dumb animals;
'ould not kill wild game for the mere
port; could not bear to take the beau
ful speckled trout from a brook un-
IS to return IL to its native element;
as passionately fond of children, al
lost always having some little present
, bestow upon them, such ss chestnuts
nd spruce gum, of which he was 50
fond that he would some
mes live many consecutive days upon
othing but these little nuts and cold
ater. But toward the Indians he en-
'rtained an entirely different class of
elings. He could not forgive them
II numbering his fathers family, and
,uld only vindicate the family honor
y Staying the Indians in return.
Foster was several times arrested by
le legal authorities of Herkimer eoun-
:, charged with Indian murders; but
Q could not be convicted. He would
ther step up and establish self-de-
nse or make manifest the fact that the
vidence against him was inconclusive;
nd so would escape. Still, the evil
enee in certain cases would have hung