Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-01-21

vivid idea of the anguish of the emf
grants. 1t shows that the brave, true
hearts of those Arkansas men scorned
death and danger if only little hope
could be seen of saving the wives and
babies. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday,
and Thursday passed. The weary hours
of fear and suffering dragged slowly by.
TIE whizzing arrows, the whistling bull
lets, the cheers and ribald laughter of
the coarse, brutal assassins, told how
bloodthirsty were the besiegers. Thurs
day night the emigrants drew up petit
ton, or an humble prayer for aid. 1t was
addressed to any friend of humanity, and
stated the exact condition of affairs. 1t
told that on the morning of the 10th
the train was attacked by Indians, and
that the siege had continued uninter-
ruptedly. There was reason to believe,
! il stated, that white men were with the
Indians, as the latter were well sup-
piled with weapons. In case the paper
reached California, it was hoped that
assistance would be sent to their res
cue. Then followed list of the emil
grants names, each name was followed
by the age, place of nativity, latest
residence, position, rank, and occupa-
ton of its owner. The number of
clergymen, physicians, farmers, car
penters, etc, was given. Among other
important particulars, the number of
| Freemasons and Odd Fellows was
stated, with the rank, and the name
and number of the lodge of which
they were members. 1t was forlorn
hope, this letter-a sad, despairing cry
of distress. 1t is the only expression
that ever came from within that corral,
but it gives such thrilling picture OF
their torture and mental anguish as
nothing else could. Seventeen years
have elapsed since that signal of dis
tress was made. Yet it is not too late
to answer. There is many strong
heart in the world to-day that will feel
its pulses thrill faster when it hears that
these men, in their strong death-agony,
appealed for aid to their brethren OF
the mystic tie.
The paper also contained an itemized
list of their property, such as wagons,
oxen, horses, etc.
Who should attempt to break
through The line and bear this letter &c
California ? 1t was desperate under.
taking, but twas the last hope. Vol.
unieers were called for, and three OF
the bravest that ever lived stepped for
ward and offered to attempt to dash
through the enemy and cross the viii.
derness and desert. Before they start
ed, all knelt in the corral, and the
white haired old Methodist pastor
prayed fervently for their safety. In
the dead of night they passed the be-
siegers, but Indian runners were lmme-
diately placed on their track.
FLEEING FOR THEIR LIVES.
They travelled until completely e1.
hausted. An Indian chief, named Jack
son, boasts of having killed the first,
having found him lying on his back
asleep, between the Clara and the Rio
Virgin. The savage crept stealthily ur
TO the sleeping man, placed the hinty
arrow-point just above the collar bone,
drew back the bow-string, and sent the
shaft down into the sleeper's throat.
Springing to his feet, he ran nearly
forty yards before he fell, faint and
dying. There is every reason for sup
posing that he lived long enough to be
tortured. In after years my informant
was taken by Jackson to the remains
The skull and larger bones were charre6
and burned, and the smaller ones were
wholly reduced to ashes. Whether
tortured or not, his body was burned
by his fiendish murderers.
The letter was found on a divide
near the murdered man. Jackson dis
covered it, and gave it to my informant
who kept it safely for months. Hap
pening to show it one day to man who
was leader in the massacre, he prompt
ly destroyed it. The honest old Nor
mon, however, is perfectly acquainted
with the nature of its contents, and has
no sympathy with the tragedy or its
perpetrators. In his simple, straight
that, if the Mason5 and Odd Fellows
knew how many of their brethren were
in the train, they wouldn't let the &C
cursed murderers go unp1nished." BE
is willing, at the proper time, to testify
to the contents of the letter.
The two other emigrants Travelled
forty miles further and came to the
Virgin Hills. Here the Indians overlook
and surrounded them. The deadly
arrows wounded one, and both were cap
tured. The Indians stripped them
stark naked, and gave them to under
stand that they must run for life! Both
started, but the one was so badly
wounded that he could not run. The
other bounded away with the swiftness
of deer. The fieetest runners were
engaged in the pursuit, and to use the
language of my informer, "He ran
right away from them" Even the
shower of arrows missed his flying
body, save one, which struck his arm,
infiicting a severe wound. Meantime,
sayages had gathered about the faint
ing form of the man who coulo not run,
and had tied him to a stake. Faggots
were soon blazing around his culver.
ing body, and he dieo amid all the ex.
crutiating agony known to savage tor
ture.
HUNTED TO THE DEATH.
The third and last-naked, wounded,
without weapons, food, fire, or drink,
without map, compass, or gaide-made
his way across the desert, fifty-four