Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1875-10-22
CHAPTER XII.

| CHAPTER XI.
Murder of ShoefeH and Thompson Colont
Hostermdn's Partg- Cr:sss Massacre trher
| Will,anisport now ssands-Peter Sm,t
and has Daughter One Brare Man.
| Arrival Of Colonel Horribl
appearance Of the Dead-King's Wife
Orders to leare the Countrywide Bi.
When Wychof, Thompson and Shoefel
came to Thompson's house it is said they
hitched their horses, for they appeared tt
have been riding, and went in and com
menced cooking their dinner. The Indians
having been quietly observing the move
ments of the two parties, sent party tc
capture them. When they came in sight
the horses snorted and gave the alarm
Seizing their rifles, they attempted to run
for the woods, but the Indians were toe
quick. and firing volley, killed Thompson
aud ShoefeIt, and Wychoff through the
shoulder, wounding him severely. He was
taken prisoner and returned after a captivi.
ty of two years. A story is related in con.
nection with this tragic affair, but with
how much truth cannot say, that when
Wychof was taken prisoner be was quite
baldheaded, but when he returned from
captivity he had fine head Of hair. On
the same day that this sad disaster befell
Captain Berry, Colonel Hosterman, with
Reynolds and party Of thirteen men, set
out from Muucy farm to go to Antes fort
and the Great Island with ammunition for
those places. When they came to Loyal
Sock they heard considerable firing and
yelling up the creek. They supposed it to
be nearly mile distant, and proceeded as
rapidly as possible in that direction. When
they came to the place where they suppos-
ed the firing to have been, no Indians were
discovered. They had probably seen them
and made of. A noise was heard by them,
however, as ofsome one striking on hol-
low tree with club some distance ahead.
A stroke appeared to be given for each
man in the party. They returned, and
continued on to the residence of Thomp-
son. When they arrived the barn was on
fire, but the house remained untouched
Thompson's powder horn was found near
the house with bullet hole through it, and
several moccasin and shoe tracks were OBJ
served. Nothing could be heard or seen
OF Thompson, Shoefeit, or Wychoff, the
three men that were known to have gone
there. Before they came to the house,
however. they heard death yells, and one
they took to be u prisoner, given by In
dians- in the woods, which now impressed
them with the idea that the three men were
killed or taken prisoners.
On the same day, the 10th of of ITS,
Peter Smith, his wife, and six children,
VIM. King, his wife, and two children,
Michael Smith, Michael Campbell, David
Chambers, Snodgrass and Hammonn, be-
ing seven men, two woman and eight chill
-.t-ii AsA-,1sa saE-<.s..-I-v~s..-.:.r- -.-...l
to go to Muncy fort in four-horse wagon.
They had gone but a short distance when
they were met by messenger and inform.
ed that considerable firing had been heard
about Loyal Sock that day and it was
not considered safe for them 10 proceed.
Peter Smith informed the messenger that
he would not be stopped by the firing, and
would continue on. He returned and re-
ported Smiths Intentions, whereupon a
party pushed on to meet them. This party
is supposed to have been Colonel Hoster-
mans. 1t was near night, however, and
they did not reach them. When the men
with the wagon and the women and chill
dren reached the spot of ground now said
to be occupied by foundry in William
sport they were fred upon by body of
Indians supposed to have been about twen-
ty in number. At the first fire Snodgrass fell
dead. The Indians only discharged two
guns when they made rush, tomahawk in
hand, for the wagon. They were not OBJ
served till the fire had been given, when
the remaining men Immediately jumped
from the wagon and commenced fighting
for their liyes and their women and little
children. The Indians closed in and en-
deavored to surround them, when all the
men, with the exception of Campbell, ran
and abandoned the defenceless women and
children to the horrible fate that awaited
them. A little boy escaped, and running
to Lycoming, informed some men there
of what had happened. The men that es-
capped stated that they looked back and
saw the savages tomahawking the women
and children, and Campbell was closely en-
gagged with IN Indian fighting bravely.
white men cowards.) Peter Smith ran
into rye field close by, and on looking
back perceived something following him !;
supposing it to be an Indian, he ran as fast
as possible, but in climbing a fence discov-
cred that it was his little daughter, who,
with arms outstretched towards her father,
was following as fast as she could and i'm
ploriug him to wait and save her. 1t is
scarcely necessary to add that the flying
fathers heart was deeply touched, and
waiting moment he snatched the child
up in his arms and fled for life. He escap-
ed to Fort Muncy. When the boy gave
the alarm at Lycoming they misunderstood
him, and thinking that it was a canoe
that had been attacked 10 the river near
where they had lived, ran there at once.
II was now dark, the massacre having oc-
Cured about sundown. When Colonel
| Hepburn, with party that had started
| out on the alarm being given by The fugi-
tives flying from Loyal Sock, came to the
spot, they found the body Of Snodgrass
and another, but it was too dark to do
anything, and they pushed on to Lycom-
ing Creek, where they remained till morn
ing. The next day being the 11th of June
they. returned to the scene of the massacre
and there beheld a revolving aud horrible
sight. Peter Smiths wife was found shot
through the body, stabbed, scalped and
knife by her side. William Kings wife