Connecticut western news., 1876-08-18
THE GROW SISTERS.
The Story of Their NIassn ere by tho Indians
 Freshly Told.

The Story of Their AIassn ere by tho Indians
 Freshly Told.
 MT. l.. K. Evans, one of the old resi- dents of Waynesburg, Penn contrib utes the following "reminiscences of the massacre of the Crow sisters
 The first day of May, 1791, judging from all the evidence at my disposal, was as pleasant and delightful as May days only know how to be. The family of Jacob Crow were enjoying health and prosperity and peace. And as it's yari- ous members sallied firth that lovely morning no thought of danger entered the minds of any. Each one partaking of the spirit and serenity that seemed to envelop all nature around, apparently gave way to the very abandonment of repose and security.
 The young man, Michael, had started early to Lindley's fort to recover horse that had strayed back to former owner. During the afternoon four of his sisters Elizabeth, Susanna, Katharine and Christina, from ten to sixteen years of age-set out on 8 pleasure excursion, intending to visit the family of Thomas Lazear, father of the Hon. Jesse La zear, residing on lands now owned by Thomas Gray. The primary object of the girls being diversion and recreation, they loitered along the creek, and amused themselves with whatever chanced to attract their curiosity. About one and one-half miles from home they discovered large shad bellied snake in the stream, of 8 species now said to be extinct in those waters. This they crip- pied, and were engaged in teasing it and watching its movements, when their brother Michael came riding down the creek. He called to the youngest sister and invited her to get up behind him and ride home. But she declined, saying she would stay till her sisters were ready to return. So he gayly rode away.
 Just at this place the scene is wild and chaotic. The stream is turbulent and rock-bound; tLe hill high, steep and rugged. It was a wildly picturesque solitude, such as poets are won't to asso- ciate with ways that are dark and deeds that are foul. The brother had scarcely gone from view, when two hideous sava- ges and heartless renegade by the name of Spicer, emerged from the covert of large slab or rock, which now, as then, still stands on edge about twenty feet from the bank of the creek. They motioned the girls to silence, and led them captive, cautiously, yet hurriedly, away up that mountain side, distance of five hundred yards, to secluded ra- vine, across which there was fallen tree. The road is now located near this fateful spot. Here all were seated upon that fallen trunk. While toiling up that rugged hill, Elizabeth, as oppor- tunity permitted, exhorted her younger sisters to say their prayers and prepare for death.
 After making sundry inquiries of the girls as regards the location of the set clement, its means of defense, etc., one of the Indians took hand of each of the two younger sisters in one of his, and with uplifted tomahawk prepared to deal the blow of death. Christina, per ceiving the fearful intent, gave sud den and powerful jerk, released herself from his grasp, and ran wildly down the hill. The Indian pursued, and when he got within reach he gave her such 8 fu- rious jab in the back with the muzzle of his gun as sent her whirling headlong down the acclivity. Confident that he had disabled her from all possibility of escape, he returned to aid in the bloody massacre of the other three girls. Christina, however, immediately recov- ering from the stunning fall, and casting Q look backward, saw one of the Indians strike Elizabeth three terrible blows be- fore he succeeded in knocking her down. Christina then, melted by the terror of the frightful occasion, darted away with marvellous speed. and escaped to tell the awful story of the tragic fate of her sisters.
 Now the dread alarm, was sounded loud and far. Now in wild confusion the settlers all made rapid flight for Lindley's fort. Jacob Teagarden, then lad of ten years old, was set astride horse and sent twelve miles away to In- lows block house for force of armed men.
 Next morning company was organ ized, and repairing to the place of death, beheld a spectacle, the like of which only frenzied demons could have produced: There lay Betsy and Susan, literally butchered-mangled-dead- scalped. But Katharine was not there. Soon, however, traced by stains of blood, she was discovered near the waters edge. whither she had crept to slake her feVerlsh thirst. She, too, had been hewn down by the fierce and infuriated savages, her scalp torn off, and left for dead. And weltering in her gore she lay all that dreary, terrible night, un- conscious of her wretched state.
 Next morning, awaked to conscious ness by the "gobbling" of the wild turkeys, she found herself writhinp be- heath the scorching rays of @ clondless suu, and almost perishing of thirst. She was tenderly removed to the shadow of large rock, which, but little changed, let remains ln patch of bottom land few rods down the creek. Here she re- vlved somewhat, and faintly related what little she remembered of the terrible af talr, and gently chided her brother Michael, saying "I thought you would nave come to me sooner" It was re- garded as very remarkable fact that her scalp was hitched on Q haw bush but few steps from the rock. I SUD. pose It was drawn from the Indians belt while passing hastily through the dense salcket ln quest of Christina, who had eluded his fury. The scalp was stitched into its wonted place, but the wound had become so irritated and the scalp so dried that it would not again adhere,
 Both the dead and the dying were speedily removed to their desolated home. There are in that immediate vi. elnlty several ancient mounds, supposed to contain the bones of some former race long since extinct. Near one of these A grave was prepared. The vault was ilned with puncheons. Into this rude coffin the two girls already dead were tenderly laid. Another broad puncheon, hewn for the purpose, covered the vault, ana the grave was filled with earth, Thus these two sisters. who had hse,n