Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-03-01
AN INDIAN MASSACRE.
A Storg Of Ftmale Herois,n.
DETROIT, Jan. %. 1877


There lived in Detroit, Michigan,
a woman so little known, even 10
the people on the block in which she
lived, that the Grape on the door was
the first warning many of them had
that she had been i'll. 1t was the
widow Hutley, and living in the
same cottage, and made q widow nc
the same time, was Mrs. Ebberts.
AS the trial of John d. Lee
brought back to public recollections
the horrors of pioneer life in the
West, the death OF Mrs. Uutley may
again uncover that page or history
on which was written the Indian
Massacres Of frontier settlers in
Minnesota. Both widows were vic
Tins OF that brief and bloody strife
which desolsted so many cabins on
that picket line of civilization.
History forgot to record their names
and their heroism. Let both be
chronicled here.
STORY OF THE MASSACRE.
When the frontier troubles began
the two widows were wives and
mothers, living IL log cabins about
mile apart. These two cabins
were the only ones for three or four
miles either way, and when the COLI
dHct OF the indians became SO Sus-
picious that prudence counselled re-
moval from the frontier the EbbertS
family left their homo and cOnsoli-
dated with the Hutleys for mutual
defence. Each family had two chill
dren, making eight persons in the
cabin. Tue Indians had thus far
molested no one. but there were
fierce and surly looks, skulked about
as if keeping watch on the settlers,
and the pioneers were living in a
state Of excitement and apprehen-
sion. One day, when the women
had occupied the same cabin for two
weeks, Mr.. Hutley started for set
tlement seven miles distant to pro-
cure provisions, leaving Mr.. Ebbert
to guard the cabin. All outdoor
work had ceased. If the pioneer
noyed outside of the barricaded ca
bin his life Was carried in his hand,
and bis eyes were on the alert to de-
tect the presence Of the expected
Zoe.
AN UNHAPPY QUARREL.
The average woman can sever the
ties OF friendship, or rise superior
10 the perils OF the hour to carry
Aer point. MIR. Hutley had not been
gone an hour when the children,
rendered nervous and irritable by
their close confinement engaged in a
quarrel. The eldest child was only
five, so that no great physical dam
age could have been inflicted, but
the quarrel angered the mothers !;
harsh words passed and Mrs. Eb-
berts declared that she would not re-
m ain in the Hutley cabin another
hour. Her husband was weak mind
ed enough to share in her feeling,
and Immediately preparations were
made TO retarn and occupy his own
cabin. He took the bed on his back,
and the oldest child by the hand and
started for home, leaving his wife to
follow on with his rife and the
other child. Anger brought on such
n spirit OF recklessness that the man
no longer feared any danger. Mrs.
Ebberts did not Immediately follow,
having to make up bundle of little
articles, and, the husband had about
twenty minutes start of her. While
beth women were heartily ashamed
OF their silly conduct Ave minutes
after their hot words had been spo-
ken, yet neither would be the frst
to make conciliatory advances, and
Mrs. Hutley stood in her cabin foor
and saw Mrs. Ebberts and child dis
appear in the forest.
THE CRACK OF THE RIFLE.
Just as she lost sight Of them she
heard the report of rifles and faint
yells i'm the direction Of the other
cabin, and she instantly OWNED that
the long expected blow had fallen.
Forgetting everything but the fact
that her neighbors were in peril, she
took down the spare rife which her
husband had provided, and which
she knew how to use, warned her
children not to leave the cabin, and
in two or three minutes she was
running through the woods after
Mrs. Ebberts. 1t subsequently, ap-
peared that Ebberts had just reached
fis home when he was attacked ny
d band OK ut least fifty Indians. The
child was shot ieac al the first vol
ley, but the father prolonged his life
for a few minutes by lodging from
tree to tree. His wife was within
eighty rods OF him when he was