The New York herald., 1877-02-07
AN INDIAN MASSACRE.
Widowed and Childless Within
an Hour.
A STORY OF FEMALE HEROISM
DETROIT. Jan. 2S. 1877.


man, Of them had that she mad been Ill II WAS the
widow Huilcy, and living In the Same cottage. aud
made n widow at The tine was Mrs Ebberts
As tho trial OF John d. Lee brought back 10 pubic
recollection the horrors OF pioneer life IN the "es
the death OF Mrs Hutey may again uncover that page
OF HISTORY on " hch was written the Indian massacres
OF hontier sctticrs in Minnesota. Both widows were
victims brief AMI bloody striic which desolaed
SO many CABINS that PICKET hne of civilization.
History forgot 10 record their names and their nero
ism. Let both be chronicled hero.
STORY ov THE MASSACRE.
When the frontier troubles began the two widows
gere wives and mothers living in log cabins about
mile apart These two cabins werc the only ones Tor
three four miles either way and when the conduct
OF tho Indians became suspicious that prudence
counscllcd removal from The frontier tho
Ebberts family left their home aud consoll-
dated with tho Hutlcys for mutual defence. Each
family had two children making eight persons IN the
cabin The Indians had thus far moescd no one, but
they wore fierce and surly looks. skuked about as II
keeping watch on tho settlers and the pioneers were
living In state OF excitement and apprehension Ono
day when the women bad occupied the same cabin Tor
two weeks Mr. Hutle, started for settlement seven
miles distant procure provisions, leaving Mr.. Eb-
bcrts TO guard the cabin. All outdoor work had
ceased. II tho pioneer moved outside OF the barri-
cadcd cabin his life carried IN his hand and hts
expected foe.
AN UNHAPPY orARREI-
The average woman tho ties Of friendship,
superior The peris OF the hour to carry her
point Mr.. Hutley had not been gone an hour when
The children, rendered nervous and irritable by their
close confinement, engaged IN quarrel The eldest
child was only Ave. that great physical damage
could have been inflicted but the quarrel angered Tho
moshcrs; harsh words passed, and Mrs. Ebberts de-
thn u.a,, hin
another hour. Her husband wcak-minded enough
10 share in her feelings, and Immediately prepara-
lions made to return and occupy his own
caDin. He took the bed his back, and the
oldest child by the hand and started for homo, leav
Ing his wifc to follow with his rifle and the other
child. Anger brought such spirit OF recKiessness
that the man no longer feared any danger Mrs Eb-
berts did not Immediately follow having TO make
bundle OF little articles and the husband had about
twenty minutes start OF her While both women
heartily ashamed OF their silly conduct lve min
utes after their hot words had been spoken, yet
neither would be tho first TO make conciatory ad-
vances and Mrs Hutlcy stood In her cabin door and
saw Mrs. Ebberts and child disappear in the forest
THE CRACK
Just as sight OF them she heard the report OF
rifles and faint yes IN 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 spare
rifle which her husband had provided, and which she
knew how use warned her children not to leave tho
cabin, and IN two three minutes she running
through the woods after Mrs. Ebberts II SUBJ
sequeny appeared that Ebber.s had just reached
homo when attacked by band Of at
least fifty Indians The child was shot dead
the first volley but the father prolonged his life for
q few minutes by lodging from to tree. lis wife
within eighty rods OF him when he was killed.
She heard the firing and whoopng, and while pru-
dcnce warned her 10 retreat forced her
Join husband The Indians had caught sight of her
and opened fire when Mrs. Hutey came up
HERoIsM
History will braver deed Rendered
desperate by The almost certain knowledge that her
husband and child had been murdered Mrs. Eb-
berts was like tgress. She had her husbands rlc
and for a time the two lone held that entire
band Of savages at bay. Nay more than that they
killed three OF the redskins and wounded more,
as the Indians aftcrward admitted. When they found
That the plan was to surround them they Tell back
Between that point and the cabin the child killed
The women carried the body for few rods but the
close pursuit Obliged them TO drop It.
HORROR
A new horror awaited them they entered the
cabin The demons had already been there The old
est child was dead the floor, It's head almost sew
rcd away. Two Indians still in the house, max
Ing preparations TO burn it, One made safe escape,
but the other shot down by Mrs. Ebberts as he
cleared the doorstep There time to remember
the sea ped and muiila,ed bodies in the forest. The
Indians at the door almost before tbs dark body
at the step had ceased quivering.
II was a stout cabin, having more strength than
convenience. Logs and root not yet seasoned
enough to burn. and the single window protected
by n heavy blind. The redskins knew that there
only women in the house, and they dashed at it
and swarmed around 1t wolves would surround a
helpless doe.
STORY op THE SURVIVOR.
'Mrs Hutley pale as death and her hand trem-
bled she loaded the rifle, but her eyes shone like
Gre and she bit lips TIL the blood sup
pose half crazed, for wanted to open the door
and fight the whole band
Thus says the survivor, whose story OF the terrible
affair a clear The page OF a book. The excite.
ment too great for the plan defence,
but both understood that the Indians be beaten
off, There two loopboles in the door and others
In the walls. While the savagcs massng against
the door two Of them badly wounded from Within
and soou thereafter was killed IRON loophoe IN
the wall Discovering that they had perilous WORK on
hand the Indians drew of ana took behind logs
stumps and trees, and for hour they fred at tho
loophocs, hoping that chance shot might Kill or
wound. Their bullets were simply thrown away, and
The effort nrc the roof spent for nothing
FEARFUL DAY NIGHT.
All day long the siege was maintained and whom
darkness tell the realized that be the
longest night OF their lives A chld dead IN the
cabin, another carried away a husband and chill
drcn dead in tho woods and the little clearing was
alive with human devils seeking the blood Of the two
desperate defenders. Says Mrs Ebperts-
.'My nerves strung up I'LL ielt every minute
~ II up my arms and 10 relieve
The agony OF my heart, and Mrs HutIcy suffering
lust as badly. At one time she would be waiting and
sobbing the poor dead body the floor aud then
again shc would stand at Of the loopnocs her
taco SO white that could u through the ness