Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-06-25

been too insulting aud too rash, consid-
ering u exposed locality and COM
paratively defenseless condition. But
the deed was done-there was no alter
ing that-and though no Jury IN the
world night bring in any other verdict
than ju%stitiahle homicide. vet it did not
follow that the Indians would view it
III that light.
Men flew to arms, all kinds of labor
and business ceased, and all the women
and children, with plenty of provisions
and small articles of value. we're hur-
ried into the block house. Then by lot
the men were divided into two parties,
one of which was to garrison the block
house and defend it to death in case of
attack, and the other to act as sentries,
scouts and p~aciticatorS in case the fly
ing Indians conld be overtaken and
treated with on any reasonable terms.
need not go into details here. Suf-
fee it to say that it fell to my lot to 60
in pursuit Of the Indians that had fled
after the dea,h of Cross John, and,
being we'll mounted, | overlook them a
few miles from the village. As | was
alone, it required some screwiL, up of
my courage to ride right into the midst
of them, and thus place myself in their
power, even though | was so we'll armed
AS to make it hazardous for them to at
tack me; but | did it, resting my
chances upon my own innocence, and
previous good fortune. | told them |
had come to make a treaty Of peace
with them-that every one in the vii
lage regretted the death of their com
paaion, although he himself had been
most to blame, and had been killed in
self defense; and though it was not in
the power of any of us to restore him
to life, yet we were willing to do any
thing in reason to appease the anger of
his friends, even to making them some
handsome presents.
The idea of a present to an Indian
has a sort Of II mysterious charm, very
soothing to his ruflled temper, and /
found them more eager to treat with
me than | expected. A pound Of pow
der, a few yards Of red cloth, n couple
of strings of beads, and a gallon of
whisky settled the business. They
would not come back into the village,
evidently, fearing treachery. but they
came within half "a mile, and | took the
articles out to them, and they went
away apparently satisfied.
We did not get over u alarm sufiici-
emily for the m and children to
leave the block-house for several days,
but time passed on, we gradually got back
to the old state OF affairs, more espec
tally after a part Of the same tribe came
in and traded with us on the most friend
ly terms as before, without making any
allusion to the tragic event III question.
1t was about three months after the
death Of Coss John, that | was one night
awakened by a series Of the most APP
paling yells, mingled with the terrific
screams of women and children and
the report of firearms. | was alone in
the house. My family, consisting Of
my wife and two little children, had set
off the week before to visit her partents
in the state of New York-a most con-
soling fact to me now, when ! believe
that few, if any, would escape the hor-
rible massacre already going on around
me. My first act, after leaping out of
bed, was to see that my doors and shut
tiers were strongly secured; and the next
to collect my weapons together-my
rifle, pistols, AK and knife-and be pre-
pared to sell my life as dearly as pos
sible.
had just accomplished this, and put
on some of my garments in the dark, |
thinking it %imprudent to strike a light,
when a reddish CLEAN coming in through
here and there a crack or crevice,
made me aware that the Indians had
already begun to burn the village, that
they might the better see to catch
the inhabitants, and running from one
ting my eye to the different appertures,
| o 70 had Il general view of all that
was taking place.
The Indians in great numbers, were
scattered all over the village; and while
some were engaged in plundering the
shops and different dwellings,, others
were pursuing the flying inhabitants,
shooting, tomanawking them without
mercy, seemingly sparing none Of
either sex or any age. The few men
yet left alive were making what
resistance they could-apd here and
there | could see a savage drop by a
well aimed shot from some bulldog not
yet carried by storm-but the numbers
of the foe were so great, that the few
thus picked off did 0 seem to lessen
them, and | quickly became convinced
there was NJ hope of successful repulse,
and | mentally babe my dear wife and
children farewell, w expecting to
behold them again.
death it Isl" muttered |; "but | will
die doing my best to rid the world Of
as many human fends as possible"
and hurried up to my roof with my
rifle, intending to load and fire as long