Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-12-18


suffocstion, and the attack On the
family was abandoned.
After the execution Of Claudius Smith
at Goshen in 1879, his followers swore to
revenge his death by taking the lives of
a large number of Wings, one of whom
was Henry Reynolds. 1t was not until
1882, however, that what WAS intended to
be the decisive blow against him was
struck. Late one night in July Of that
year Reynolds was awakened by loud
rapping at his door. He arose from bed
and asked who was there. "a detach-
ment of American troops looking for
deserters," was the reply. Washington's
army was encamped in the Highlands,
a few miles from Reynolds house, and it
was we'll known that number Of de-
serters were concealed somewhere in the
vicinity. Reynolds hastily dressed him.
self and opened the door to the supposed
American soldiers. They entered, and
while Reynolds was stopping down by
the fireplace to light candle, one of
the Tories struck him with his sword and
exclaimed; "Hurry up, you-old
rebelW Reynolds knew at once that he
had been duped by the Tories. He
turned quickly round with the lighted
candle ia his hand, and recognized Ben
jamin Kelley, who lived within half a
mile of him, and Edward Robin, an.
other neighbor, both members of the
Claudius Smith gang. They were &C.
companied by several others. Rey-
nolds dashed past them and
got out of doors, but stumbled and fell.
He was seized by the Tories and dragged
back into the house. He called loudly
to bound boy who lived in his family
to run for assistance. AS the boy was
hurrying out of the house, Edward
Robin seized MIN and stood him against
the wall, and told him that if he turned
his head one way or the other he would
cut it from his body. BY this time Mrs.
Reynolds and the Oldest child, Phebe,
entered tbs room. Mrs. Reynolds was
soon to become again mother. Her
husband was PROSTATE on the floor,
bleeding from wounds inflicted by the
knives and swords of the Tories. The
wife fell in commissions to the floor.
One of the young children, named Caleb,
had followed her into the room, and a
Tory kicked him until he was uncon-
scious, and threw him on his insensible
body. The Tories then tied rope
around Reynolds neck and hanged him
up to beam. Phehe Reynolds was less
than twelve years old, but she fought
this attempt of the gang to murder her
father with such fury that it was ncces-
sary for two of the men TO hold her be
fore it could be executed.
Surprising that they had accomplished
the death of Reynolds, the Tories pro-
ceeded to plumber the houie. They had
no sooner left the room than Phebe cut
the rope by which her father was
removed the moose from his
neck and carried him to bed. She had
in restoring him to con-
seriousness when one of the gang re-
entered the apartment and discovered
what she had done. He summoned the
the Others. Phebe took her position in
front of the bed, brandished her knife,
and declared she would kill the first one
who attempted to touch her father.
Benjamin Kelly, the leader of the gang,
shouted: "Get away, you little rebel
, or I'll run my sword through your
The undaunted girl refused to move,
" You may kill me-" she replied, " for if
you kill nay father / dc not want to
live!" Kelley MAIDS lunge at her with
his sword. She knocked it from his
hand, and in trying to catch it before it
fell to the ground he received q wound
from it on the under part of the wrist,
from which the blood flowed freely.
One of the others stabbed her with his
sword in the breast, and seeing that she
wouid be overpowered by the Tories,
she threw herself upon her fathers
body on the bed, and clasped her arms
about him, in order to shield him from
the weapons of his assailants. While
one Of the gang prodded the girls arm
with his sword, the tiend Kelley tore
her clothing from her, and lashed her
bare body with the rope with which they
had hanged her father, In relating the
brutal details OF this assault, even 20
years after ward. Phebe never attempted
10 repress her anger and indignation at
the memory of it. During all the severe
punishment she received at the hands of
the Tories she never uttered a mosn or
gave any sign of the pain they inflicted
'fhe blood ran down her arms from the
wounds made by the sword, and the rope
cut greet gasi.es in her flesh, the scars
from which she carried to her grave.
Being unable to force the brave girl
from the protection Of her helpless father
by this means, the Tories removed her
by main force, and hurled her, weak
from her superhuman efforts, into a far
corner of the room. Her mother had
rerainad consciousness by this time. and