Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-10-19
THAT INDIAN BABY.
The Relatives OF the Fortified
Child still Living in
Carroll County.

Some days ago the LEDGER publish
ed an article from the Eureka Springs
Echo, in relation to a petriied Indian
baby that had been found in that city
The last issue contains the following
Rumors coming to our reporters ear
that there was a history connected
with the recent find in PEBBLES addi-
ton that was highly interesting, he
began to hunt for the facts. The
history dates back to a period of about
nineteen Years, or the civil war. Our
readers are aware that at, and previous
to that time, there were men engaged
in making tar, aud the remains of the
tar-kiins are still 10 be seen in many
places on the ridges in our pine woods.
Taking this as a point, our reporter
went to Berryyille last week, and by
getting the right trail he was soon at
bottom facts, At the time named,
there vas a man, who shall be name
less for prudential REASONS, 10 what is
now PEBBLES addition, who pursued
his avocation of tar burning. While
there with his family one Of his chill
dran died,
No place Of sculpture being conve
nieut, a grave was dug and the child
inferred there without a coffin. The
family intended removing the child.
The civil war was now beginning to
mge. and the father Of the child was
compelled 10 take arms on one side or
the other, and his sympathies being
with the confederate armies, he hur-
riedly moved his family from their
camp and placed them in a place o.
safety, aud then shouldered his mus
ket for the war. During the years
that followed there was no opportunity
to remove the body, and when the wal
ended the site Of the grave was for
, gotten, OF the friends did not care tC
remove it. Time went on, and the
rains Of nineteen years had saturated
the soil aud packed the earth as solid
, as it was before the burial. The
) change made in the body, thatof bein,
converted into stone, seems to be sim
E liar TO that which has occurred il
, various parts Of northwest Arkansas
As we we're informed quite recently
: a soldier who had lost his life at III,
g battle Of Pea Ridge, was d%isinterre,
for removal to a cemetery near Fay
etteyille, and the body was found I,
: be Ietrifed. Now, If that was tn.
case, and We have the facts from
a responsible source, we can easily Sc
q that the above history is quite prob
able. While we hoped for the Ger
Q tainty of its great antiquity, We ar
nov led 10 await the proofs that are il
g course Of preparation as to the idcn
tity Of the body found by the partie
who were digging the we'll, and tina
was buried by the tar-burner in 1851
Our reporter questioned the allegeI
' friends Of the child, end they disclair
9 any intention Of claiming the body
but will submit proofs Of identity
I We are told that the witnesses Of tn
death and burial Of the child at thi
4 spot are still living, and some Of theI
r are engaged at or near Williams say
G mill. We also learn that the old Pic
neer physician, DR.. Alvah Jackson
the d%iscoyerer Of our famous Eurek
basin, attended the child in its last Ill
: ness, and if the good old doctor ha,
1 not been claimed by the same han.
# that cut of the child in its youth, b
could testify to the facts as abov
II stated. We give the matter as W
have received it. The parties we vii
n not name for reasons deemed prudent
4 and whether the proofs to be yet sub
mitted establish the truth Of the stor
4 or not, we deem it our duty as news
paper men to give the public the new
D on the subject.