The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-06-30
NUMBER %.
COL. CRAWFORD AT THE STAKE.
A HORROR OF FRONTIER DAYs-How GAL
LANT MAN sUFFEREp AND DIED.

account of the celebration at Upper San
dusky, Ohio, on Saturday, June IL, of tn,
one hundredth anniversary of the burning o.
ColIWm. era wford by the Delaware Indians
Col. Crawford was from Westmoreland coun
ty, in this State, and in 1882 led an expedi
tien against the Indians, which came to
disastrous ending. The spot where Craw
ford suffered is eight miles north of Upper
Sandusky, on Tymochtee creek, and village
| bearing the name Of Crawford A monu.
ment erected by the pioneers of wyandot
| county IN 1877, marks the spot. In this con.
nection it is well enough to recall the facts
! surrounding the cruel torture of Colonel
| Crawford, although they are tolerably famil-
lar to the readers of frontier history
Colonel Crawford had been captured by
the Delaware Indians, and by well establish
ed tribal laws he was their property and SUBJ
| Ject to disposal according to the laws govern
| ing such cases. In their opinion tie distin-
euished prisoner was royal personage-the
Great Captain-snd it was but proper that
the royal law of the nation should be honored
IN his person, and the provisions of the law
demanded burning at the stake His case
| had been passed upon by the proper judicial
/ a
| unanimous vote had decided that the law
should be vindicated, and the great executive
/ power of the commonwealth-the chiefs
had put Its seal of approval upon their action
| by ratifying their vote, and nothing now re-
mained to be done but to order the execution
of the prisoner.
But there was power behind the throne
that must be consulted as the burning Of
| prisoners was az expunged and obsolete Gus.
tom among the Wyandots, and as the Della
wares were tenants at will in the Sanduskv
country, under and subject to the pleasure of
the Wyandots, they did not dare to infiict the
death penalty in that manner upon the Wv
andot's territory without first obtaining per
mission from the Half King. The aIl-absorb-
ing problem in the mind Of Captain Pipe and
Wingemund was, how can the consent of
Pomocan Half King-be obtained? ?
Fearing a refusal il application was made
direct to the Wyandot sachem, the Delaware
chiefs resorted stratagem to carry their point
A messenger bearing belt of wampun was
sent to the Half King with the following
message: "Uncle We, your nephews, the
Lenni LenaDe (the Indian name of the Del
awares, salute You in a spirit of kindness,
love and respect. Uncle We have project
in view which we ardentIy wish to accom-
plish if our urcle will not overrule US By
returning the wampum we will have your
pledged word"
The Half King was somewhat confused at
this mysterious message. He questioned the
messenger, who, having been previously in
structed by Captain Pipe and Wingemund
feigned to be ignorant of everything pertain
ing to the nature of the ''project they wished
to accomplish" The Half King concluded
it was contemplated expedition of a Della
ware war party intending to strike some of
the white settlements, returned the belt to
the messenger, saying. ''Say to my nephews
they have my pledge" This was a death
warrant to the unfortunate Crawford.
As soon as the fleet runner had returned
from the Half Kings village with the now
torture empowering belt of wampum, Col
Crawford was ordered forward A short
distance brought them to the Tymochtee,
and another halt was made. They had now
arrived within three quarters of mile of
Captain Pipes town, which was further
down the creek.
1t was on the 18th day of June, and the
afternoon was well spent when Crawford,
under escort of his tormentors, arrived at this
ever memorable spot of gIOund. They here
met many Wyandots from the Half Kings
town, and men, squaws and children from
Captain Pipes village just below. A fire
was brightly burning Crawford was strip
ped naked and ordered to sit down near the
fire. The Indians now beat him with their
fists and sticks. The fatal stake-a post
about fifteen feet high-had been set firmly
in the ground, and piles Of hickory poles
rather thicker than mans thumb, and from
eight to twelve feet long, lay at the distance
of four OF five yards from the stake. Craw-
fOrd's hands were tied behind his back A
strong rope was produced, one end OF which
was fastened to the ligature between his
wrists, and the other tied to the post near the
ground. The rope was long enough to per-
init him to walk around the stake several
times, and then return.
Crawford, observing these terrible prepa-
rations, called to Simon Girty, who sat on
horseback at the distance of a few yards
from the fire. and asked if the Indians were
going to burn him. Girty very cOolly replied
in the affirmative. Crawford heard the reply
with firmness, merely observing that be
would bear it with fortitude.
When the poles had been burned asunder
in the middle, Captain Pipe arose and ad-
dressed the crowd in tone of great energy,
and with animated gestures, pointing fire.
quently to Crawford, who regarded him with
an appearance of unIuff1ed composure. AS
soon as he had ended his harangue, loud
whOop bust forth from the assembled thrOng
and all made a rush tor the unfortunate pris-
oner. For several seconds the crowd was so
great around Crawford that Knight, who was
seated a little distance away, could not see
what they were doing. but in a short time
they had sufficiently dispersed to give him
view of the Colonel. His ears had been cut
off, and the blood was streaming down each
side of bis face.
A terrible scene Of torture now commenced.
The warriors shot charges of powder into his
naked body. commencing az the calves of his
legs, and continuing TO his neck 1t was the
opinion of knight that no less than seventy
loads were discharged upon him. Three OF
four Indians, by turns, would take uD one Of /
the burning pieces Of poles and apply the /
burning end to his naked body, already /
burned black with powder.
These tormenters presented themselves on /
every side of him, so that whichever way he |
ran round the post, they met him with the /
burning brands Some of the squaws took 1
broad pieces Of bark, upon which they would 4
carry quantity of burning Goals and hot 4
embers, and throw ON him, so that, in a short 4