Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-08-18
Horrible Fa te.

The Pioneer Association of this county
observed the Tooth anniversary of the
burning at the stake of Colonel William
Crawford. on the 10th of June. The av-
erage reader is perfectly acquainted with
the facts surrounding the case OF the cru
ell torture of a good and great man:-CoI.
William Crawford. But at this proper
time it is well enough to recall them.
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 ground. They
! here met many Wyandotts from the Half
Kings town, and men, squaws and chill
dren from Captain Pipes village just be-
low. A fire was brightly burning. Craw-
ford was stripped naked and ordered to sit
down near the fire. The Indians now beat
him with their fists and sticks. The fatal
been set firmly in the ground, and piles of
hickory poles rather thicker than man g
thumb. and from eight to twelve feet long,
lay at.the distance of four or five yards
from the stake. Crawford'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 permit him
to walk around the stakes several times,
and then return.
Crawford, observing these terrible prep
arations, 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 frmness, merely observing
that he would bear it with fortitude.
When the poles had been burnt asunder
in the middle, Captain Pipe arose and ad
dressed the crowd in a tone OF great ener-
gy, and with animated gestures, pointing
frequently to Crawford, who regarded him
with an appearance of unruffled compo-
sure. AS soon as he had ended his ha-
rangue, loud whoop burst forth from the
assembled throng, and all made rush for
the unfortunate prisoner. For several
seconds the crowd was so great around
Crawford that Knight, who was seated
little distance away, could not see what
they were doing, but in 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 his face.
A terrible scene of torture now COM
menced. The warriors shot charges of
powder into his naked body, commencing
with the calves of his legs, and continuing
to his neck. 1t was the opinion of Knight
that no less than seventy loads were dis
charged upon him. Three or four Indians
by turns would take up one of the burn
ing pieces of poles and apply the burning
end to his naked body, already burnt black
with powder. These tormentors present.
ed 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 broad pieces Of bark,
upon which they could carry quantity Of
burning Goals and hot embers and threw
them on him, so that in short time he
had nothing but Goals of fire and hot ash
es to walk upon!
In the midst of these extreme fortunes
Crawford called Girty, and begged Of him
to shoot him through the heart. Don't
you see 1 have no gun Colonel ?" replied
the white savage monster bursting into a
loud laugh. and then. turning to an In
dian beside him, he uttered some brutal
jests upon the naked and miserable appear
ance of the suffering prisoner, and seemed
delighted at the horrid scene. The terri
BILE scene had lasted more than two hours,
and Crawford had become much exhaust
cd. He walked slowly around the stake