New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-16
KING OF THE CRACKERS.
A STUDY OF NATIVE LIFE IN FLORIDA.

idan who called the King Of the Crackers one OF
the richest cateowners In the State one OF Its moss
eccentric characters and the first American baby born
in Florida after the State coded to the United States
Government by the SpaDiards In 1872 His fatherlveo
in Aachua county, close down by the Indian line. :.
Many a hundred times,' he told me, the boy
Jake > saw young Osceola who as boy and man was
most proficient at these games OF running and jumping
shooting and wrestling, and all manly sports Osceola
chosen king Of all the petty chiefs Of his ribe his
mother daughter of the old king and his father was
said to have been white man. WhenI asked the King
of the Crackers" what he remembered Of the young
chiefs looks he said:
He was a noble-oodn' man. He hadn't the high
cheek Inuns have, little, varminty eyes
He want pooty Inun. but he was manly-lookin' and
tall and straight and you felt sort OF an awe OF his
presence you couldn't shake of"
At the breaking out the Indian In 1885 all the
friendly Indians changed to warriors and braves
Jake " then lad OF sixteen. Once during TINS
of sheepbells saved his life; and once an
old deer-hound saved the lives OF over thousand
people. This was the way lit:
"Jake's" father having fought the Creek Indians In
Georgia. knew that he must place his wife and children
in safer shelter than the isolated homestead He
bundled them all into wagons and set out for settle
called New Evansville. Other families were pour
ing into 1t from every quarter; and there were soon
between and two thousand people suddenly gathered
together where only few families had lived before
Food became scarce. The had to work hard to
Guild defences around the town. They dug q trench
and made wall of logs fifteen feet high and double-a
log behind each crack in the logs beforehand at this
work they labored day and night. They needed TO bo
well fed But there way to get supplies unless
took his life In his hand and made stolen trip to
his deserted home with its smoke-bOuse and its sweet
potato patch. "Jake's" father decided to do this He
another and Jake and the three rode away
together, each intending TO bring back all his horse
could carry after dark when they entered their
hanl afl raj
yard. They found plenty Of meat in the smoke
house, and there was In the baru, be-
sides all the cotton they had picked that year Corn
meal and bacon and potatoes would make a splendid
booty carry back and they packed much as they
dared. knowing that possibly they might have to ride
for their lives going home.
They loaded their horses and tied them close to the
house. and then as the hours wait before
the time when would be best to start back, the boys
threw themselves do the floor and went to Sleep
But the father watched He knew that the Indians had
threatened to his house, and wondered that 10 had
been spared so long But the crafty enemy had been
waiting for just such occasion as tnis when ne should
be tempted to come back it, and they knew
that he there and creeping up on him, intend
ing him and his boys and destroy his house all at
one stroke But suddenly, through the stiffness Of the
midnight sound broke on his cara sheep-bell!
"Up, boys, and ont! The Indians ON us he cried;
for the sheep were rushing toward the sheeDpen follow
ing frightened leader and he knew by the way they
ran to their shelter that they had startled by the
approach OF In moment all three were In their
saddles riding for dear lie seeking hollows OF thick
wooded places and obscure, unknown paths Tor safety
But they OF sight when the glow of their
burning dwelling Lit the sky and though they got safely
into the Notifications the Indians took terrible revenge
upon the harmless animals that had gven them warn
ing There were more than a hundred sheep They
peuned up the 5eatng creatures and one oy one thew
skinned them alive! From some they tore wide belts OF
eece others they left with bodies covered but with legs
stripped some had their helpless heads and faces
skinned All died in horrible suffering tortured by III
sects and birds OF prey before dying.
GOOD WORK OF A LITTLE CANNON.
As the hot summer went there was sickness and
death fortified village behind the tall logs ana as
the Indians seemed to have deserted that part OF the
country the times changed Mothers carried their
sick babies OUTSIDE OF the walls and camped AMI cooked
In the shade of the trees, only returning inside when
darkness came Day after day the crt thus eulp-
tied Old aud Logs. who were the sole defence Of
the place went hunt wild turkeys or other game; and
all rested in sense OF security so II was that
one day old man Pendarvis went out to IL he could
kill deer, and followed narrow stream shaded by
trees, where deer to drink Suddenly his old dog
stDppel with peculiar grow, and Pendarvs noting
him. crept cautiously forward until he saw two or three
Indians al ned, naked ana painted WIN war-paht'
He FASTENED back TO give the alarm, and wild scene
followed women shriekng and rushing TO the fort, carr
ing sometimes their babies and sometimes other
sons picked up by mistake in the fnrry Men we're
will Tered and struck they were out u rec huhdfc
old men and boys and there the lives OF thousand
women children at stake; The old deer-honnd bad
done his part; had warned his master and his master
had outslripped the enemy BY few minutes else me
| Indians would have surprised them completely anu
massacred last soul; Tor Ii Osceola ana hNe
| hundred braves we're creeping up that brook .
Leisure hours had made wheels and little old
cannon that had been thrown aside by some troops tray
NTH IT, and this cannon he took Of and wheeled
place when the Indians made ther hfst dash t inc
terrible surprise to attacking party They knew
all guns, but cannon they nad never neafa o.
some of fled at the mere sound But Others charged
and there was herce battle, WHICH Tue cannou AZ"
Carpenter Horn finally won
"FRIGHTED WITH FALSE FIRE.
Perhaps had better say, just here that while tho
crackers" IN Georgia and other Southern States are
Door white people, and get their name from harvest
labors -shucking, or corn-"racking the Florua
is cowboy, cattle owner or cattle dealer;
and some OF attain Considerable wealth They
take their name from the they have Of cracking
long leather WHIP which sounds like gum ut half
a miles distance
"The King OF the Crackers tells with much enjoyment
a story OF troop OF Irregular" United States soldiers
encamped in the Florida hammock-land during the In
dian war They resting at night after ma en- IN
this wild Jungle like country, when suddenly strange
trumpeting note was heard. That's tiger! That's
the way they call their mates exclaimed one intense
alarm prevailed. No dreamed that it was only an
owl hootlng Then an old alligator beloved Thats
n lion roarng!" some else declared. Then came
yolley OF sharp quick sounds. Trims muskits, tyes
said little Irish sergeani. springng up Inc indians
is ngntln through tho woods an they'll De at us la
twinkln'w -.
But it was only party Of COW boys herdng up their
cattle and the fame OF that nights terrors went aeroao
and nightly amused the crackers.
A COMMENTED CAREER.
"Iake who could ride horse and crack whip when
he WAS seven years old when he was young man could
Weld whip eighteen long, only eighteen inches OF
it in the handle His father gave him some calves when
n, was lad and Jake" prospered. Thousands OF
cattle belonged him he grew Older ana year by
wear he sod thousands In Cuba and made great profits