The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-03-21
An Indian Warriors Revenge

There il in possession OF family livinl
on Baldwin's creek, near tho scsne Of the
bloody and decisive battle between the
American forces undor General Sullivan
and the SIX Nations under Brant and other
| great chiefs in l770, curious relic OF that
battle, which has a tragic story OF ito own
II Ia the skull OF an Indian, with a bullet.
| hole Ia the center OF the forehead The an
cestor of the present owner settled on the
farm still occupied by the family lust ate
the Revolutionary war. The story that
has been handed down With the skull Is as
follows;
The Indian to whom tho skull belonged
was one of Brant's boodiest and brsyesl
warriors. He participated In the Wyo
ming brutalities, the horrors ut Minsink
and tho bloody Cherry valley massacre
He was the leader OF the ma,audng band
that burned the settlement ~ Harpersh cid,
| delaware county and murdered the &c ttlers
there An act OF his al that massacre Is A.
| legged to have led TO his own death az the
hands OF an Indian enemy, nm adopted son
| OF the pe6ceable chief, COrrplauter. Young
| Cornplsnter, who was friendly to the
whites, heating tne' en- attack on .hi Uar-
persiield settle mint was ronIem9iated
sent asqnaw from his tri Ne. clear trom the
shores OF the a lsghanv river. 90 warn tue
settlers Sho arrived to late ia netf1rm
the tervice, 90 the ssyGgss htt cached
there FIRST end nc3omp iiebtd tleir work.
Shs was cap 'uret, however, and, knOGn to
be Il Cornplapter squaw and her etrlud sue
pecled, she WAS Killed and SCI ud by u
leader OF the hostile bard.
When this became known to young Corn
pllnior he swore vengeance against the
murderer OF his squaw. When Sullivan
was sent into the Susquehsnna country on
his errand OF destruction Uornplan,er was
employed as n scout to precsde the army
and keep the general informed as 10 the
plans and strength OF the Indians In the
performance Of this duty he was creeping
through the woods near the present village
of Wellsbutg, when suddenly he saw ain
Indian also stealing along. Cornplsnter
stopDed behind chestnut tree. The other
was Seneca and hid himself behind
fallen tree. Cornplanier, Uncertain whelh.
er the.ihe Seneca had eeen him remained
motionless behind tho ohss.nat, but peer, u
around the trunk with one eye, bringing
the hidinG-place OF the othe.' Indian Ia
view. Presently the head OF the Sc eca
rose steslihily above the fallen trunk, and
moment later the Indian rose to his
feet and glanced cautiously about. Corns
planter recognized his bi ter enemy, the
slayer OF his squaw, and the Indian he had
sworn 10 kill. The next instant his rifle
covered the Seneca brave and the re-
port that followed was the bloody war
rior's dcath-knell. Cornplanter scalped he
next day day the bti Ito of Bald WINS creek |
was fought and the Indians were routed.
Twenty years later young Cornplsntsr |
VINO had go o TO the west, returned 10 the |
vicinity of Baldwin's creek. One day he |
was walking in the woods with the grand |
father OF the present owner OF the |
Indian tkull, whose guest he YVES. and, |
stopping suddenly and looking about him |
on every side, said to his host |
that IL was on tina. spot that he
had killed Branrs warrior ia l770. Corn
planter went 10 a certain spot. and digging
away deep layer OF leaves, uncoy- /
cred she mold ring bones OF he Seneca
hravt. The skull vas as sound al ever.
kicked it spiteiully away
from him into the woods. HIS com
paniou picked it up, and taking Il
home, put it on tall pole, and the blue.
birds nested in it for years. II now ssrveo
as retreat for two pet ground squirrels.
The small hole in he forehead shows how
was the Indian CJrnpl iter's
aim,