The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-09-02
RhEU0LLEGTIoHsO THE OIL aI IN
TIME,
Tho Shooting of Diver

DEERFIEiD, Nov. 5, 1869.
To the Editor of the Leader:
GENTLEMEN In your weekly issue
of October 8, read an account given
by IL Mr.. Cackler, of Streets borO, of the
shooting of Daniel Diver, of Deerfield
by the Indian, John Mohawk, which
| kROW to be so incorrect history OF
that unfortunate occurrence that feel
it to be my duty to give you a true
history Of it for publication. MIR. Cack-
Ter, at the time of the occurrence was,
he tells you, in Hudson. was present
at the time and place when the deed
was done. He, therefore, could only
report what he had heard reported, I
on the contrary, report TO you what
saw aud heard. / will Furthermore
say that l am resident of the town.
ship of Deerfield, and have been since
1902. With 5. Foljambe, Esq of your
city, was formerly well acquainted.
He will, / doubt not, recOllect me
working several years in the treasur-
er's office with +. Williams, Esq rs
his deputy, when he was the auditor
OF Portage county. But enough of
this. With the parties whose names
are connected with this outrageous
affair, was well acquainted. John
dyer at that time was young mar
ried man, living at the Center. His
cabin stood some eight or ten rods
north of where the roads crossed each
other, which at that time indicated
the center of the township. Mr.Card,
Divers brother-in- law, lived Just in
the northwest corner of the cross road.
Daniel Diver was young unmarried
man highly esteemed by the young
people of the township.
Old man Bigson had six sons who
were all JOhns-I do not remember all
their distinguishing appellatiOns. My
impression is that John Mehawk, who
shot Daniel, was the youngest OF the
six. Nickshaw was an aged unmar-
Eed Indian, A pleasant, sociable,
companionable old fellow. 1 could
relate several anecdotes of him, but
not here. John Diver (nOt Daniel)
aud Nickshaw traded horses, which
brought about the unhappy affair l
am now about to chronicle. The In
dian thought after time that he had
been wronged in that transaction.
Whether any effort had been made te
cOnciliate his feelings is what / do not
know. Be that as 1t may, his subse-
quent conduct proves that he was un-
recOnciled, and sought redress as an
injured Indian: 1t afterward appear.
ed. by the testimony of other Indians
that he hired Mohawk to kill Diver,
for which he agreed to pay him one
hundred dollars. The time chosen by
the Indians to do the deed was,
think, either Christmas or New Years
evening, disremember the year. Mr..
Cackler SAYS 1906. / think it was
some years later. The young people
of the township had agreed to meet at
the Center for social enjoyment and
intercourse on that evening, but un-
happily there was misunderstanding
with regard to the place of meeting.
Some would go to Divers and some
would go to Alva Days (afterward
Judge Day. about u quarter of y mile
west of the Center. The consequence
was a division, L went with the party
that assembled at Days. felt grieved
at the division that had occurred and
finally resolved that 1 would go to Di-
ver's and make an effort to prevail on
those assembled there to 20 over to
Days, and thus effect a union. l went.
Soon after turning the corner on
which Cards house stood l met Daniel
Diver on the street, perhaps about
between Cards house and
John Divers, which, as have here
tOfore stated, were some eight or ten
rods apart. stopped aud talked with
him short time on the subject of my
self constituted mission. | then pro-
ceeded onward toward the house.
had not taken many steps after leav-
ing Daniel before / saw the Indians
come out of John Divers house. L
met them in the doOryard and noticed
that they eyed me very sharp as
passed them. L went into the house.
My impression is that within two
minutes after L entered the house we
beard the report of gun, which was
Immediately followed by
most piercing scream. John Diver
said, 4" that is Daniels voice and the
have shot him." and imme-
diately sprang out of the house. I'm
all within the house were
panic stricken and alarmed. l very
soon followed Diver. When arrived
upon the ground where Daniel had
fallen, they were carrying him into
Cards house, and the Indians were
running down the south road. John
said, when he came to the place
where Daniel was lying, Mohawk was
III line few rods south, fac
ing inward. That when he was al
most near enough to seize him, Mo
hawk turned and ran towards the
others, when they all turned and ran
away together" The ball had entered
L think the left temple, passed under
the eyeball out upon the cheek. 1t
passed directly through the ball of the
other eye. Daniel liv d many years
married and now living In
this township. But to resume.
The thoughts of the people present
turned very soon upon the subject of
the pursuit and capture of the Indians.
Before this time q militia company had
been organized, and my father, Eph-
rain b. Hubbard, ST., was the captain
1t was decided that should go imme.
diately home and inform my father of
what had taken place, and that he
should gather up sufficient force and
the pursuit in early morn.
L went out of the house for that pur-
pose, when, to my surprise, saw
Nickshaw standing in the doOr-yard.
He inquired of me what has happened,
| told him that Mohawk had shot
Diver. Hesaid. very bad man, "and
went right into the house, 1 followed
him in. He stood and looked earnest
Iy at Diver perhaps half a minute and
then LurQeu anu lelI tue nOuSo, since
which time have not seen him. /
went home and told my father, who
soon had rs many volunteers as was
needed for the pursuit, which was
commenced in the morning as early
as their trail could be seen.
Here ends for the present what
know personally of the history of this
affair. For the pursuit / give the re.
port of my father. He said the course
of the Indians was very ZigZag, evil
IDENTIFY intending to escape being seen.
The snow was deep, the weather pierre
ing cold, the travelling exceeding Ia
bOrieus, so much so that before they
reached Hudson some of the men had
become unable to proceed, and by the
time they reached there they were
literally tired out. My father said he
went and informed Captain Darrow
of the pursuit of the Indians, and why
they were pursuing them, aud wished
them with a new force to take the
trail and pursue on that night, which
he did. barrow with his men, came
upon them about morning, encampe
near the Cuyahoga, (perhaps near
Boston) and surrounded them as best
they could, and closed in upon them.
They made them all prisoners ex-
cept Nickshaw, Mohawk and John