Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-01-20
FIGHT FOR LIFE.
John r. Shy. Charges from Hts Srrn
ing House and Scattcrs the
Appaches.

18th. of Indian atrocities near DelhilS-
n. NJ. On the Saturday preceding, a
calvary scout appeared at ranch
twenty miles from Deming with
wound in his shoulder and reported an
attack by Indians. Some herdSmen
started at once to give the alarm 10 the
families of Shy and Yater, living near,
but were intercepted by the Indians at
point where they could see that tie
Yater building WAS already IN flames.
They then made haste 10 Deming and
force of militia. regular troops and citl-
zens, forty in all, at once set out tor the
ranch. On approaching the place the
command separated into two parties,
one taking the road, the other tran.
The party OH the road were soon brought
to a halt by the barking OF a dog that
had followed his master out from town,
and on going ont Of the road Short
distance. they found Mrs. Shy, wife of
John Z. shy. nearly exhausted from IA
finue and terror. She was almost with
out clothing. and III her effort TO hide
from the PARTY. which she feared were
Indians. had got her long hair so en-
tangled IN the brush that If was matter
of difficulty to set her free. She told
of the attack upon the house, of the
vounding of her boy and probable
death of her husband. Capt. y. II.
Knowles. who had accompanied the
partv in his buggy offered to take her 10
town. but she urged him to take the
buggy on for her boy, who she sad
would need IL more than she, ana
wrapped in an oyercoat given by one OF
the men, she mounted horse and rode
in accompanied by one man. The party
that had taken the trail came into the
main road on what is called the second
divide. and here came upon a scene as
horrible rs unexpected. \ blackboard
WAS standing across the road, and on
either side of il lay the dead bodies OF
Nh. and Mrs. y. !. Hater. Mr.. Iater
was living upon his face, Just as he had
fallen from the blackboard, with three
wounds. two through the body and one
pistol shot wound in the head at the
base of the left ear. He was probably
killed instantly What Mrs. 1ater
suffered may be imagined, but Will
never he told. As 10 shotgun wounds
appear upon the body, it IS probable the
Indians sought 10 take her alive, but
the appearance of the ground for thirty
feet about the blackboard showed sle
had fought and struggled until the
baffied devils became enraged and crush
ed her skull with their guns. The body
was completely stripped Of clothing.
excepting a corset.
The citizens reached the vicinity OF
the ranch houses in two detachments
some time after dark. The first coming
in sight of the still smouldering ruins
dismOunted. and few crawled up
cautiously watching for Indians and
searching for Shy and his child. Soon
the other detachment arrived, and III
signalling each other gave evidence OF
their presence TO Mr.. Shy. who was con-
cealed in the rocks high upon the side
of the mountain, safe and unframed.
It was about ! o'clock III the after
noon. and Mr.. John 7. Shy, his wife
and 11-year-old son had Just seated
themselves at the dinner table when
Mr.. Shy's attention was attracted by
noise outside of the house as though
something had struck an empty box or
q can. and turning his eyes 10 the
window he beheld an Indian, with his
gun levelled ready for shooting, and
right at the window. Mr. Shy yelled
E'Indians. IndianS,' and, dropping
from his chair, crawled across the room
for his Winchester, turned to the WIN
dow and fired, the Indian firing at the
same time. 50 that the two shots sound
ed almost together. Immediately the
shots began to crash through the planks
of the house on all sides, the Indians
firing at random, not caring 10 take
chances before the windows of the house
long enough to direct an aim, as Shy
was watching all windows at once, and
sending a bullet at every dusky foTm that
came in sight. Mrs. Shy, terrcr-stricken
and bewildered, ran from one room To
another. now on the floor, under bed
or ND into the loft. The firing lasted
probably fifteen or twenty minutes, and
then suddenly ceased. and voice on
the outside. in good English, said:
s.Come out John; we no hurt you; we
GOOD Indians: we scouts" Mr.. Shy
made no reply, and an occasional shot
now struck through the house, showing
the Indians were either saving their
ammunition or arranging another plan
of action.
The house of Shy and Gater were
small box houses, built just eight feet
apart. the intention having been to COLI
meet the two by porch, but the porch
had not been built. Yater's house was
at this time rrnoccupied; the family hay-
ing gone TO Deming. When the lull
came in the firing, Shy heard the
Indians break into Yater'S house, and
presently knew from the noise they
were ransacking the place, and then
the terrible discovery came to him that
they had set fire to the house, and that
in a few minutes his house, too, would
be in flames. and he and his family
would have to take their chance on the
outside. He waited until the flames
began TO leak through the side of the
house. and then calling his wife and boy
down from the loft directed them Il
keep close to him, and opening the doOI
made dash for huge rock just below
the house. As he reached the rock five
Indians sprang from behind 1t and fired,
he firing at the same time as fast as nc
could work his Winchester. The lndl'
ans fled to the cover of gulch twenty
feet away. you got one, pa; saw
him DROP said Shy's little boy, as h'
ran after his mother, who fled up The
culch when the Indians sprang up from
the rock. Discovering that this rOcE
was no protection, lie made for another
higher up, and there again was met by
Indians, who like the others, fired and
ran to the shelter Of the waterway
below. As Shy gained this shelter h
heard the boy call out, ''Oh, papa, In
shot" and looking in the direction saw
the little fellow fallen well up on th'
side of the mountain, and called TO hin
10 crawl down into the rocks in tn
guich. which the boy did. From tina
time Mr.. Shy knew nothing of tn
whereabouts of his wife and child. Th'
Indians remained with him antl nearl..
dark, every now and then Springln;
into sight and firing v0lley into hl
fort, and he returning tle fire as fast a
he could work the gun. From his poS'
ton lie could see only in one direction
and knew not when the enemy left him
~ Il