The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-13
PERlLs OF THE SETTLERS.
An Incident of the War With the
Seminoles.

Fort Ogden LF'ia1 Con. 7it@uaie star.
During the Seminole Indian war OF leo'
there were times when the Indians would
leave off bostilities in order to make their
crops and to prepare anew for the war path.
All the settlers had to live in forts, ana IN
planting crops and cltiyating them some
would work while Others stood guard
During these cessatlonS Of hCshlltles some
would return to their homes only 70 pe
driven back to the fort and sometimes
killed and scalped.
Fleming Johns and his wife returned TO
their home at what Is now BALDWIN, as tne
Indians had not been seen for some time.
Early In the morning Johns got up, opened
the door and looked around He saw no
signs of Indians and went out TO cut some
frewood While cutting, the Indians fired
at and wounded him. He ran into the
house and shut the door. His gun wes on
a rack. He reached tor it but fell from
loss Of blood, knocking off the hammer
Johns had no other weapon and was at
the mercy of the Indians, who advanced 10
the door and began, with the AK, to knock
it down. johns offered them his nome and
all he had if they would spare his life. The
Indians only laughe and ours ID him. Ihey
broke the door down and shot him, and be-
gan to take what they wanted, ripping
open the feather bed, pillows and boosters
and packing up all they wanted.
Johns wife looked on, every minute ex-
pecting to be killed and scalped She told
me they packed all they wanted before they
molested her An old Indian motioned TO
her 10 leave, but she was afraid TO move.
He took her by the hand and led her toward
the door. She looked back and an Indian
was raising his gun to shoot She threw
her arm over her eyes and he shot, the ball
striking her arm aud going through her
neck She fell forward stunned, with htr
arm under her head Before they got
through scalping her she came toher senses,
but teignet being dead The Indians then
set fire TO the house and left quietly,
After they had been gone a short time
and the house was well on tire, she got up
and tried TO pull her dead husband from
the burning house, and pulled him as far As
the door when she tainted. In falling pail
of water was upset on her, which brought
her back to consciousness. She took
towel, folded il and covered her head and
left, taking the road. Wanting water and
feeling faint, she went to pond of water,
where she wet the towel and put it on her
head
She saw horsemen coming and recognized
her father law He also discovered her.
The men leveled their guns to shoot her, and
she was powerless to speak. Her father-ln'
law cried out TO the men not to shoot, as 1T
was Jane. She told what lad happened.
Some Of them carried her to the station and
some went to the house, but too late to get
out the remains of her husband.
After she was well an Englishman per-
suaded her to go to Washington to get Il
pension, and she was exhibited Her like
| ness was taken and hung in the capitol.
| The Englishman ran off with all the money.
| She returned to Savannah, where she had
sister, and afterwards she married man
named Matthias, who was stabbed years
afterwards by "A crazy man and died in
| Savannah Mrs. Matthias then returned to
Florida, where she had one brother and two
sisters living, one Of whom is my wife.
The Indians frequently came to my
house, and she said she recognized one Of
| them, the chief, Tomanam, as being the one
who led her toward the door. She never
would have anything to say to them, and
said it made her sick to look at them. The
Indians would talk and point to her as
though they recognized her.
Mrs. Jane Matthias died in 1874, and her
remains lie in the cemetery of Fort Ogden.
"Peace to her ashes