Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-04-20
Living After Being SCalDGd.
EXPERIENCE OF A FLORIDA WO-
MAN WHO WAS SCALPED BY
THE SEMINOLE INDIANS.

EXPERIENCE OF A FLORIDA WO-
MAN WHO WAS sCALPED BY
THE SEMINOLE INDIANS.
During the Seminole Indian war
of 1887 there we're times when the
Indians would leave off hostilities
in order to make their crops and to
prepare anew for the warpath. All
the settlers had to live in forts, and
in planting crops and cultivating
them some Of them would work
while others stood guard. During
these cessaIioDs of hostllities some
would return to their homes only to
be driven back to the fort and
sometimes killed and scalped.
Fleming Johns and his wife re-
turned to their home, at what is
now Baldwin, as the Indians had
not been seen for some time. Early
in the morning Johns got up, open.
ed the door and looked around.
lie saw nosigns ofIndlans,and went
out 10 cut some frewood. While
cutting the Indians fred at and
wounded him. lie ran in to the
house and shat the door. His gun
was on the rack. He reached for
it, but fell from the loss of blood,
knocking of the hammer.
Johns had no other weapon, and
was at the mercy Of the Indians,
who advanced to the door and be-
gan, with the AK to knock it down.
Johns offered them his home and
all he had If they would spare his
life. The Indians only laughed
and cursed him. They broke the
door down and shot him, and he.
gan to take what they wanted rip.
ping open the feather bed, pillows
and holsters, ana packing up all
they wanted.
Johns wife looked on, every min.
ute expecting to be killed and scalp.
ed. She told me they packed all
they wanted before they molested
her. An old Indian motioned her
to leave, but sue 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 sh oot. She threw her arm
over her eyes ard he shot, the ball
striking her arm and going through
her neck. She fell forward stunned,
with her arm under her he ad. Be-
fore they got through scalping her
she came to her senses, but feigned
being dead. The Indians then set
FIRE TO the house and left quietly.
After they had been gone short
time aud the house we'll on fire, she
got up and tried to pull her hus-
band from the burning house and
pulled him as tar as the door when
she tainted. In falling pail of
water was upset upon her, which
brought her back to CONSCIOUSNESS.
She took a towel, folded it and coy.
cred her head, aud left taking the
road. Wan ting 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
in.law. lie also discovered her.
Tue men leyeled their guns 70
shoot her and she was powerless
to speak. Her father.ln.law cried
out to the men not to shoot, as it
was Jane. She told what had hap.
pened. Some of them carried her
to the station and some went to the
house but too late to get the re
mains Of her husband.
After she was well an English.
man persuaded her to 90 to Wash.
ington and get pension and she
was exhibited. Her likeness was
taken and hung in the Capitol.
The Euglishman ran off with all
the money. She returned to Sa.
vannah, where she had sister
and afterward she married man
named Matbes then returned to
| Florida, where she had one brother
and two sisters living, one of them
is my wife.
The Indians frequently came to
my house, and she said she recog-
nlzed one of them the chief TOno-
man, as being the one that 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 az though they
recognized her. Mrs. Jane Nathes
died in 1874, and is buried in the
cemetery OF Fort DECENTRALIZATION.
rWe (Fla.) Times.
a small boy OF Springfield,
Mass, went to the grocery 20 get