The Grenada gazette., 1888-04-21
SCALPED BY SEMlNOLES.
A Florida woman's Experience with
Bloodthirsty Indians.

A Florida Woman. Experience with
Bloodthirsty Indians.
During the Seminole Indian war Of
1887 there were times when the ln-
hians would leave off hostilities in
order to make their crops and to pre-
pare anew for The warpath. All the
settlers had to live in forts, and in
planting crops ard cultivating them
some Of them would work while others
stood guard. During these cessations
of hostilities 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, ooened tho
door and looked around. He saw no
signs of Indians. and went out to cut
some iirewood. While cutting. tho
Indians fired at and wounded him.
He ran into tho house and shut The
door, His gun was on rack. He
reached for it. but fell from loss OF
blood, knocking off the hammer.
Johns had no other weapon and was
at the mercy of the l ,dians. who ad-
vanced to the door and began. wi h
the IKE. TO knock it down. Johns f.
Tered them his home and all he had if
they would spare his l;fe. The l di-
ans only laughed and cursed him.
They broke the door down and shot
him, and began to take what they
wanted. ripping open the father bed.
pillows and Dol and packing up
all they wanted.
Johns wifi looked on every minute
expecting to be killed and scalp d.
She told me they pack ID I'll they
wanted before they molcsted her An
old Indian motioncd her to leave. but
she was afrail 10 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 and
going through her neck. She fill
forward stunned, with her arm under
her head B 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 and the house was well on fire.
she got up and tried 10 pull her dead
husband from the burning house, and
pulled him as far rs the door, when
she tainted. In falling, n pail of wafer
was upset upon her which brought
her back to consciousness. She took
towel. folded il and covered her
head. and left, taking the road. Want
ing water. and feeling faint, she went
to o pond of water, where she wet The
towel, and put it on her head. She
saw horsemen coming and recognized
her father-in in-law. He also discovered
her. The men lcvelel their guns TO
shoot her. and she was powerless to
speak. Her father-in-laW cried out tC
the men not to shoot, as it was Jane.
She told what had happened. Some
of them carried her TO the station and
some went to the house. hut too late
to get out the remains of her husband.
After she was we'll an Englishman
persuaded her to 90 to Washington &c
got pension, and she was exhibited
Her likeness was taken and hung in
the Capitol. The E glishman ran fl
with al the money. She returned tG
Savannah, where she had a sister, and
aflcrward she married II man named
Matthias, who was STA bbcd years aftct.
ward by crazy man and died in S..
varnah. Mrs. Matthias then returned
to Florida, where she had one brother
and Two sisters living, one of whom i:
my wife.
The Iadians frequently came to my
house, and she said she recognized one
of them, the chief Tonoman. as being
the one that led her toward the door.
She ncver would have amy thing tc
say 10 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 Mntha,
died fn 1874, and is buried in the Gem.
etcry Of Fort OgIcn.-JacksonuiIts
Times Union.
EXIT TIE BRIDESMAID,