The Russellville Democrat., 1888-08-02

lowed the cavalcade as peaceably as his involuntary rider. At Chillicothe, he was competed to run the gauntlet when he was roughly handled, receiv- ing severe wounds.
 Many of the young readers of the Cohrier-Journal are doubtless ignorant of the term running the gauntlet as practised among the hostile Indians of America The warriors were drawn up in two parallel lines and armed with clubs, tomahawks, knives and long sticks, each placed far enough from his neighbor to have plenty of room to use his weapon. The prisoner was stripped and made to run betwee the lines, each warrior aiming blow at him as he passed, the punishment inflicted being gauged by his speed in running and the dexterity with which he dodged his tormentors. The terri ble ordeal often proved fatal to the hardest man, and even female prison CTS did not always escape the gauntlet.
 As soon as Kenton recovered from his rough treatment. he was given food and then taken to the Council House, where, in solemn silence. his late was decided by large majority of the assembled warriors voting for death at the stake. By vote also the place selected for his execution was Wapatomica (now Zanesville, Ohio). He was hurried away the next day and CD route had to pass through the h. dian towns of Pickaway and Macka- chack, in both of which he was again subjected to the ordeal of running the gauntlet. He concluded that nothing worse than death could follow, and at Mackachack he made a bold dash for liberty. Being unconfned he broke away from his captors and ran, and soon distanced all his pursuers, But some miles from town he encountered band of mounted Indians, who drove him back. He was removed to Wapa- tomica for execution. where his pres ence excited considerable curiosity. for aside from Boone, no white man on the border was more widely known among the Indians than Ken ton, or more intensely hated by them, Among others who came to See him was his early boyhood friend. Simon Girty, but with his face painted black, denoting that sentence of death rested upon him. Girty at first failed to rec ognize him. When he did he gave every demonstration of joy at meeting his old friend, but the deepest grief at the situation in which he found him.
 Kenton and Girty had served to- gether in the 'Dunmore war" and had become much attached to each other But Girty since that had made himself infamous by renouncing his race, ts,xn- ing Indian and becoming one of the most blood-thirsty sayages and scourgee known in all the time of border war. fare, In this one instance alone can an act of generosity be recorded to his early friendship for Kenton, and amid apparently insurmountable obstacles, and by almost superhuman effort, at the risk of his own life, he secured the remission of the death sentence and received Kenton into his own care and custody. His friendship for Kenton was not weak nor ephemeral. and in some degree his treatment of him in this case atones for some of his cruelties to other white people. who were so unfortunate as to fall into his hands. He took Kenton to the British trading-post and provided him with . complete suit of clothes, and a horse and saddle For q short time Kenton led an easy life. But it was not long before war party, who had returned from an unsuccessful raid, having lost several of their members, demanded Kenton's death in retaliation. Another council was called at Wapatomica. and, although Girty defended Kenton most zealously, he was again doomed to die. Girty, however, did not give up the fight He persuaded the savages to convey Kenton to Sandusky, where the tribes assembled in large numbers to receive their pres ents from the British Government, that the different tribes gathered there might witness his death. The Indians readily assented, and they left at once for Sandusky. passing through the vil- lage of the celebrated Mingo chief, Logan, where Girty managed to have them remain for a day. Logan, learn ing the circumstances, dispatched one of his swiftest runners to put in good word for Kenton before the party ar rived. Upon reaching Sandusky, Ken ton was again made to run the gaunt- let, and brought before q fourth coun- cil to be disposed of Peter Druyer, a captain in the English service, an in terpreter, and man of great consider stion among the savages, asked per- mission to address the council. His adroitness in touching the Indians vanity, and promising them liberal allowance of rum and tobacco, won their consent to Kenton's removal to Detroit, where. although confined as 8 prisoner of war, he felt secure against any further Indian barbarities. He finally, after a captivity of about eight months, succeeded in making his escape. He reached Kentucky in safety, to the astonishment of his friends, who had given him up for dead. Few more thrilling experiences are connected with the pioneer history of the West, a section teeming with wild and thrilling adventures, and few more intrepid and daring spirits than Simon Kenton could have sur vived them.-W IT. PirriH. m Louis rtlle Courter-JourRat
 Decay of the Signal Service.