Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-09-14

4 4
OF the widest OF their borses -
a pair OF inoccasins fastened sa.,,' 80
upon his hands, that he migb,
not be able to shield bis fsce
from the brush, and the bo,ss
turned loose. The frightened an.
imai kicked, reared and plunged abou,
In the Widest manner, endeavor;no :,
iree himself from his burden, but the
savages had done their work well.
After exhausting himself the horse fol.
lowed the cavalcade as peaceablv a.
MS involuntary rider. At Chillicotba
ne was compelled to run the gauntlet
when he was roughly handled reca;v,
ing severe wounds.
MANY OF the young readers of the
Cour1er-Journat are doubtless ionorart
OF the term running the gauntlet a,
practlsed 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 enouph
from his neighbor to have plenty az
room to use his weapon. The prisoner
was stripped and made to run betwee n
Inc INES each warrior aiming blow
at him as he passed. the punishment
lnnicted being gagged by his speed in
running and the dexterity with which
ne lodged his tormentors. The terri
Die ordeal often proved fatal to the
hardest man, and even female prison.
ers did not always escape the gauntlet.
AS soon as Kenton recovered from
MS rough treatment, he was given
food and then taken to the Council
house, where, In solemn silence, his
Iate 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 GAINESVILLE, Ohio).
lie was hurried away the next day and
en- route had to pass through the In
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 bold dash for
liberty. Being unconfined 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 nan
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, turn
ing Indian and becoming one of the
most blood-thirsty savages and scourges
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
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 a
complete suit of clothes, and horse
and saddle. For a 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,
Girty defended Kenton most
zealously, he was again doomed to die.
Girty, however, did not give up the
fight. He persuaded the savages to |
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 vii
lage of the celebrated Mingo chief,
Logan, where Girty managed to have
them remain for 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 a fourth coun-
ell to be disposed of. Peter Druyer,
captain in the English service, an in
terpreter, and man of great consider
alton 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.