The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-11-20
PROFESSOR MITCHELL.
BIG TOM WILSON'S OWN AC-
COUNT OF THE SEARCH.
He Appears for the First Time III
Print, and Establishes His Claim
as the Hero Of the Interesting
and Tragic Occasion.

and Tragic Occasion.
We publish the following authentic ac
count of the search for and finding o
the body of the distinguished Prof. Elisha
Mitchell who persisted in June, 1857, while
engaged in scientific investigation. The
disappearance of so distinguished man
under such circumstance aroused an in.
tenSitv OF interest that ha; never had a
parallel in mountain history. That in
terest is still warmly alive, and thl Incl.
dents of the loss, search and finding are
still topics of conversation among those
who participated i'll the memorable
events. We are fortunate in having from
the pen of Big Tom Wilson himself, the
chief figure in the sad incidents, expressed
in his own strong, homely way. 1t is no
disparagement to him that we present
he narrative as he wrote it, verbatim ct
Htcratin. He will appreciate the fact
chat we do so, without the attempt to
polish him into the scholar familiar with
literary work. For good reasons, we
omit a portion of the narrative, which is
tartly personal.-CTnEN.
On the Night prior to the Discovery OF
the Body Stayed at the cabbn near the
top Of MitchcIS high peak on the Bacl;
Min in Co with A. u. Alin James Allin
". b. Austin & W. b. McMahan We
Ate our breakfast at Day break consist,
ing of Some Beef and Biscuit and took
enough along for our diuncr and Started
off in the direction that We Supposed DR.
Mitchell would have gon from the top oi
the peak to my house and had only gon
Som or hundred yards When Mr. A.
d. Allin Said, Come here Big Tom be-
lieve have found his track. calling all
the party together We followed the i'm
preSSOnS in the moss rcScmblclng tn,
foot prints Of a man Some 200 wards anG
found the marks OF a Shoe heel on Il
small balsam root and was Satisfied then
that we wer on the track As we could
See the print of the tracks on the root
then we held 4 hurried consultation and
agread to return and back track to
where he had left the top OF the mtn and
give the whole force Notice of our success
luing so and finding a COmpl te track
under fallen Balsam which formed a
Shelter for the foot print i'll the Soft lOoS
earth beneath then we was 1T the Bun
combe trail and agreed to Send Austin
and McMahan along vancy trail. The
TWO Allins and going the Buncomhc
trail or road Some distance past the
yancy road perhaps quarter OF Il mile
IN the BucOmbe road and there met Mr..
w. Staiiup and not on the rout to caney
River as Stated by Mr.. W. informing
them at once OF our Discovery and ex-
pressing our desire to Let M Step and
his party know all agreed TO return to
and follow the Tracks OF the lost man
chen Big Tom over anksose to spread the
good tiding Whoopcd long and loud
makeing the mountain wiring Tor miles
away with the ecoe of his Stentorious
voice then retraCelng our SteppS the New
recruits consisting OF Mr.. Westall Robert
Patton and Young Mr. Burgin accom-,
panying us we proceeded to the tracks
and then without hesitation or delay
traced the tracks to the heel print on
the rock thence we must follow the dim
foot prints OF the lone man after the laps
of 10 days Big Tom Said come gentlemen
it is dinner time we then took dinner and
resumed the Search sending two men
back to the top to let all the force know
viz calvin Patton and young Burgin, Big
Tom leads the way and Said com on
boys here hes went Mr.. Bob Patton said
how can you say here hes went when we
could not track horse here for the lau-
rel, Come Said Tom and | will show
you how at The Same tim pulling off a
branch of Laurel Said do YOU see the top
OF the leaf is dark green and the under
side is white looks now | can see the
white side of the leaf up turned for 20
yds 90 ahead Said Patton You are better
than any old hound that ever lump
ed on Il track So | did goe head
only lOoScing the track one time then it
was found by Bob patton and all stood
stock still and called the old hound Big
Tom and set mm ON the track as you
would your fox hound Tom leading the
way down TO the creek the party all
crossed to the north side of the creek but
Big Tom who went down in the cree
observing the marks Of his shoe heel
lacks on the solid rocks as the ONLY sign
Dr trace OF the lost man thOug Big Toms
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