St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-12-22
WORK OF RED DEVILS.
One Of the Bloody Tragedies
Of the Early Days in
Nebraska.
Five Children Belonging to
One Family Horribly
Slaughtered.
Terrible and Swift Revenge
Visited by the Bereaved
Father
Upcn the Race Which Had
Made His Home So Desc
late.

the Dixon caunty line, and nearly oppo-
site Nermillion, S. d., is what is known
as "Brocke's bottom" says the Omaha
World-Herald. This is a basin of land
lying in the Mississippi valley, shut in
upon all sides by high bluffs. A con-
siderable portion of the bottom" is COW
cred with heavy growth of timber.
1t runs nearly due east and West, is
about six miles long, its width varying
from one to three miles. ID conforma-
ton and extent it resembles the descrip-
tons given by travellers and historians
Of the far-famed plain of Marathon,
Near the upper end of this basin or
"bottOm" is a spot which, for being the
scene of a bloody deed, may yet be
memorable in poetry and song.
In the year 1889 young man and his
newly married wife set out from Park
erSburg, in what is now called West
Virginia, 10 try their fortunes in the
great West. The young man had scarce
~ attained his majority, and his bride
was few years his junior. They be-
longed to the middle class, coming from
the mountain regions of the Old Do
minion. They were no novices in
frontier life. Poor in worldly goods,
they were yet rich in love and hope.
The young man, having ideas of his
own, had a decided antipathy to the
peculiar institution" and really left
his native heath that he might rear his
children upon free soil. They settled
first at Burlington, To-, then frontier
town. But living in wilderness be-
comes passion with some men. a
Boone or a Bowie, Carson or Crock
ett could never have thrlyen in civilZa-
ZION.
Riding upon the crest of the advanc-
ing wave. they settled now at Fort DeS
MOines and afterward at Sioux City,
where The young man now in his forteth
year, shingled the first house in the
city of the corn palace. But advancing
civilization drove them still onward,
and in 1857 they settled in ''BrOcke's
bottom" They had been blessed with
eight children, two of whom they had
buried in Iowa. By dint of toll and
thrift they had accumulated a large
property. They built comfortable
home upon this ''sguatter'S claim"
Here another son died (the first natural
death in the county,, and another was
born to them. Their sorrow was merged
III this new joy. and father, mother and
children bent their united energies to
the Subduing OF the forest. A happy
future appeared to lie before them. But,
RlaSi sorrow was III store.
IN September of 1862 Abraham Lin
coin issued the Emancipation Procla-
nation, and when in the month follow
ing the president called for more troops
with which to suppress the rebellion,
the heart of the Virginlan abolitionist
burned within him. His second son.
NOW seventeen, was deemed sufficient
protector for mother and children; and
so The eldest enlisted as soldier. The
father joined Company |, commanded
by Capt. John Tafie (afterward mem
Der of congressl, and the company was
ordered 10 join Sully'S regiment, which
was sent to Crow Creek, Oak.
On the ed day of June. 1865, the
mother had gore to Yankton, Oak, by
pony express. to purchase some of the
little luXuries that serve to mellow the
rough side of frontlerSman's life.
Leaving the carrier at old St. James,
near the mouth of Petit Are (aS the
French voyagerS called it,, she walked
three miles throug ravine TO her home.
Arriving there with mothers joyful
expectation, she was alarmed at seeing
10 sign of life; no outstretched arm
met her waiting embrace; no lips were
upturncd to receive mothers cher
iShed KISS. Looking through the win
dow she saw an Indian lying upon the
floor.
Tell-tale marks of gore were upon the
door. But they had not the significant
assurance which the blood of the Pas
cba1 lamb gave to the breast of a He
brew. AS the terrible truth flashed
upon her bewildered brain she was
!, hn f,n, 81 do h.
rushed TO the other side of the house.
There lay one Of her children. boy of
eight years, stark and stiff-shOt to
death. Wild with grief, fear and frenzy,
the poor woman fled back through the
ravine to old st. James, and told the
dreadful story. IL was now nightfall,
and no one dared move till daybreal.
What night that must have been to
that fond mother!
On tine morrow the small band of
settlers at old st. James took a circuit
Gus route on the open prairie to the
sdcne of the massacre. Three of the
five children were dead. The two others
were yet alive. The eldest, boy of
seventeen years, lay upon the floor, his
skull crushed and both arms broken.
His hands still clutched his rife, with
barrels empty. The brave boy had per-
tect the honor of his sister from savage
infamy. The sister. yet living, had
been mutilated in a manner which for
bids detail.
The poor girl lived fer five days, but
never spoke. The second boy. a lad of thir-
teen. had been stabbed to death. Another
boy Of eight years, lying outside the door,
had been seen by his mother. But the
saddest of all was the sight of ''mam-
mas darling," little fellow of five
summers, mortally wounded. ''Indians
scared me. mamma" was ali he could
say. lie died in three days. The vic
Tins of this cruel slaughter were buried
in single grave near the mouth OF
Petit Arc.
In less than two weeks news Travelled
slowly them tie sad story reached the
father, 2CO miles away. Mounting his
horse without taking refreshments. he
set cut upon his dismal journey. On he
rode, night and day, with the energy OF
madness and despair. Arriving al
"Brocke's bottom" Hanson Wiseman
entered the house-his home no more.
On March IS following Mrs. Wiseman
was again mother This child, now a
young man of twenty-siX years. is a
helpless cripple-the result of his
mothers terrible affliction. MIS-. Wise.
man now lives, heart-broken old
woman. Her husband vainly sought by
every means i'll his power to comfort
her. He took her to the East, and, at a
large expense, sought to rejuvenate the
afflicted mother in the scenes of heI
childhood. But 1.-The heart of Rachel,
for Der children crying, will not be com
fOrtcd.''
Above the grave of the slaughtered
children Hanson Wiseman swore a ter.
riblc oath Of vengeance. How well the
oath has been kept is secret between
him and his God. But this is certain
for over twenty years none of the vaga.
bond bands Of Indians which have in
tested this county could be induced to
enter "Brockc's Bottom" To the red
man it is tic valley Of the shadow OF
death. AT the time the Winnebagoes
were moved down the river, several
canoes were cmptied of their living
freight In passing the scene of the Wise
man murder. Some mysterious person
shot them from the "heavy timber
along the river. But short time since