Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-11-06
"reminiscences of One of the Bloody
Tragedies Of Early Days iii
Nebraska.
Five Children Belonging in One Fam.
lily Horribly Slaughtered by a
Band of Savage Aborigines.
Terrible Revenge Visited by the Be-
reaved Father Upon the Race
Which Had Made Him
Desolate.

Bryant in the Omaha World-Herald.
This is basin Of land lying in the Mis-
slsslppl valley, shut IN apon all sides by
high bluffs. A considerable portion of
the bottom is covered with a heavy
growth of timber. 1t runs nearly due
east and west, is about six miles long, its
! width varying from one to three miles. In
conformation and extent it resembles the
descriptions given by travellers and hlstOrl-
ans OF the far-famed plain of Marathon.
{ Near the upper end of this basin Or 'bot-
| tom is spot, which, for being the scene
of bloody deed, may yet be memorable
in poetry and song. g
In the year 1889 young man and his
newly married wife set out from Parkers-
burg, In what is now called West Vir-
ginia, to try their fortunes in the great
west. Theyoung man had scarcely attain
ed his majority and his bride was few
years his junior. They belonged to the
middle class, coming from the mountain
regions of the Old Dominion. They were
no novices in frontier life. Poor in world
ly goods, they were yet rich in love and
hope. The young man, having ideas of
his own and a decided antiphathy to the
| peculiar Institution, and really left his
native heath that he might rear his
children on free soil. They settled first at
| Burlington Iowa, then frontier town.
| But living IN a wilderness becomes pas
| sion with some men. A Boone or Bowie.
Carson or a Crockett could never have
thriven in civilization. Riding upon the
crest Of the advancing wave, they settled
now at Fort Des Moines and afterwards
at Sioux City, where the young man (now
in his 10th year, shingled the first house
in the city of the corn palace. But ad-
vancing civilization drove them still on
ward and in 1857 they settled in Brock 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 large property
They built a comfortable home upon this
''squatter's claim Here another son
died (the first natural death in the
county,, and another was born to them.
The sorrow was merged in this new joy,
and father, mother and children bent their
united energies to the subduing of the
forest. A happy future appeared to be be-
fore them. But, alas alas! sorrow was
In store.
In September of 1862, Abraham Lincoln
issued the emancipation proclaim alton; and
when in the month following the president
called for more troops with which to sup
press the rebellion, the heart of the Vir-
ginian abolitionist burned within him.
His second son, now II, was deemed suffi
cient protector for mother and children;
and so the eldest enlisted as soldier.
The father joined Company |, commanded
by Captain John Tatfe (afterward mem
Der of congress), and the company was
ordered to join Sully sregiment, which was
sent to Crow Greek, Oak.
On the 23d day of June, 1868. the moth
er had gone to Yankton, Oak, by pony
express to purchase some of the little lux
uries that serve to mellow the rough side
Of a frontiersman's life. Leaving the car
rier at old St. James, near the mouth of
Petit Arc (as the French voyagers called
it,, she walked three miles through a "a
vine to her home.
Arriving there with a mothers joyful
expectation she was alarmed at seeing no
sign of life; no outstretched arm met her
waiting embrace; no upturned lips were
waiting to receive a mothers cherished
kiss. Looking through the window 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 Paechal lamb gave
to the breast of a Hebrew. AS the terri
bic truth flashed upon her bewildered
brain she was seized with the frenzy Of
despair. She rushed to the other side of
the house. There lay one of her children,
boy of s years, stark and stif-shot to
death. Wild with grief, fear and frenzy,
the poor woman fed back through the ra
vine to old St. James end told the dread
full story. TWAS now nightfall, and no
one dared move till day break What
a night that must have been to that fond
mother.
On the morrow the small band of settlers
at old st. James took circuitous route on
the open prairie to the scene of the mas
Sacre. Three of the FIVE children were dead.
The two others were yet alive. The eldest
boy II years, lay upon the floor, his
skull crushed and both arms broken. His
hands still clutched his rife, with barrel
empty. The brave boy had persisted in
hand-to- hand struggle to protect the honor
of his sister from savage infamy. The
sister yet living had been mutilated in a
manner which forbids detail The poor
girl lived for five days, but never spoke.
The second boy, lad of Is, had been stab
bed to death. Another boy of s years, ~
ing outside the door, had been seen by his
mother. But the saddest of all was the
! sight of mammals darling" a little fell
low of FIVE summers, MORALLY wounded,
| Indians scared me, mamma, was all he
could say. He died in three days. The
victims of this cruel slaughter were buried
in d single grave near the mouth of Petit
Arc.
In less than two weeks (news traueled
slowly them the sad story reached the
father, 200 miles away. Mounting his
| horse without taking refreshment he set
out upon his dismal journey. On he rode,
night and day, with the energy OF madness
and despair. Arriving at 'Brocke's bot
! tom Hanson Wiseman entered the house
! his home no more.
| On March % following Mrs. Wiseman
was again a mother This child, now a
! young man of 26 years. is helpless Grip
| pie the result of his mother terrible af-
! fiction. Irs. Wiseman how lives, a
beartbroken old woman. Her husband
valnly sought by every means IN his power
; to comfort her. He took her to the east
| and, at a large e, oense. sought to re-
| juvenaee tbe afflicted mother IN the scenes
| of her childhood But 1.-The heart of
Rachel, for her children crying, will not be
comforted.''
/ Above the grave of his slaughtered child
rem Hanson Wiseman swOre terrible
oath of vengeance. How well the oath
| has been kept is a secret between him ana
his God. But this is certain; for over 20
years none of the vagabond bands OF In
dians which have infested this country
could be induced to enter Brooke bot
TON, - To 4bo rod ,x,o, ~ IL thp va of