Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-08-18


IN several Maine newspapers is given fol
what 1t is worth. The Indian story is yer,
sensational, aud must be received with
much allowance:
| The bark camps Of Tom Archer of
Amherst in township % were burned
Thursday night aud of the crew Of twenty
men many narrowly escaped serious injury.
! The horses were barely saved from the
flames and about 10 cords of bark and all
/ the camp supplies were DESTROYED The
IRE was probably the work of mys terious
being, who has been employed by Mr.
/ Archer for the past five weeks. None
| knows where he came from or whittier he
i went. He STROBE into camp shortly after
midnight one dark June night and woke
I M. Archer up. He was an Indian dressed
IN coarse gray pantalooD>, dark blue shirt
/ with wide flowing loosely tied cravat, q
broad gray felt hat and pair of Indian tan
moccasins. He carried an axe 10 his hand
and stood in the middle of the camp where
the dim light from the lamp streamed over
him. The men were all awakened by his
voice and when Mr.. Archer appeared in
answer TO his inquiry for the boss their
astonishment was increased TO hear him
ask II Mr. Archer wanted good chopper.
He was = narrow chested. stoop-shoul-
dered, weakly looking Indian, but Mr.
Archer hired him and told him to turn in.
The Indian went outside the camp and lay
down on dry knoll beneath the pines.
lie never slept III the camp. The work
he did WAS msrvellou, from the start, but
no man ever saw him work. Many have
heard his AK ringing through the woods as
II several men were win him and have
heard the big hemlocks 90 smashing down
in rapid succession and have afterwards
seen the neat manner in which they were
skidded and laid with neat precision on
either side of the well swanped roads but
no man yet ever saw that Indian work
Archer himself in his cruises about The
woods has tried all sorts of WAYS to come
upon him while at work 20 see how the
man went about to perform such herculean
tasks, but never vet has he seen him when
his axe Was busy The sound of his axe
might have been hea. Il one second before
MI Archer caught sight of the man but
when he did catch sight of him that in
dlvidual was occupied in sighting up tree,
filling his pipe or leisurely looking of in
some direction opposite 10 where Mr..
Archer stood. One second after the caves
dropper disappeared the sound of the ak
began with the rapidity of machinery.
The Indian never mingled with the crew
and never poke except in mouosyllables in
answer 70 direct questions. He never
parted with his ak. even eating and sleep.
IN with II beside him. The crew did not
Ike him. Stories OF strange noises at
night in the woods were told, and weird
lights were said to have been seen flicker
ing about in the darkness by the crew
The Indian would often be absent nearly
all night but would be back in the morn
ing and do bis work a. usual. The men
began to be troubled with nightmares and
many Of them awoke suffering from wounds
and blows received while asleep. Things
about the camp took on queer
WAY OF disappearing and reappesring in
strange and unlocked for places. I hen
some uf TIE men left and the others began
10 threaten To leave. Mi. Archer was
sorry To see il, for the work was being
done 10 "A manner never before eauallcd In
excellence, but TO keep his crew he decided
- discharge the Indian. lie made out the
bill Of bis time and paid the Indian what
was due him stating that the mans work
had been satisfactory and that he was
sorry to have to let him 20. The Indian
to,k the money In silence. Then he glared
around Ike 4 tiend on the men, so tuey
say, uud struck into the thick woods north
OF the camp ON the edge Of the wood lie
turned back and said something ike come
back but his remark was not perfectly
understood That night the camps were
burned. The mpte superstitlJu> among
the cry" say that while the flames were
roaring they could see lights dancing up
aud down back III the woods. and now and
then 4 shrll mocking laugh rang out
through the trees. Since then the sound
Of the Indians AK has been heard several
nights ringing out shortly after midnight.
but ii lasted only few seconds each time.
The crew i nearly untitled for work by
the strange occurrences. The more super
stiliou> among them think they have had
a supernatural visitor.