The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-08-19
AN INDIAN SCARE.
Disaster Feared by Tribes in In
dian Territory.
Traditions which PresnEc Dire Trouble
Visions of Phantom Warrior -
Deadly Combat Fr"du-c
confederation.

Indians i'm the uCighborhood OF llsi'"-
miugo. !. T, are predicting l1S1s'''r
of some kind. They say that .omc,hHE
terrible is about 70 happen 20 their
tribes or to the invading white men.
The phantom tribe has been seen and
heard IN deadly conflict, and this j. a
sure Indication that many dead men
viii lie on the fields. For years there
has been "a legend anon" the Indians
Of this territory OF a phantom tribe
which was supposed To bc the EhostiJ
remnant of once powerful nation that
was completely anuihilaycd by an op-
posing tribe. This occurrences wac 50
far back that il is now ono OF trC trad-
ti0ns that has grown misty with age,
and the Philadelphia Press says 10 has
been many years since there has been
any indication that there was fpunda-
ton Of truth for the legend which at
tachcs To q certain valley in Che western
part of this territory. In this valley,
which is always Stunned 10y the lndi-
ans OF all tribes, are many mounds, IN
dicatiug where hundreds Of people lie
buried In this valley, long ages ago,
q great battle is said 10 have been
fought. and in this battle one whole
nation of red men was wiped from the
face of the earth 10y q victorious in
vadcr, who thereafter possessed the
land.
The traditions Of the Indians are SO
strong. that ages do not wipe out the
legends, and where one or more Indians
have seen uncauuy things and tell of it
it becomes part of the nations his
tory. and where a spot is found TO H"
possessed Of spirits the Indians ucvcr
aftcryvard question the truth OF the
story. hut forever abandon the place.
Such i, the history of the little valley
where it is said the great fight occurred
long years ago.
In this valley, fun of those little
mounds. the Indians claim they have.
on several occasions seen the warning
tribes in deadly combat and closely
following the ghostly battle came
trouble to the Indians. Either pC-tl-
leuce, famine or war has Invariably
followed the apparition, and while the
Indians have not heard Of the phantom
tribe for many years the legend Is VIVID
in their minds, and now they bc'ioyy
they are again to be visited with trouble.
John Willis. q deputy United States
marshal, is now responsible for tEc
scare among the Indians, for he Is tho
man who heard the deadly conflict be
tween the phantom tribes. Willis dfa
not know il at the time, and, while he
is n brave man. he heard such sounds
one night recently that he lay per
fectly still. Willis was on the trail
OF q band of horse thieves. and was be
lated one night just as ne entered
into n little valley covered with
small mounds. He had never heard OF
the phantom tribe nor of the battle
which was fought in the valley. He
was frr from a house and piclIeted his
horse and made his camp. lie had been
asleep for some time when he wa
aroused 10y his horse. which WAS snort
ing and jumping about in terror. Willis
jumped 10 his feet. thinking he was at-
tackled by a band Of outlaws from the
noise which was made. 1t was bright
moonlight, but he could see nothing.
All around him there seemed to bc ar
invisible host of men. some on horse
back and some ON foot. and these men
appeared 70 br in deadly conflict. Ilc
noise of the tranpling hoof7 and rush
ing men could bc plainly distinguished,
while blows wcre struck 50 forcibiy
that the sound could be distinctly heard.
Backward and forward the battle OF
ghosts seemed TO rage Tor over an hour,
yet all the while not 2 thing could be
Seen IN the valley and Willis was almost
convinced that the sounds were the re-
suits OF a dream. His horse continued
its frantic efforts to escape and at last
Willis was compelled to saddle the ami
nal and get away from the valley. Just
as he got beyond the confines Of the
valley all sounds ceased and he was
tempted to turn h;c!5;;. -. ., 80 80 as ne en-
tered the valley the war began again.
Tie told his story 70 the Indians and
then the story Of the phantom tribe
came out, and the Indians told OF tha
disaster which was sure to follow the
appearance Of the phantom warning RED