New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-01
NOT MUCH OF A HERO.
EXAMINING THE RECORD OF "TOM7 QUICK.
INDIAN SLAYER
NOTORIOUS CHARACTER OF PIONEER TIMES
IN PENNSYLvANIA-HIS MONUMENT DIS

IN lENNSlL N aNlh-hlS MONCMtNI
cREETLY SILENT AS TO HIS VIRTUES.
Milford Penn, April At is supposed to be a poor
tombstone that cannot sing praises. In thousand
gr1veyards the prevailing sentiment Is: Here lies Q
good man. some years ago the people Of this place
erected a monument which they inscribed to tom
Quick the Indian slayer, the Avenger Of the Della
ware After considerable speechmaking and cels-
brating, they unveiled the stone upon which was In
scribed the following touching tribute TO the life and
character OF the great Delaware Valley pioneer: Tom
Quick the first white child born within the present
borough Of Milford
As he has long been known In history as righteous
avcnger innamed with Just wrath against his enemies,
the silence of the marble upon those virtues which
nearly all dead said TO have possessed Is rs
tonshng. Why the worthy gentlemen who had the
matter in hand failed to mention OF those qualities
deeds by which Tom Quick made fame. but simply
mentioned fact for which he apparently was quito
irresponsible, is possibly, unintcntlonal rebuks
to those who delighted to honor those qualities OF
pitiless cruelty which rendered him famous. His
exemplary character has made his memory popular In
many parts OF the valley. local writer In Port Jervs
years ago asked to dramatic life OF Tom"
Quick. lie agreed and began a course OF reading On
his subject. But after much study he was compelled
TO acknowledge that he could not make Quicks popular
qualities in noble and vrtuous groove. He gave
up the idea OF making Quick the hero and introduced
him as a secondary character, rs monomaniac upon
the subject OF Indians. The little boys living abous
Milford must be much agitaed over the coldness Oh
the monuments Inscription, for Quck was boys
hero lie has been subject for the graphic ana br1l'
liant OF the talented novets Of the dime and hve-
cent school. Youths going westward to massacre the
devoted red man with fell purpose and small-calibre
revolver always carry cheap edition of Tom ouck's
alleged biography, which is when they Mt loss how
to proceed valuable book Of reference. In these vol
all the known ways to kill Indians practically
demonstrated The hero Is pictured q CORY handed
avengcr Of advanced type who goes about seeking
how many Indians he can devour within given time.
He is paragon Of virtue and saughters savages In
very high and exalted manner. He also says bar"
and thar and speaks about getting his har rz' lie
Is dead shot and perforates Indians with great
rapldy and regularity, while they. it seems, persist
In Offering themselves targets with much abandon
and shoot at him with desperate wdness coming
within several yards OF their aim.
Historians arc, rule, unsentmentaI The aes-
hetic people, the lovers CT the beautiful. the poetic
dreamers have always claimed that Quick during his
lifetime killed hundred Indians. The local historians
stouty assert that he only killed fifteen the most.
But certainly there must be some glory In fifteen Indians
and when the in which the historians Quick
killed his Indians is taken into consideration Is NOT
surprising that Quick occupies unique place In history.
He born In Milford above mentioned, where his
parents had settled in 1888. His father built mills
"Tom' loved the woods and the mountains and chose
rather to spend his time wandering with red companions
than staying In or near the settlements lie became
vertable Indian In his habits. Until the French and
Indian War he lived in perfect amity with tho savages,
sharing their amusements and pursuits. During TINS
war; however, savages shot Toms father from
ambush. His friendship turned Immediately 10 the
deadest hatred and he that lie would kill every
redskn that crossed his path he would hunt them as
long as one OF them remained east Of the Alegianes.
The first Indian to be killed by Quick was named Musk
wink. After the French and Indian War this Indian
returned to the Valley Of the Neverslnk One day
Quick went to tavern the junction OF the Never.
sink and Delaware rivers. 1Iere lie met Muskwlnk,
who was, as usual. intoxicated The Indian approached
"Tom" and told him with great glce that he was OF
the party that killed Qucks father He said he had
scalped the old with his own hand. lie described
laughngly the dying agones OF Quick's fnther. and
mmlcked his cries and groans Tom was i'm
mediatey worked up to the convulsive fury OF an
enraged panther. He snatched old musket from the
wall and pointing 1t at Muskwlnks breast, drove him
out Of the house in advance of himself After proceed
ing with his prisoner about mile from the tavern. no
shot him the back dragged the body into the bushes
and left it.
At another time Tom, and two other white men
went into ambush in thcket which overlooked somo
rocks where Indians often shed. Three Indians came
10 the rocks and were attacked BY the white men.
One was killed by a blow the head with a club
Another was shot through the head and through the
hand while the third jumped into the river TO save his
life
On one occasion Quick and number OF other
white hunters sought shelter for the night In the log
cabin of a man named showers. An Indian arrived
later and asked permission stay all night. showers
agreed and the INDIAN rolling himself In his blanket.
lay down among the white hunters In the middle OF
the night there an explosion. when the huhtefs
hastily struck light they discovered Quick with
smoking rife In his hand standing over the body OF
the Indian who had been shot dead In his sleep.
Some time after the killing Of Muskwink. an Indian
with his sQuaw and three children was padding down
the Delaware River In a canoe When the family was
passing through Buffers Rift tom" Quick rose from
where he lay concealed In the tail reed grass on the
shore and aiming his rifle at them commanded them
10 come ashore when they had come near he shot
the man, tomahawked the woman and tile two eldess
children and knocked the babes brains out against
a tree.
Quick made statement to his nephew that he had
uled an indefinite number Of Indians. lie said he
would lie In the woods and wait until he heard rhe
60 on. Then he would creep stealthily In the dlrec'
ton Of the sound would often find an Indian skin
ming a deer or a bear. lie said that 1t was an easy
matter then to put ball through the red mans heaA
Another tale told of him smacks somewhat OF the
and s, .n2 nSon Be ses tbs me
tribes used send small parties OF their young war
riors to kin this mplacablc hateI Of their race:
party Of these Indians met Quick In the woods.
lie was splitting long log. They announced 10 him
their n&enaoo Of killing him. He pareyed with Them then.
pan but requested that he be allowed as his last aet
on EARTH to split that hog. They agreed Tor certain
in the end and then lie begged another favor THAI
they assist him IN split Ing the los Again they m
in LONG line down The side Of the log, the mbecLs
REDSKINS placed their fingers in the crack held ED open 10y
knocked out the wedge, the log closed up and tler