New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-23
AN OLD INDIAN SLAYER.
LEGENDS OF TON" QUICK TOLD ABOUT
MILFORD PENN
HIS FATHER AVENGED BY THE DEATH or MANY
RED MEN-THE TRoUBLOUj TIMES BE-
FORE THE REVOLUTION.

FORE THE REVOLUTION.
Cochecton, y. V, Jan. The country here is wild
and picturesque. The Delaware River sweeps through
the mountains with lorily grandeur and 1t they
hang precpltousy. sometimes presenting sheer wall
OF rock and at others clad to their SUBMITS with
living green OF Alfred B. Streets finest poems
connected with this region Back from the river
lie some Of the finest farms IN the land The region
has not been settled long enough for all tie stories
Of the early settlement to be forgotten. Some OF
these legends connected with Tom Quick, the
Indian hunter. lie the foe OF every red>ln. and
his name was blessed in many cabin. Many OF the
survivors Of the Wyoming crossed the river
lcre their way back to Connecticut, and friends
ana the people thrilled with their stories. Below
this town the Pennsylvania side OF the river
three miles down-are the remains Of the old block
house in which the settlers sought refuge from the
savages. But, thanks 10 "Tom' Qncks unerring
aim. the indians never very troublesome here
ard at last compelled 10 leave the region. The
people Of Milford Penn, Dedicated a monument to
his memory a few months ago. but he had already
greater monument than sculptor could desisn-hc
was the hero Of many early legend. Many of
these stories were gathered together several years ago
by Mr. Qulnan, Of Monticello but his book has long
been out Of print.
Tom Quick was OF Dutch dcscent-his parents
coming direct from Holland to Milford. where he was
born In 1874. IN cabin on t'e spot where the
monument now STANDS. MllfDfu WIS tucn al cA'Itih'
frontier own-nothng but unbr0ken wilderness to the
west-ani Indians around them on every tide
The Ou!cks treated them well, helping them When
ever occasion presented. and feeding them whenever
asked. Tom rad Il special liking for them ana
was liked b. them. They taught him all their WOOD
lore, and he became n hunter with them He fol
lowed hunting all his life. and would never work Ike
his brothers. As the whites increased, the Indians
began to grow jealous, and this Jealousy increased
rid pf nom
Indians thoucht-becnusc there not room for both
races and because the settlers had taken much more
land Tran they had paid for. The Quick family was
among those accused The settlers fet that trouble
was brewing and that Preparations should be made 10
meet It. Some were DESTROYS Of abandoning their
homes and returning to civilization when the trehoH
and Indian war broke ont, the Indians became less
social, and many little hostile acts were committed
At length they determined to attack the town, and
concealed themselves near by to into effect their
plans on the following night. on the day preceding.
"Tom' hl, father and two brOthcrsln law went across
tho river after a load Of hoop poles. They thought
nothing OF the indians and went unarmod By acci-
dent they came directly upon the secreted INDIANS
who Immediately fired upon them. The old man fell
morialy wounded, and the boys tried TO carry MN
away but their enemies close that they left
him TO save themselves. As they rushed toward the
river fhcy found they were surrounded that they
must cross Oh The ice and run the gauntlet OF a
hundred rifles. They did 1t, and by Keeping iar
apart and running In zgzag courses they were I'M
harmed though "Tom' was once struck by a puiet
in the lec Of his shoe and thrown down. AS soon
as the Indians found that they could not get 'ne
Young men and that the town was alarmed they
RETURNED 10 their victim, scalped him and held
powwow Tom had crcpt back in time TO see all
tli. and he swore he would never be al peace VIII
m indian 20 long he remained on the BANKS OF ue
rclawa-, lie had recognized among hls enemies 'p'
very Indians who had time and again shared III
tnc klndne.scs Of his family. so we'll did he IN
succeeding years carry out taAt VOW 'Aa' tNe i"u'"'
fairly dreaded his name.
ON, might about two years after the close OF the
rrcn.h and Indian war Tom went into the tavern
nt Savcsink kept by one Decker. There MusRwlhH'
one Of the Indlans claimed an acquaintance. lie
wos a dfinlen vagabond AT best. and "Iom" relusen
TO recognize him and applied TO him contcmp'uouS
.,,bct Then tie Indian boosted to him OF killing
bl, father and showed the slcevebtonS taken from
the ,ir,lm at the TIM" TON" recognized them. p"t
.o,uv reached ND over the fireplace ana took down
NO French mislct from IT. rest. II" ordered the
Indian 20 leave the house. lie drove him down the
-ood going from Wurzboro TO Carpenters Point about
4 mile Indian dos," said he. "you hill no more
v.ll'c men and SHOT him IN the back between tue
shoulders, Nu,kwluk sprany two or tree feet from
IA. ground ana fell on his facr dead. rom fheh
look froni him the ln'tons. drew the body to tree
kickcd leaves aud Dir, II. ana left II where sew
oral years after Decker. while piouchng. found II.
Then he returned to the tavern. drank a glass OF
rum. and left tie nceiborhood No one disturbed
himself ahou, IT, the neebors simply talked 1t over
IN sympathy with "Tom'
,te?warl h. was hunting near Buffers Kn. ohe
day he party of Indians coming up NE rN'' III
! canoc-a man. q -lulw and three children. He
instantly hid In tie grass, AID when the boat had
com, near enough 10 see Clearly he recognized tne
Indian rs visitor at his fathers mousse ana 'nc
author Of a good many ouiragrs. rs soon as "i'Mh
cunshot he ordered lin TO come ashore. In lnal"
recognized him. bU, complied Tom ASKED MN
,ncre ne uoI come from and whittier he was going
The Indian told him. &c. yon are not, shl "Iom'
for your Journey ends riyat here The Indian
told linn II was peace time. No peace time Tor
Won replied the hunter. yoI belong TO the tribe that
Killed my father. and | have sworn vengeance he
shot him. Then h. tomnhawked T." sqiiaw ana INC
Two Oldest children. who he declared "sPua"heh
Ike young crows When he took mp thc Daos 1t
looked at him 50 snlling!y and payfuy that he vas
tempted 70 spare II: then. the thought oil MS ia'her
came to him AMI that il would srow up to become an
indian. and he killed il. Then he sunk TIE bodies
IN the rift II, thought Il bet t. Keep this incident
d., himself for come time. but be finally to!i IL 10
n,s relative. Jac ID QUICK. OF tallicoon.
Ransmcn on the river point ont large rock be-
side ire Eric trnch. just west Of Fond Eddy on WHICH
ton" AMI a young relative named Peter quick were
sitting one day When ih"N saw an i'''"' ""r'''
Wll,am George coming mp In canoe. "rom' called
IA him IA como ashore ana suspected with what
design % he intcTc he'd, and Tom finally gave
Tho Indian hi, rfc Il ne would show them BOW if-t
his canoe could 90 down stream. Tie imam siiaN
accepted the terms. AID rs i" dnsh'd away ION t"''
l,nrinr look and exclaimed "Oh llGndcr. how
easily | could tumble him into the river II" was
sullcn all Cay ANA nftcrwar1 often declared that that
WAS the orly Indian who had ever escaped from MA
some f til" storr, current amon@ the Old s't'l'rS
have been pronounced apocyphal OF hi', Tor what
ro.son, | O. not Gnow: bui they Sill told ana
believed aud are worth prr,'rying
Ton" usually spent the winter at the HON" OF
some cong"nal friend. ana hr always paii wei Tor
his board for hc furnished ample supple, OF meat
In his day this country must have been hunters
paridlse. for deer ana turkeys Lave been abundant
within Il few years. Men are now living WHO re-
member deer taking refuge In the barnyard and steal
ing food from the cattle In some places they are
found now. Bears used 10 be- common one
year however. Tom found himself without his