Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-05-04

To the Editor Of The Republic.

the Wabash River. In his left hand
he holds his old trusty rife, that
more than once has been leveled al
the dusky savage. In his right
hand is his cane. On the left lapel
OF his coat is small flag, repre-
senting the 13 original States, given
him by Miss Josephine p. Cleveland,
state librarian.
James McCormic was born in st.
Mary's County, Maryland, March
20, 1888, and moved to Loudon
County, Virginia, when young.
Here he aerkedsor farm. After
remaining some time in Virginia he
came to Ohio and thence to Indiana,
where his fame as a hunter and
trapper reached General Harrison,
about 1911, who employed him as
scout and guide. His comrade was
George Weitzel, son of the famous
Louis Weitzel. The Weitzel fami-
ly had all been butchered by the
Indians except the old man and
George, and McCormic says George
would kill an Indian every chance
he got.
During this campaign of Harri-
sons, Weitzel and McCormic were
captured by the Indians and con-
demned to be burned at the stake.
The Indians started with their cap
tives to their village, but on the
fourth night Weltzel effected their
escape. McCormic says that Welt
zePs hands were very small and he
slipped the band from his wrist,
then freed McCormic, secured their
guns and were just leaving the
camp when a dog gave the alarm
and the Indians started in pursuit.
McCOrmic and Weitzel were both
swift runners and could load and
fire running as we'll as standing.
McCormic would load and hand the
gun to Weitzel, who would at the
first opportunity wheel and fire,
then start after McCormic, who by
this time would have the other gun
loaded. McCormic is confident that
in this chase Weltzel killed at least
seven Indians. They travelled three
days before reaching a settlement
and all this time they were afraid
to shoot any game lest the crack of
their rifle should disclose their
whereabouts, or to kindle a fire lest
the smoke should cutch the keen
eye of an Indian.
McCormic, who was with Har-
rison in all his Indiana campaigns,
says that General Harrison once
captured lot of Indians who had
murdered several families, and it
was decided to kill Is of the cap
tured Indians. General Harrison
wanted to convince the chief that
the Great Spirit was not pleased
with the Indians committing mur-
ders, and asked one of the chisfs if
could connt 10. On receiving a
reply in the affirmative General
Harrison told the chief to select 10
Indians and he would select Is
white men and would place them
in round ring, and every tenth
man was to be shot. IL it fell on a
white man the Great Spirit was
pleased; if on an Indian it was to
convince them that murder was
wrong.
Harrison placed the men in ring
and the chief commenced counting,
and every time the tenth man was
an Indian, until the Is Indians were
counted and killed. The old man
still shows how Harrison placed the
white men and Indians, by using
white and yellow grains of corn.
The old man still carries an ugly
scar on his right arm, made by the
knife of big Indian buck in hand
to hand conflict, but Mac always
came off victorious and was never
whipped in his life. He went
through the war of 1912. being
wounded in the battle of Lundy
Lane, 1914.
In 1924, when Lafayette visited
this country. he made McCormic a
present of two silver 25-cent pieces
and told him to keep them to re-
member him by. At one time all
he had was these two quarters and
he had to spend one for somthing
to eat; he has the other yet.
| wish l might add that the old
man, after giving the greater part
of his life to his country, was pass
ing his few remaining days in a
pleasant home, surrounded by a