The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-22
4 TEXAS HEROINE
The Remarkable Career ssd Tragic Death
OF an Irish-Indian Girl.

that Ellen Quinn came from western North
Carolina to this part OF Texas. As would be
| judged from her name che had Irish blood In
her veins. but 1t was mixed with copious
strain OF Indian. derived from the Cherok ees
| that still inhabit q reserve among the Carolina
mountains. Under Just what circumstances
| she came no one seems to rem en- Der. but soon
after coming she announced her intention to
| open school for the benefit OF the
surrounding country 1t seemed ns II the
school would likely benefit the country"
Literally 80 called, as there were very
| What few men there were. However. got
together and put up a house FOR her; II was
hardly he cltri rs model Of Architectural
logs cut from the timber surrounding the base
OF what Is now known as Queens Peak. 1t
Was was situated about hnlt way ur4ni on the
cold northern winds fwinter. There were, sew;
9 sl reasons why THIS site was chosen. Wood
supplying tho fires In winter. which items
We're were very very important ones to TIE Texans OF
| srrinE close at hand. and this also was not to
nG nsghtsd More 1 the pGak though only
prairie, was. the. highest point for miles
around and from Its summit watch could be
| tito characters. from II signals could he given
| In case OF danger. and would probably bring
assistance in case there was any one to see
School opened with four pupils. all OF whom
came from the only house within two miles OF
us the fact of its existence began to be nolsed
| abroad through tho country. Grown men who
lived on the frontier without cdiiSati"na n ' aa
yanthges. would come to school to Miss Quinn
In order to redeem heir lost time They came
OF them could come for only n few months
consecutively, nj times whom there was little
to do on farm Or ranch. but they put in good
work when they did come. For some M outbs
the attendance would run as high AS thirty.
four Tnon was T anormy "STa 70 4ontS It
must have been an interesting sight to SEQ the
rs Eer %h BIZ hSy Sss
spurs Jinglng at their heels and big six
sslho9ters danTling from their belts, Tut the
For n while ellen Quinn was troubled by oc-
the country. would use her schoohouse as q
lodging I!ace Tor the, night, They would use
tract much from, the &c neral cleanliness Of the
place one night. Just as such party were
rushing in ne door. a roar like that Of cam
"und That rusty old @usk Et had disehar gef
about double handful of slugs into the roof
with force enough to have killed dozen men
had they been in the way. The gun had evil
IDENTITY been arranged SO as to discharge its
got to he generally known. 1t was taken as
warning OF what the teacher would do n Sec
Gnd tine n AN. and was RESPECTED atrcoTdinGly:
entered that schoolhouse by the door. and as
windows had not yet como into fashion in this
trusion. The teacher always had a loaded
rifle sitting in tho corner, Of the schoolroom
her saddle a. she rode. She was a fearless
rider and an ,unerrinR shot There was a gen:
eral impression that she would shoot to kill If
necessary
After the school at the Peak had been going
on for about t%S yeinirs :; singular stnte Of r.
surrounding country, She had exactly those
mind calculated to. win for her the respect
and admiration of the men of the frontier
more than that. they trusted her. More than
that. they almost worshIrped her by de-
Ersss she acquired almost unlimited influence
They would come to her to settle all disputes.
and would always respect her decision. II
cision. such feeling was use ,ess. as every other
man fslt honor bound to help enforce it: II
the parties would bring the cattle or horses
involved up to The Peak. Each claimant
any ono else lie might choose to, substa
# tx oua he IKE
man was suspected Of stealing stock or OF
c"mmit!ing murder. the process was the
captors told theirs. No legal technicality ever
thwarted the ends OF Justice as administered
guilty the verdict was ell. he ought to die"
The sentence would be executed rs soon as
pIetely in thirty minutes. which in the present
time would occupy the attention Of the court |
as many months If not years. on one occasion
Of murder. The case was clear against him. |
and the verdict ran as follows
well. he ought to die. but he's nothing but |
hang him il you ind him within forty miles Of
this place BY to'morrow morning.
When the state Of atrairs had lasted some
The sry had ss9sa
been kn"wn as Luinns Peak became changed |
into queens Peak. 1t is probable that at first
tion but after it was made 1t seemed to i'm
press the hearers invoraOIy. and It stuck. A
it'll" later they began t. speak Of the mis-
ed better than Miss Quinn" and SO by that
Her death was as it should have been. the
climax and GROWING point OF her life. 1t was
all that was necessary 70 max" her subjects
During the fall OF 1859 the Comnnches began
once more to make rnids through this portion
the Ishmaeitcs of the West. their hand being
against every man and every mans hand
lulred n most rs much influence over the In
diansas she had over the whites. and in periods
n Go The nd hs soo
slider that her Indian, blood made her one "f
themselves. and so allowed her 70 lass back
moested. Though q Cherokee. she had soon
acquired tho language Of the Commences.
For long time her influence was success
Jul in protecting the settlers around the Peak
rom any disturbance. but on onr occasion
/ failed. All tho men for forty miles around
rad gone some distance below to Clear Creek
anon, toward which locality it had been re-
ported that a largo hnnd Of hostiles were ad-
iancing. Whilet the country was thus unpro-
ected a 4-year Old boy came ashng w on
ais pony and called to the Queen that band
II about twenty Comanches were coming as
asst ms they could travel. llo begged her to go
meet then and laciiy them; .,,,,
Inc. Their blondS W. because our men have
zone 70 Clear Creek. and they wont bo paci-
led. You ride Ike tho wind and get all the
women and children hid III the creek bank. I'll
lold the Indians LONG enough for that
Even as the was speaking tho Indians came
n sight over rise in the prairie. They would
willingly hav" IaSsei her by without moosta-
ion: but she was determined they should not
Taxing deliberate aim 1T long range. she fred
md ono Indian bled from his horse. Then
h", sprqng uron tho .topmo7t stone OF the
,eae. and standing ut full height sent ont q
inginG yell and derslvely waved her gun,
he boy waited to 500 no more. but keeping
he wooded base Of the Peak between HIN sell !
md his puTsucgs he dashed of.