The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-28
THE WILDS MASSACRE.
1 ChaUter Of South Georgia History in
the ThirtieS.

HTsTIel
,ars-story of the Only Survivor.
Ty.rcross. Ca. Jan. 27.-The story Of
-nassacre of the Wilds family is
s,fiar to the old citizens Of South
Ia-, and is an unwritten chapter in
- bietorv of the state. Fifty years ago
U w Georgia was the home Of the Semi
10 indians. The forests were unbroken,
.ritb the exception of small patches of
T-5ian corn here and there,
Tbs hunting grounds abounded
:. door bears, turkeys and other
-.na thousands of screaming paroquets
80 in the forests. Among the first
,rSite settlers in this section was Mr..
lanes Wilds, Virginian. His nearest
neigbbors, the billiards, Sweats, Nc
Do1alds and Wilkersons, lived several
-.;1as north of him. Mr.. Wilds erected a
dorble-pen log house and out houses, and
cleared about twenty acres of land. His
Sor,iIv consisted of a wife, five daughters
I'D two sons. In their early home they
- been well-to-do and had fair educa-
+ional advantages, but financial disasters
ooTa and home was procured IN the I'M
Irnovyn country of South Georgia.
The Wildses were intelligent and re-
enad and their home was well provided
-Tith musical instruments. When even
inc came. after the days work was done,
the members of the family entertained
themselves with select readings and reel
tations from the best authors, and then
The violin. banjo. flute and melodion were
nIaved. MIR. Wilds' daughters were
beautiful and accomplished. Their ages
.onged from 10 10 20 years. The girls
made all the clothes for the family, and
Nv means of the loom and spinning wheel
tSev manufactured all the cloth used by
them. Mr. Wilds planted Indian corn,
raised hogs and cattle, and hunted game
The home was comfortable and attract
i've The Indians frequently passed
through the settlement on their way to
and from their favorite hunting grounds.
Thev appeared to be on friendly terms
with the whites. Occasionally
hog. cow or horse would be missing, and
II was believed to be the work of the Indi-
ans but no open charges were made
against them. 1t cannot be said that the
whites expected any trouble with the
Indians, for they were apprehensive of no
dagger from that source.
BILLY BOwLEGs AND HIS TRIBE,
Consisting of about 1000 warriors and
women and children, made their head
quarters few miles northwest of the
Wilds place. Billy BOwlegs was the
chief of the Seminoles, and he
was notorious for his cruel, covet-
Gus and treacherous disposition.
His rule was despotic and tyrannical
He was secretly hated by his subjects,
while openly they adored and flattered
him. It is said that Bowlegs had half a
score of wives, and he treated them
cruelty. It was favorite pastime with
him to watch the small children of the
tribe hold their feet near fire until the
skin was burned to a crisp, according to
his own cruel order. Toward the white
settlers he affected great friendship, but
he intended them injury, and only waited
for convenient time to do them harm.
He watched the progress and prosperity
made by them with concealed covetous-
ness, and it was his ambition to dispos-
sess the settlers. 1t was not strange,
then, that on July 6, 1887, Billy Bowlegs
ORDERED THE wILDs FAMILY MAssACRED
and their home burned. 1t was noon on
July Z, and the Wilds family were taking
rest. The girls were entertaining their
cousin Miss Wilkinson, with music,
and the children were playing under
meath the shade of the trees in the yard
and the father and mother were talking
OF olden times. Suddenly there was an
Indian war whoop and tremendous excite
ment was c}used in the household. Mir.
Nllds ran Out-of the house with his gun
and was followed by Mrs Wilds. The
mouse was quickly surrounded by the say
ages Mr.. Wilds attempted to fight, but he
was shot down. Two Indians ran up
and after shooting him twice, they used
tnelr tomahawks on him. Mrs. Wilds
was next shot down and beaten with
Sluo; The girls were cut with the tOma-
hawks and We're severely beaten with
SluoS' One boy was killed with a toma-
na"K Reuben Wilds, young son of
Mr, Nlds, was playing in the yard when
Ae saw The Indians, and he ran into the
WOODS and escaped He is now living at
Waresboro, Ga. In letter to the writer
ne gives the following description of the
uoFIlDle massacre:
THE MASSACRE DESCRIBED.
my father and family and my cousin,
MISS wilkinson, were massacred by the
seminole Indians on July z, 1887. 1 was
s suoul 10 years old. My mother, five sis
" ,, one brother and my cousin were beat
~ ueaIn with clubs and tomahawks. |
was Standing behind a tree about fifty
Sulua from the house and could hear the
99otedms OF my dying loved ones My
n ro.ner trled to fight, but he was over
Po"eseu Dy the Indians. Two of them
or.P @4u oIOt MIN ana look his gun
SS"ay' Several neighbors and myself
1--we Vhe Indians into the Okeefinokee
bwoaiP' We discovered them about day.
c caodA IN the morning. They were con
tLa!ou behind stumps and trees and poked
'1 T guns around and fired"
,rL LtOSug Wllds was Mortified at the sight
r aICu ne witnessed On the day of the
tIbaSsacre He saw the house on fire and
daoS smoke ilt rising, and his family lying
he ' a.. u tne yard. With a sorrowful heart
tbo Ieu through the woods, and came to
sad noLue OF Mr.. billiard He told the
Srr,o5p,V 70 his friends. The neigh bors
na a,9u themsel YES and were prepared to
FNr another attack from the Indians.
wo,o HlGAJ miles around the neigh bors
WIZ illIoImed of the massacre. and all
tafoU rou!u came together, held a consul
mo- ana declared war against the red
az. But the dead were to be buried
T ruu me people first attended to the inter,
VI Ihe WiIds family.
PECULIAR INTERMENT.
nIa aUr lear of the Indians the burial took
wa Wa aIser shutdown. A large cart body
of fb oogu Tor a coffin. A grave the size
COR DdrI BODY was made, and the queer
dead was placed in it. The bodies of the
todg a "ete placed side by side in the cart
Thsruoauu Vle art was thrown above il.
a clo,|S9 u snone on hegrave from behind
Yorn,.T, ana the scene was pathetic.
sones7 reuoen was crying bitterly. No
the Sro we're sung over the grave. Quietly
knit CiSoWd left the place and went In mr.
sutV OF the Indians '''-O '"0NV III Pui-
= AZ was brave and da4,,,,..:.. i =. E