The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-23

While preparing the approaches 70 the
new bridge across the Little Arkansas
river yesterday skeleton was excava'ed,
t0get her with a bunch of keys and shield
bearing the name, Fleetwood" On the
right hand of the skeleton was pair OF
scissors, through which was run the thumb
and second and third fingers. The skele-
ION was taken to the house of Nathaniel
Eennel.
BY INQUIRY among the old settlers the
following story of the case was learned,
and the finding of the skeleton Is supposed
10 be the sequel TO a mystery which has
remained dormant since September, 1861:
The bridge is on the old Usage trail run
ming from Towanda, the nearest trading
post. to the hunting grounds on the Cow
skin snd Arkansas river.
About that time family, consisting of
George +. Fleetwood, wife and two daugh-
tiers, left the trading pos. OF James X.
Mead for the purpose of hunting and gath
ering plumbs on the Arkansas river. As
the story goes, they were advised by w.
B. Show, who was then sheriff OF Bntier
county, to desist from the trip ut that time,
as band of strange Indians were in the
valley hunting. and the Indians bore signs
of hostility. Fleetwood expressed no fear
as to the results. saying that he was we'll
acquainted with the Osages aud could talk
the language. and he believed he would
not be bothered. He was advised to wait
until a party of hunters should come
along and be would have protection.
Fleetwood finally stated that he would go
no farther than the Arkansas river and
would wait there until he could
hnF nm
to the hunting grounds, which were To-
Gated at that time about twenty miles
north of the crossing on the river and at
the Cowskin grove.
In spite of the advice given Ellenwood
left the trading post and nothing further
was heard of the family until few weeks
later. when a party from Eureka, in
Greenwood county, came along making
inquiry as to the family.
The party from Eureka returned in a
few weeks, saying tbey had been unable to
find any trace Of the Fleetwood family. i
was not definitely known whether the
family hid been massacTed by the Indians
or had returned east by another route, AS
Fleetwood had said he intended going
back 10 Independence, Mo-, where he had
formerly lived. By bearing north on the
Arkansas river the old Santa he trail
could be reached. near where the Santa fe
railroad is now built, and he could make
his return home.
The finding of the skeleton Yesterday
would indicate that at least one member
Of the family had persisted, or that they
had at least lost their keys, which had
been deposited near the burial place OF the
skeletons The general suDpOsl' ion Is that
the skeleton was that of female.
representative called upon Mr.. James
r Mead last night and. after relating the
story as given above. be said:
ssYae I yEsS conInctinO Il trading most
near where Towands now stands at
that time. / remember the name of
Fleetwood The location of the
bridge is directly on the old Usage trail.
1t is where we crossed the river on our way
TO the buffalo hunting grounds. 1t was
no uncommon thing for men TO take their
families and 90 on hunting expeditions at
that time. | have frequently taken my
family on these expeditions. The Indians
here were very friendly and the only dan
ger we had was from travelling bands. |
had a clerk named Jake Lawton killed
about this time. He was killed within
few yards of where j. &. Davis now has his
house William Ross was also killed on
what il now the J-wett farm. l cannot
call TO mind the entire destruction OF this
family, nor can / call TO mind when they
were at my place, but probably the oppor-
tunity that they had of eiurning home by
another route, and the announced inten-
iion of Fleetwood 10 return home, ard my
belief that he had gone To Missouri has
driven the circumstance from my mind.
The finding of the corpse where 1t was and
the names mentioned. together with my
recollection of those times, leads me to be-
lieve that the story is reliable. i well re-
member w. B. Show, who was sheriff at
that time. and the frequency of raididg
bands of Indians that fall become very
vivid ~