The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-06-10
THE INDIAN SCARE.

bodied men were far away in the south, IN
answer to the call of the government for
troops to fight for the preservation of the
country, there occurred ID Minnesota,
the atrocious cruelties of Sioux mas.
sacre. Eighteen counties we're ravaged,
property amounting to three million dol
lars was destroyed, seven hundred peo-
mostly women and children we're captur-
ed.
What this means, only those who have
been eye witnesses to the helnous bar
barlty of victorious Indians, rs these, who
have had occasion to read the heart rend-
ing descriptions of en- Indians dexterity
in devisIng the most horribly excrucIat-
ing tortures, have the faintest idea. How
the terrible news of the massacre was re-
ceived by the appalled, husbands, fathers
and sons at the front, can better be Im
agined than described.
In every family circle throughout the
land, the daily papers we're eagerly scan
ed for accounts of the devastations and
crueltIss of the savages. The smallest
details of some particular inhumanity
were read and reread, repeated IN corner
groceries, postoffices and ether pubic
places, until every family, no matter in
what inaccessible corner of the woods It
lived WAS dismayed by the dolngs of the
terrible Sioux, and the words Indian
massacre" were enough to make many
mother tremble.
A few weeks after these sad occurre1
ces on the frontier, through some unac-
countable reason, that peculiar mental alb
erration known as the "Indian Scare
spread like wild fire throughout the coun-
ties of eastern Wisconsin. Within few
! hours the people from Green Bay TO Ra-
| cine became panic stricken. THE In
dams are comlng The Indians are COM
| ing" was the cry tbat served to contrib
ute to the temporary irresponslbillty OF
many man and woman.
It was pleasant summer afternoon 10
Manitowoc, a little dull perhaps, and
J many of the men sat in front of their
places of business, talking about the lat
est news from the seat OF war, the pro-
spects of the crops, or possibly that ignis
| fatuus the ever expected boom. Hello
what's that?" Their attention was at
| tracted by the rattle and rumble OF far
mer's heavy wagon, which was running
rapidly down Eighth street. The man
and woman on the seat, gesticulating
wildly, were crying repeatedly:
"The Indians are coming! The In
dians are coming
OF course they were greeted with
laughter, and considered simply drunk.
Bat what now? Another farmers team
| Aud another! And a third All with
pale terrified people, CRYING frantically,
"The Indiansl O, the Indians are COM
ingw Now they were stopped and ques-
| toned.
"Mhat does this mean? What do you
know about the Indiars?"
| Gall our neighbors have been killed.
WINS their answer. "They are massacring
burning and scalping."
To the question, "Have You seen the
Indlaps?" the answer was almost Invari-
ably, mo, no, but the neighbors saw
them. o, they are coming! The In.
dia ns are coming"
More wagons. More excited people.
| And as darkness settled over our little
town, from all directions, with horses
tagged, and dripping with PRESERVATION
the farmers and their fRmilles rushed
into our now equally excited village. Al
though there was no large body of IL
dams within one thousand miles of u.s.
each rev arrival knew of new horror
perpetrated by the rapidly advancing
savages. The citizens became inflicted
and many ran about confuse with anxi-
ETY..
Some of our merchants did flourish
ing business that dreadful evening. Guns
pistols and ammunition were rapidly sold
! out. Pitch forks, axes, hatchets, yes,
| handles of various implements rapidly
passed over the counter. And thea ear
| lier than usual our worthy merchants
anxiously fastened the customary wood.
en- shutters on their show windows-and
many man in his minds eye saw his
place OF business IN ashes and ruin.
Toward midnight the rumor spread
| that Centerville was on fire, Green Bay
sacked. and that every soul to the west
of rs bad been killed. Strangely the
most improbable report was implicitly
believed by a great many.
An old Indian, common sight in
Manltowoc, was Immediately clapped into
jail-thus he probably escaped lynch
| ing. The widest suggestions were made
for the safety OF the public. The people
the river, since they supposed the Indians
were coming from the northwest. Those
on the south side hurried across, think
ing the Indians approach would be from
the south. Many suggested that the
bridge be turned, TO prevent the Indians
from crossing. And it was surprising how
many brave men volunteered to do the
| turning. Some OF our citizens took ref
| uge on vessels and sailed ont into the
bay. Preferring the dangers OF the rag
ing main" to those of holocaust with
Indians appurtinances.
The Courthouse. KliDgholz Hall and
the old lighthouse were centers of excited
people. Many women, too frightened to
dress ran about in their nightrobes, with
shawl thrown over, until, with the cur
rent they arrived at one or the other of
the meeting places.
In the Courthouse the sherlff's wife
was busily boiling kettles OF water. with
which to scaid the savages; and some of