The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-14
THE MORNING NEWS: TUESDAY. DECEMBER 14!1797.

groans heard at tn bloody sorlng stu
ringing in their ears'nd lending speed %
their feet. Morning!ad broken wien me
party reached Rain, river, down Whlch
they came to this plee.
When the story VS. related in the BAR
room of the American house, wAere the
guides and prospecars congregate u was
greeted with smiles { derision and ShosliS
of laughter from tb rough fellows VINO
We're there assemble. Only the fact tOat
the hunting party yas made up of FepN-
table men preventedthe lie direct from pc
ing given, and evh as it was it was
strongly minated that the men had been
INDUCING in too rRlch Rainy lake country
whisky, and that the strange noises and
the CHASTITY bones were but the imaginings
of over wrought minds.
This charge WIS Indignantly denied by
the party, and when one of the members
produced a hunpn bone which he mad
picked up ct the spring silence fell upon
the crowd ana the men began to look at
each other in heif-frishtened way. Doz-
ems Of questions we're asked and answer
ed and the bone passed from hand to
hand, being closely examined by all.
just then old ban Kelsey, the pioneer
guide of the Rainy Lake country, entered
the room, and, after holding a short in
terview with the barkeeper, during which
the latter produced a bottle full of dark
brown liquor over which old Dan smack
ed his lips with evident delight asked
what all the excitement was about. He
did not smile when told the story of the
mysterious spring, the awful shrieks and
the human bones; on the contrary, ms
face took on a sad look ana suppressed
sob shook his gigantic frame
50 you found the place where they
were killed, did your" said he turning
to the members OF the hunting party.
i've looked for that spring many a weary
day. but until now have had no idea in
which direction 1t lay. I'm agoin' there
Tomorrow and give them bones a decent
burial and the old man became silent
and thoughtful.
Then you know something Of the
placer asked one of the party, as he mo-
toned to the barkeeper TO set out the bot
tie and glasses for all.
For a moment Kelsey did not answer.
His thought seemed far away; 50 fixed
was his mind that he failed to notice the
glass of liquor set out for him until he
was touched on the shoulder and his at
tenti0n called to it. He swallowed the
fiery stuff at a single gulp, and then
drew one of his hands across his eyes.
That liquors powerful strong" he soft
" murmured as he wiped away tear, "or
else | got smoke in my eyes. Do | know
Of the place." he repeated, turning to the
crowd. Il should say did-that is, 1 know
something about 1t, for the bones you
found there are those of my daughter. her
baby and her husband. At least, l judge
so from stories that have been told me by
the Indians. Several years ago, before gold
had been found in the Rainy lake country,
my girl Annie married man by the name
of Charley Johnson, and they moved up
somewhere on the Rainy river and took
up some land, after their baby came. Just
where they located 1 never knew, as
never heard from them directly.
"A few years ago word reached me that
they had been killed by the Indians, but
l never knew the particulars until about
two years ago, when l was told by one of
the redskins whom had befriended when
he was hurt His story was that Charley
had located near a spring some miles back
from the river. where he built cabin
and was doing well. He claimed this spring
as his own, as his individual property, and
refused TO let the Indians get water there.
This brought on i'll feeling, and finally
Charley shot one of the Indians, who had
camp in the neighborhood The Indians
determined on revenge, set a spring gun
across the path near the spring
The first victim of the devi.lsh contri-
vance was Charley, who started for the
spring early in the morning to get water
He struck the pull string, which exploded
the gun and sent a bullet through his body
Instead of being satisfied with one victim
the Indians reloaded the gun and waited
Annie soon became alarmed over the abb
sence of her husband and started for the
spring to see if she could find any trace of
him. She almost fell over his body, and as
she reached down to raise him she touched
the string and again the deadly set-gun
rang out and Annie and her babe fell
dead upon poor Charleys body.
THE Indians then threw the bodies into
the spring and left the place. Some time
later, the Indian said who told me the
story, they returned to the locality and
found the water in the spring blood red
and poisonous, Bones of animals which
had drank there were scattered around
and several of the Indians who tried to
drink the water were made sick-so sick
in fact, that some of them died. Then the
strange noises began to be heard at night
and the Indians, who declare that the
spring it haunted, never go near it. Many
of the prospectors have heard the story
and have been unable to get any of them
to go with me to the place.
ODD TOMBSTONE IN A CEMETERY.