The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-01-22
sURrAL or 4 BAD MAINE INDIAN.
Prosperity Caused the Death and Regard
for Deccncy Prompted n Tribute.

II TOhptIlIy ShWttu Lne DeHNn " NkeKHTu
for Decency Prompted n Tribute
CYR PLANTATION. Me. Jan. 17.-on Saturday
night word reached Peabody g lumber camp that
old Aboliackmaguntlc. a half-hreed drunken
Indian. had been burned to death in his
lean-to on the Allagash, and that the foxes and
blucjays were waiting around the smoking ash
heap ready to make short work OF whatever
was left as soon IA the camp ruins
cooled of. The dead Indian had been
known all over northern Maine as the Gun
ningest and most disreputablc man that
ever wore moccasins, and while everybody
seemed relieved to know that his criminal
career had come to an end. 1t seemed cruel
that the birds and beasts should have the dis
posnl OF his remains. So. out Of commiseration
for tho human race. rather than for any feel
ing of pity for tho Indian. a party composed OF
six Frenchmcn. two New Brunswick blue
noses and one Yankee, started out from Pea
body's before daylight on Sunday morning to
give the aged reprobate a decent burial.
The camp in which the half breed had per-
ished had been built in the middle of n great
hemlock blowdown caused by the cquinoctial
gale OF 1893. which had swept over the town
ship and left no tree standing on a thousand
acre lot. Knowing that all the bears upon ten
townships would seek the shelter OF tho blow
down when they came to den up for the winter.
tIc lnuIan ildu put up ms lcun-tO so he would
he handy to q constant supply of fresh
meat, because as soon as the snow came
the breathing Of the bears would melt
great holes in the white coverlid. enabling
him to kill them IA fast as needed. Nearby
were fallen trees enough to warm an army for
all winter. In the swamps were rabbits. there
were cartridges on the hills. and below the ice
Of the Allagash. which flowed past his door.
were thousands of fat pickerel greedy to bite
n, anything which fell in the water.
1t was too much OF the good things of life
that had, wrought the Indians ruin. because
when he had sold three bearskins for SO and
to put himself outside Of a gallon, but. falling
asleep before his task was, completed, the fire,
Tapped up the camp with all it's contents.
Ten rods back of the smoking camp lay n
the butt and more than 100 feet long. The
wind which had blown it, over had tipped a
and twenty feet wide. When the men had
shs roGts oR Rsd 'hG ia 54oW SnG fro Eso the vide 3ba . hq :
smooth with their snowshoes. fresh hemlock
b3uGhs were pilcd in the centre, and having
the g~reenery aud covered the heap with a new
blanket brought from Peabody's camp for the
in camp, mounted the trunk of the fallen tree
and began to cut 1t off ten feet above the, roots.
stood around with their heads uncovered
Various birds. of prey. as well as foxes and
skunks and other scavcnRers of the forest,
which had been lured to the spot by the odor
of burnt flesh, began to rustic and scream
among the tangle of brush as the clean, reg
uiar blows of Ronco's axe rang ont on the
morning air. The bright. new chips fell about
the men in showers. as they stood by the open
grave. discussing in French and English what
ever of good they could find in the dead mans
life. At the end of five minutes the blows grew
short and %ininter, and every downfall ofthe axe
was accompanied by a rending and cracking
sound that indicated that the trunk was nearly
severed. Then, as Romeo cried "Voilal' and
leapeH to the ground, the ten feet of stump up
ended and the wall of frozen mud and roots
came down in a shower Of flying snow. filing the
grave and covering the dead Indian from
human sight.
"Mo-gee" cried the Frenchmen. crossing
themselves and putting on their fur caps.
y Heem stay deere long tim. Al 'tink. Mo-gee!"
The tall stump which was to act as a monu- |
ment over the grave until it should be pulled
to chips by the woodpeckers and mingle with
the mould Of the woods was then hewed fiat
on one side SO that Jim Crockett, Peahody's
could write an inscription with his
red log pencil. Owing to the fact that the
branching roots OF the tree formed long taper
ing ridges where they joined to the trunk Of
the tree. the exposed shield OF new wood was
made V shape, being wide at the top ans taper
ing to. a point below. When Crockett came to
record the inscription he put a cross at the
top. which took up so much room that the
closing remarks in the intended epitaph had
to be abbreviated as follows: