Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-06-21

around for the fugitives and bring

>~~AANSS
Some OF the party, therefore, thought
all further search in vain, but three
OF the men, namely, E. Railson, Ole
Knudson, and Lundberg. declined to
give up, and in despite of darkness
| and rain, continued their efforts for q
good while yet. They were fortunate
enough'to hit upon five individuals
who had taken shelter in different
places among the tall rushes of the
| marshes. These were now all con-
Quoted to Knudson's cabin to be land
ed safely on the island in the next
morning. .
The next day twelve of the "island-
ers' started to explore larger tract
in the vicinity. They divided into
two parties, selecting Ole Knudson's
grove as a meeting place. They found
no stray settlers, but came near mis-
taking each other for Indians-an err
ror that was happily discovered in
time to prevent bloodshed. They
came by some food which proved quite
a relief to the women and children on
the island, who had eaten nothing
since the flight began.
The following morning they sent out
an expedition to bury the dead and
bring back to the island such as might
yet be alive. On their way they hit
upon Samuel Lundberg, who had been
wounded by the Indians and left for
dead. He had, however, recovered so
far that he was able to walk, though
yet weak from loss of blood, from
hunger, and the extreme peril he had
been exposed to.
Having taken him to the stronghold
in the lake, the party continued their
march and soon arrived at the scene
OF the massacre, where lay the mutt
lated remains Of friends and neigh
bors, some in the cabius and others in
the fields. Lament was of little avail,
so the men set to work digging graves
with the spades and shovels they car
ried with them for that purpose and
depositing the dead. They found all
| those they were looking for, two of
them the sons of Broberg, sixteen and
seventeen years, respectively, in the
grove near their fathers cabin. One
of them clutched hammer in his hand,
near the other lay an old, broken,
blood-stained knife. Both had been
killed by blow with a tomahawk on
the head, whereupon their throats had
been cut.
One little six-year-old boy had evil
IDENTIFY tried to flee, but had been over
taken by the bloodhounds, who split
his head with an axe belonging to
Broberg himself. Some of the victims
lay stripped of their clothing; on 9TH
ers, the clothing was burned.
One infant had been subjected to the
most terrible outrage; its nose had
been cut off, it's skull crushed in, and
in one of the cheeks was deep hole.
The remains of the mother we're found
near by. She had evidently fought
to the last to save her own life and
that of her child.
In all, thirteen bodies were found at
this place. For three days they had
been exposed to the burning sun-to
, handle them was, consequently, any,.
: thing but pleasant. They were buried
in one common grave.
, At Broberg's house everything had
been either carried away or destroyed.
Near the door lay the cat with knife
sticking through it into the floor.
Having searched the neighborhood
in vain for Mrs. Lundberg, now the
only one whose fate was unknown, the
party returned to the island. Here, in
! the meanwhile, woman had arrived
with little child. Her home was
about three miles farther to the south.
The Indians had also been there, and
, shot and killed her husband in the
, field where he was moving hay, after
which they had tried to carry off her.
} self and her sixteen-year-old daughter.
: While they were forcing the latter up
. on one of their ponies, the mother had
fled into the woods. The girl made SO
spirited resistance that the horse
q took fright, threw her, and ran away.
y The Indians, in order to recapture the
animal, left the girl to herself, q
+ chance she improved to start for the
woods. The mother, with the young
e est child, went to Norway Lake,
D whittier also the daughter intended to
e go together with the other four chill
= dren, whom she,. during the night, met
:. at the house. They lost their way,
g however, on the open prairie, and it
e was not until the following day they
J, succeeded in, reaching house (be-
e longing to Svend Borgen) where they
}. found some milk, which they drank,
# but no inmates. They were saved at
y last, as shall be related hereafter.
}. The homeless settlers now sought to
n collect what had been spared by the
d Redskins. 1t did not amount to much.
+ upon the whole; and the agricultural
p implements, and other such property
d of the unwieldier kind, were mostly
+ abducted by Indians or maraudinp
n whites during the ensuing winter. A
d prolonged stay on the isle seemed lii
e tie advisable, on account Of the scar.
r. ity OF provisions. They . therefore
st prepared to leave-the crossing to { IS
f1Hr