The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-06-17

new counties were formed ana tn,
border gradually extended, eaci
county had its equal proportion of In
dian troubles. Brown County was nc
exception and furnished her bloody
chapter to swell the crimson pages of
frontier history.
During the fall OF 1851 numerous
hostile bands passed through Pecan
Valley, riding over the country in day
! light and attacking every one they
met. During this time band of eight
Indians came upon Brooks Lee. He
was riding mule and was about half
n mile from his ranch in the valley
! just below the present town of Brown
wood. There was n small field near
| by. and to this Lee succeeded in get
| ting and took refuge behind the fence.
The Indians were close upon him and
shooting arrows when he dismounted
! and crossed the fence. His only
weapon was a sixshooter, but he was a
cool, brave man, and his first shot
killed an Indian, which put n check
on the advance of the others when
they discovered that their enemy was
not afraid and knew how to use his
pistol. They halted at the body of the
fallen one: some dlsmounted. and, talk
ing him up, placed him behind an.
other Indian TO be carried off. This
halt enabled the settler, with the adj.
vantage of the fence, to gain addi-
tional distance, and the Indians soon
gave up the chase and rode away.
They left the slain Indians blanket,
which was covered with blood. Ar
rows We're in the fence and ground,
and some in the mule.
A short time after the attack upon
Brooks Lee 4 man named Lewis. who
lived three miles lower down the valley
near the mouth Of Stepp's Creek, had
gone out about n mile OF less from his
house TO unhobhc aud drive up his
horses when five Indians ran upon him.
killed him end captured the horses.
The arrow which killed Lewis went
clear through his body. The Indians
now passed OH down the valley and fell
in with another band. which increased
their number to seventeen. From there
they went through Lampasas and on
to the head o. Nolan's Creek in Bell
County. and there turning back passed
through CoTycll County south of Gates
vile some ten or twelve miles. On the
head of Owl Creek they came upon two
men-Brown ana Pierce-who. with
n little boy named Dave Elan. were
hauling rails to fence n farm. The lit.
tie boy jumped from the wagon and
fled for life Some of the Indians pur.
sued him and catching up with him
struck him several times, but seeing
one of the men about to get away left
the boy and ran TO catch him. The two
men were killed and scalped. but the
lad made his escape. He afterward
lived in Coryell, and was known as
"Indian Dave"
In the upper or western part of Cor
yell County the Indians divided into
three squads. each party having $50
head of horses. One squad passed up
the Leon Valley, one up Cow House
Creek, and one up Lampasas River. and
Were TO come together. as indications
showed. at the Salt Creek Mountain,
thirty miles west Of the town of Co
manches. The band that passed up
the Leon Valley was discovered late
one evening by the mail carrier en-
route to BrOwnwood. the Indians pass
ing Mercer's Gap. The carrier was not
discovered by the Indians and he re-
turned as fast as he could on mule
seven miles back to Elisha Bancroft's,
arriving there soon after dark and tell
ing the news of the presence of In
dians. Runners were sent to all of the
settlements in reach and by 10 o'clock
that night n scout of twelve Comanche
County men Were in the saddle and
riding fast, Salt Creek Mountain being |
the objective point, they thought by |
reaching that place before day the In
dams could be discovered and inter- |
cepted as they passed in the morning. |
About midnight n furious cold norther |
blew up, and while the boys suffered |
much they pushed on TO reach Ger.
tain water hole ten miles from the
mountain, at which they supposed the
Indians would stop. but il which they
Were mistaken. The Indians had trav-
eled to the mountains without halting
and beat them there.
The moon had gone down and it was
too dark to see anything smal! distinct
ly when the settlers arrived at the
mountain, but they discovered the sto-
len horses. They had been driven
over 100 miles II less than thirty hours,
and did not scare or run when the
white men came close to them. ST.
lently the yolng Indian hShters-for
TO old or middle-aged mcl were along
searched around. but could not To-
cate the Indians, and had to stand In
the cold wind with chattering teeth
until daylight. The Cavn was not far
away AID seen relieved their freezing
stiffness. Each p:ir of eyes now
scanned tie corntry. tgyilc to locate
tie Indian, fer they were Ecar. as all
knew. Finally Den Cox discovered
smoke Issuing from q cecp rav;rc, and
waving hiS hat toward IL nil advanced
II that direction. The Indians Were
roasting chunks of horse meat aad did
net discover the white men. who came
on foot until Dan Cox was within
thirty feet OF their fire with a shotgun
aimed ct them. Both bcrcels missed
FIRE when lie attempted to shoot. and
throwing the gun down drew his pistol.
The Indians all sprang to their feet,
but at that instant shot was fired by
Cox which killed an Indian dead in his