The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-08-14
IN THE DAYS OF THE PIONEERS.
Events in the Tuscarawas Valley One Hundred
Years Ago.
80 BY Smith.
BY Jacob Smith.
CHAPTER Z.

beast, had three legs, and when he
learned to walk, limped with one leg
dangling after him. He was in other
respects perfect. inheriting all the
genius of Blackhoof himself. The
mother thought the more of him be-
cause of his misfortune, and instead
of putting the monstrosity out of the
way, she gave her life to his nurture
and bringing up. On reaching the age
of manhood, and being unable TO fol-
low the chase or go to war, ne was
offered a chiefship and privilege to
select his pla ceof abode intethis val
ley He chose Che mouth of Still
water for the reason that immense
Quantities of fish were caught there,
as they are caught there at this day
in larger quantities than att other
places along the river Three Legs
being an invalid, could not expect to,
nor did he ever, become chief over-a
large town, but those who had sejtied
near him were old braves who had
spent their energies, and sat down
at Three Legs Town to pass the resi-
due of their lives in fishing, smok-
Ing and giving advice to young war
riors.
BRADDoCK'S DEFEAT.
1T happened after Braddock's de-
feat in 1853, a number of the cap
tured English soldiers were brought
down by,some Shawanese, under Black
hoof and given over to his son, Three
Legs, to be put to death by torture
in their usual mode. The trail from
Beaver river south passed in sight
of Three Legs Town, and hence it
was daily sight to see captives
driven or pulled by on their way to
death Among these was hercu-
lean Highlander. taken at Braddock's S
fight, who belonged to the Scotch reg
iment His name was Alexander Nc
Intosh, and it is said that he was by
blood relative of Lachlin Mcintosh,
who became an American general in
the revolution, and erected Fort Lau-
rens in 1778'',
Young Mcintosh by reason of his
great height and strength, was re-
served from the fiery death of the 9TH
er prisoners by order of Three Legs,
and became his body guard, but was
doomed to be a witness to the burn
ing of his fellow prisoners, and told
that similar fate awaited him in
case he attempted to escape. The
place of burning was at the edge of
the plain where steep bluff bank
feet, from the summit of which the
whole plain is discernable. From this
eminence prisoners doomed to death
were thrown, and whether dead or alive
when they reached the base of the
precipice, the burning was gone
through with. McFutosh surveyed the
eminence from below, and saw the
first prisoner thrown over, who fell
with thuG which knocked the life
out of him. His body was thrown
on burning pile Of wood. The sec
ond victim came down upon his feet,
I hurt but able to stand. He was tied
to post and a fire built around him.
The Scotchman, unable to listen to
his means, darted at the chief, Three
Legs, sitting near smoking his pipe,
and with one blow of the fist pros
trated him in death, then seizing his
tomahawk hanging in the chiefs belt,
was but moment dispatcnIng one
of the two Indians attending to the
Are, and before another minute had
elapsed he cut the thongs of his burn
ing fellow captive, pulled him from
the fire, and ran some little distance
with him, but finding the other In
dian had run In an opposite direc-
ton he stopped, and loosened the
wither around the legs and arms Of
his comrade, who at once rose to his
feet, and both started up the hill tc
gain the summit, in the hope of res
cuing their fellow captives. The three
savages on the summit, seeing the
terrible work of the Highlander be-
low, sprang down from the precipice
to the relief of their fallen chief, and
this enabled the Scotchman to reach
and release his three fellow captives
on the summit from the thongs with
which they We're tied. The four row
returned for their comrade, who had
been released from the fire, but un
able to ascend the path, he was caught
by the three savages below and tom
ahawked. Thus 1t stood for a minute
-four released prisoners against three
warriors. the latter having theil
hatchets, and the former only one II
the Highlander's hands In another
moment they heard the scalp yell o.
the savage who had run away ,ant
supposing he had other Indians. the
four whites reascended the hill anC
entered the forest in run for life, tht
Highlander keeping in front. AfteI
running half mile they heard theil