The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1909-06-17
INDIAN SCARE OF 81
Charles II. Lindeke, Who Lived in
Princeton in the Early Days,
Writes Good Story.
Settlers Lived in Fear of Being At.
tackled by Chippewas and Con-
structed Fertilization.

structed Fertilization.
Chas. 81. Lindeke of St. Paul, a
resident of Princeton in the "good old
days. when Indians we're numerous
and white folks ventured out but
seldom after dark, contributed the
following historical narrative to the
Union upon his visit here two weeks
ago. In substance the story runs:
It was in September, 1S62,-at the
time when the Sioux Indians we're
killing white people by hundreds at
New Ulm and in the surrounding
country, that the events occurred
which I hereunder describe. The
news of this uprising and it's attendant
atrocities had reached Princeton, and
a rumor gained circulation that the
Chippewas at Mile Laos were prepar-
ing to come down and annihilate US
as did the Sioux the people of New
Ulm. Over in Germany, where 1
lived, the few settlers were nightly
scared-in fact people were scared for
miles around, and you cannot blame
them. The consequence was that
and my neighbors held conference
and decided to move post haste to
Princeton for protection. We knew
that if we assembled at one place we
would have much better show of de-
tending ourselves against the red
warriors than if scattered.
So we focked into spacious frame
building which stood on a site be-
tween the houses now occupied by
John Hatch and Oscar Stark. One
family, however, George Bockoven,
his wife and children, deemed the
frame building too weak to withstand
the attack of Indians and left town in
an OK wagon. Their first stop was at
Spencer Brook, where they remained
but short time, and as they pro-
ceeded they spread the news that the
Chippewas were on the warpath-
rushing down from the lake with
tomahawks in hand and scalping
everyone in their course. They said
that the Indians were not far in their
i wake and thus spread CONSERVATION
wheresoever they went. So frightened
we're the Bockovens that they actually
believed the story they told. On they
went, as fast as their horned team
could draw them, through St. Francis,
Anoka and St. Anthony, advising the
people to flee for their lives, and they
did not stop until they had reached
farm house ten miles below St. Paul
the home of the man who hauled them
to Germany in 1857.
Well, after we had occupied the
frame building aforementioned few
days people from Princeton visited US
among them Joe Cater, Mike
Mahoney and Captain Hippeler-and
we held council to determine how
best to resist the savages should they
rush down upon US. The outcome of
the conference was that we decided to
construct fort and die in bunch if
we had to. We selected for the site of
this fortress a piece of ground in the
rear of the Jesmer old store on this
side of the river.
So we set to work. While some
were engaged in digging a trench
others went into the bottom lands and
cut poplar trees l6 feet in length.
These trees I and a few others-by
means of oxen and log chain
dragged across the bridge which then
crossed the Rum river near Ross log
hotel to the site of the proposed fort.
There we proceeded to set them on
end in circle, and when the fort was
almost completed and we we're dis
cussing how best to put on a roof,
Kag-a-do-shie appeared on the scene
from Mile Laos. Old "Kag" was an
Indian subchief whose mission was to
dispel the fears of the settlers who
were building the fort. Chief Mo-
som-o-nie had received news that the
work was in progress and had dis
patched kag-a-dO-shie to Princeton.
"Kag," expanding his chest in
Indian style, exclaimed: ''No good,
no good; all starve in there: no
water, no roof. Go home, 60 home;
no Chippewa harm white man." And
that settled the fort building and
closed impending hostilities. We
all returned to our homes and tried to
be happy.
An incident occurred while our fort
was being built which is perhaps
worthy of chronicling. William
Schilling, who lived where his son
Frank now resides, and who was one
OF our party, decided one day to 60
over to his log cabin and make a
reconnaissance. He entered his cabin
and went into the CELLAR hole in the
.grOund-where he Toasted on some