The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1910-04-02

$3.50 rssg and hundred others have the
tfz~ va map for their monument; their
IH Oh names are given daily utterance
~ 80 ~ by those for whom their deeds
have little meaning
In the beginning, after the Indian tribes
friendly at frst-became hostile, the warfare
was almost solely with the savages For a
full halfcentury every settler who built his
campfire on the frontier did so at the risk Of
his property and his scalp. Those who estab-
ished homes and settlements must have been
a daring race indeed, for raids upon horses
and herds were always imminent and massa-
ores were as regular as the seasons.
The mother Of Chief Quanah Parker (still
living for whom the town of Quanah, Tex, was
named, was Cynthia Ann Parker, little white
girl captured by the TehauCano Indians, during
a raid on what was known as the Austin col
ony In 1886. brief story of that raid will
serve as an example Of thousand others Of
similar sort. The Austin colony settled in
what Is now Crimes county and consisted OF
something more than a score Of persons, in
Guiding women and children. The Indians
who dwelt in the neghborhood seemed friend
ly enough until small party OF unknown set
tiers came along and attempted to steal their
horses. Immediate trouble was the result and
the loss Of Tehaucano friendship for the entire
settlement. When the reader considers what
follows. | believe shall be forgiven for hoping
that those newcomers who stirred up the first
trouble received the sort of reward which
only an Indian would know how to confer.
As the Austin colony consisted chiefly Of
the Parker family a rude fertilization which
they erected was called Fort Parker, name
that to-day still suggests something OF shud
derlng horror to those who have heard It's his
tory.
IL was fair May morning when that his
tory was made The early risers noticed that
body of restless Indians had collected within
about 400 yards of the fort. A white flag was
h0'7'ed by the sava9es to signify their peace
able intentions and q warrior approached as
II for conference, Benjamin Parker com
mander III the fort went out TO meet him. Fo
cnme back presently with the word that he
believed The Indians intended to fight He re-
turned, however, to the hostile camp, where
he was at once set upon and literally chopped
to pieces by the savages who then with wild
yells and bood-curdling warwhoops charged
on tho fort. Some OF the inmates had already
left the stockade Others were trying to
escape. John Parker and wife and Mrs
Kellogg were overtaken a mile away Parker
was killed and scalped; his wife was spared
and Mrs. Kellogg was made captive Other
members of the colony were butchered right
and left and mutilated In the barbarous fash
Ion which seems to give an Indian Joy Sias
Parker was brutaly killed and his two chill
dren one OF whom was the little girl Cynthia
Ann, were carried away. Mrs Plummer-
slaughter OF Rev. James w Parker-attempted
70 escape, carrying her little son In her arms
"A huge painted savage begrimed with dust
and blood, overlook her felled her with a hoe,
and selling her by the hair dragged her, still
cIinging to her child back amid the butchery
lf,lt 90
who were living were beaten with clubs and
dashed with rawhIde thongs. That night such
OF the captyes as remained alive and these
included three children were flung face down
In tho dust, their hands bound behind their
backs, while the Indians, waving bloody scalps
and shrekng, danced about them and beat
Them with their bows until the prisoners were
with their own blood Later they
took the infant child of Mrs Plummer and
slowl, choNed 1t before her eyes When It was
mot quite dead they flung 1t again and again
into the air and let It fall on the stones and
earth Then they tied rope around It's neck
and threw its naked body into the hedges of
prickly pear from which they would ierk II
tercely with demoniacal yells Finally they
fastened the rope attached to It's neck to tho
pommel of a saddle and rode round and round
I'm circle until the body OF the child was lit.
orally In shreds The poor fragments were
then thrown into the mothers lap For some
reason the little girl. Cynthia Ann Parker. re.
Ccivod better treatment and lived She grew
UP an Indian, forgot her own race and tongue
married a chief and became the mother of an
other chief. Quanah. surnamed Parker. today
II friend of the white race
1t was the massacre of Fort Parker and
events Of similar nature that resulted in the
prEani2ation uc the Texas Rangers. The
Hangers were at first semionca body,
locally enlisted and commanded with reEula-
lions and duties not very clearly defined,
Their purpose however was not in doubt. Ii
was to defend life and property, and their
chief qualifications were to be able to ride and
shoot and stand up against the warfare OF
bloodthirsty sayagcs.
"ENterminate the Indians" became watch
word In those days and the warfare that en-.
sued and continued for 40 years can be com
pared with nothing in history unless 1t be
with the fierce feuds Of the ancient Scottish
clans
Early in 1886 Texas fought for and gained
her independence the only state in the Union
to achieve such triumph In the following
wear the Texas congress recognized the Ran
ger movement and authorized several persons
II raise Ranger companies TO scour the coun-
try and annihate marauding bands. Indians
and low class Mexicans c'greasersD often
consorted and the work desperate and bloody,
cout,nued along the over widening and ~ester.