Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-06-11

or outlaws-neeing from Virginia and
North Carolina, had come into the
Watauga country. They had to be eA-
PEELED. For a time they preyed upon
the Indians and then they Joined Drag
ging Canoe. There could be no peace
so long as the nest of the renegades
and the Chickamaugas remained unds-
turbed Sewer never had been in :he
Chlckamauga country, and only one u
the Watauga men had any KNOWLEDGE
of It; but secretly Sewer planned an
Invasion such as the Indians never had
dreamed OF. High up the Tennessee he
led his force. felled trees, made 100
rough canoes, and then padded down
the river The Indian encampmont was
a natural fortress in one OF the mos,
majestic spots in that wonderfully rug
gcd and picturesque region. To outwlt
Indians is hard indeed. but so silently
and secretly did SEWER and his force
approach that they took the Indians by
surprise They put the startled braves
TO fight and then they burned the VII
lagc and all the store OF grain. but they
did not burn the great quantity OF pow
der and lead which the tribe Just had
received from the British. This was
taken back TO the Watauga.
From Sewers exploits the Indians
got to look upon him with superstitious
awe. He moved 80 fast and struck So
suddenly that they could not under
stand It. Many braves had shot at him,
but never did bullet strike him. They
began To believe he was a favorite Of
the Great Spirit. once this idea goa
possession OF them the knowledge that
he was on the warpath spread terror.
They would fight other white chiefs.
but they feared 10 come within the
power OF his wrath.
II is not strange that the Indiana got
this notion. Even some whites mar
veled at the speed with which he
moved But there was no mystery lie
was great horseman and great lover
OF horses. lie imported into the Wa
tauEa valley the best blooded horses he
could obtain In Virginia, He studied
blood lines and he bred horses for speed.
Every Sunday he had "A horse race. He
would travel far to see particularly
good horse or be present at horse
race. The horse was the locomotive
and the telegraph Of the land beyond
the Alleehanlcs and within 10 years
OF his arrival In the Watauga valley
Sewer not only had perhaps the best
horses IN America, but he had estao-
Ished throughout the region over which
he held sway the best system OF corn
could boast From the thoroughbred
OF the Watauga. the Clinch and the
Holston valleys may be traced some ot
the best families or race horses In
America today, for John SEWER, per-
haps moro than any other one man,
was tho father or the American turf
But he did rot train his horses and his
neighbors' horses 50 much 10 race for
snort as 20 race after or from Indians,
as the situation warranted
KINGS MOUNTAIN.
For the state they set up tho people
selected the name Franklin, In honor of
Poor Richard SEWER was elected Cover
nor. There was no money, so pelts and
flax and tobacco we're made legal ten
der Alas. there were some rascals In
Franklin, Tor they hung otter tails
from bales that contained fox skins
and swindled the government out OF 4
schillings pence on each pClt
Scarcely had North Carolina heard
OF the action OF the people OF Franklin
than IL rcpcnted. and the assembly
promptly reconvened and revoked the
cossion Of the territory to Congress.
But Franklin already had a govern
,nent North Carolina thereupon called
upon SEWER and his associates TO dis
band their government and turn over
all authority to the old north state.
But North Carolina never had paid any
attention to the territory. and the !
Franks. who were Nirginians mostly, ,
had something like contempt for North |
Carolinians anyhow, Virginians cOnsld- |
ering themselves gentlemen and much /
above the poor white trash OF North |
Carolina.
Ot'TLAwED
North Carolina promised all kinds ~ |
reforms II tho Franks would return |
peacefully. but the Franks declined. /,
Then force was threatened and the |
Franks were eager 10 sec II attempted /,
The Spanish lust about this time saw |
good opportunity to win territory by i
giving counsel and aid to the Franks |
Offers were made to SEWER and his |
pcoplc that were fattering in the ex- |
IRENE They could get at New Or |
tobacco as they could In Richmond or |
Philadelphia. and II was easier 10 get |
there. They could get more for their