The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-20
Marker on Santa Fe Trail to
Show His Grave.
HE RODE INTO DEATH
Ed Miller Carried Message From
Sick Girl.
Taylor Riddle Tells How Young
Man Net Death.


Santa Fe trail movement so actively
being waged through central Kansas
has renewed interest in the killing, by
the Indians, of Ed Miller, the only
fsman killed by Indians in the settle
menr OF Marion county
Miller waa killed in 1855 and the
other day. fortysix years afterward,
1. committee. comprising Taylor Kid
die. the widely known. Democratic
politician Hank Roberts, Lew Riggs
and H. p Paddock. all of Marion,
went west alons the old trail in a
search for AIiller's grave They locat-
ed IL just over the line in Mcpherson
county. two miles east OF Canton, on
the farm of n. NJ Jones. 1t IS about
sou feet south OF and can be plainly
seen. from the Santa F'e railroad A
marker will be placed at point on
the old Santa Fe trail. nearest to the
grave with q statement of the facts
OF the killing on it and directions TO
travellers for finding it. Hank Rob
erts had not seen the grave since the
day il was made and Miller was lald
away in it. Taylor Riddle had seen
It often as he, thirty years ago. had
ranch in its vicinity.
Story OF the Raid.
Speaking OF the intense excitement
among the settlers. that followed the
kiIline Taylor Riddle today said:
-ln July. 1866. Iank' Moore. owner
OF Noores ranch on the Santa F'e
trail was in Marion with his family
for = brief stay. Mrs Noore's health
was poor and she was anxious TO nave
her mother come and see her her
mother was Mrs Waterman. wife OF
the proprietor of the big Turkey creek
ranch northwest Of Marion, in Nc
Pherson county Ed Miller. the IS
vear-old son OF 8Iarion's first hotel
keeper. was selected to 60 to the
turkey creek ranch to bring Mrs.
Waterman TO Marion He left his
Nome and went TO French Franks
Nznch on the Santa Fe trail CFTench
Frank was Frank La Lodge, one OF
thA early French settlers of Marion
county. now a resident retired farmer
OF Florence.) He ate breakfast there
and left at o'clock in the morning
for the Turkey creek ranch, ten miles
down the trail. southwest
Indians Pursued Him.
al Bichet (now also a respected
resident Of Florence). a young
Frenchman who was working for
French Frank, rode three miles with
Miller and was the last white man
who saw him alive ABOUT nan an
hour after Miller and Bichet parted
company the Watermans. at their
ranch. saw lone horseman coming
rapidly along the trail from the east
Just a short time before they had seen
a party of about twenty Cheyenne In
dams killing a COW about a mile east
of the ranch. Suspecting that the IN
dams were hostile and that the ap-
E1FOa ching nOrSeman was some one OF
their friends they fastened to the top /
~ their house and with a field glass /
got view, extending several miles |
east along the trail. Ed Miller 1t I
proved later to be- was riding fast |
along the trail and did not seem to
scent any danger until he was within /
two hundred yards of the Indians Up I
to that time there had been no hostile /
action on the part of the Indians but I
suddenly they grabbed up their I
weapons and mounted their horses +
The lone horseman wheeled his horse /
and started down the trail east, with /
the Indians in pursuit. He was hold |
ing his own in the race with them |
when all disappeared from view in I
cloud OF dust
Two days later the Watermans be I
came uneasy because they had heard I
nothing from their daughter, whom +
they knew was sick, and they came TO I
Marion The first question asked /
them was, Where is Ed Miller They I
had not seen Ed Miller but they told /
the story of the lone horseman and /
the boys father and mother knew he /
had been killed by the Indians. The !
next dav Hank Roberts and three |
others started in search of the boy /
They found his mutilated body four /
miles west of French Franks. and I
buried him on beautiful mound near /
the trail This is the grave that the /
trail committee located the other day