The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1912-01-24
Murder Of the WigtOn Family, Near
Butler, by COrnplanter Indian,
Sixty-six Years Ago.
Written by F. E. ALISON, Nebraska, Pa
Concluded from last week.


the road and go out an old by-road lead
ing past Philip Kiester's. Before
reached the Wigton house l saw Lemuel
Dairs and his son come TO the house.
When got there they said Mrs. WiRton
aud all the children was killed. He told
me to run to the nearest houses and
arouse the neighborhOod. / sent boys
from every house to spread the news. In
less than half an hour there we're six or
seven men at the house. told them !
had seen man turning in the Kiester
road and they all started In pursuit. /
ran ahead, finding strange looking tracks
which the men called moccasn tracks,
and all we're sure they were in close pur-
suit"
Mohawk, on reaching the Kiester
house, saw an old grey haired man stand
ing out on the front porch and as Mo-
hawk turned into the yard he stopped
down and picked up couple of large
stones. At this the old gentleman went
into the house. shut the door, and walked
WI ouh puh az Nhu phNh upOA dhb
hurried to the barn. Ho went into the
barn, procured two pitchforks and Sc
creted himself behind the door, deter
mined to assault the Indian in case he
men coming along the road and he
stepped out In sight. One of the pur-
suers inquired If he had seen a man pass
ing on the road. He replied that there
was an Indian in the house, cautioning
them to be careful, as he had at least two
good sized stones in his hands when he
entered. He was seen by some OF his
pursuers, passing one of the windows up
stairs. At this they entered the house and
called to Mohawk to come down but got
no response. A Mr.. Seaton started up
the stairs. When the Indian saw his
head he threw one of the stones, grazing
his head and knocking off his hat. He
retreated down stairs and the pursuers
tied some clothes around stick, drew
coat over them and put hat on the end
of the stick and one of the party started
up the stairs. AS soon as the hat was in
sight Mohawk knocked the hat and stick
out of the fellows hand and seeing he
had been fooled stood at the head of the
stairs with chair, which he let go at the
first one that put his head in sight. With
his lighting material all exhausted they
heard him trying to wreck bedstead to
get something tor another defense, and
man named Pat McCurdy or McClury,
who had picked up a stick on the way,
ran mp the stairs. AS lie approached Mo-
hawk had taken a fiddle of the wall and
broke it into score of pieces over Nc
Curdy's head, nothing left but the handle
and strings dangling in the air. Pat
struck him blow above the left ear and
felled him to the floor. Then catching
him by the legs ran down stairs Though
the house and out into the front yard.
His arms were pinioned behind his back.
When recovering from his daZed coDdi-
ton and finding his wrists firmly bound,
he looked each of his captors in the lace,
then giving stole grunt, attempted to
regain his feet. The party then started
with Mohawk to the Wgton house. On
the way back to the main road there was
muddy place in the road and path
went above it and around tree. As the
two men leading Mohawk came opposite
the tree, Wigton, who stood hiding be-
hind unobserved, sprang from the tree
an mi lynifa ott faA fn ciah
their prisoner. Mohawk, who saw the
danger first, with loud whoop and jump
broke loose. Wigton was taken and dis
armed and Mohawk was marched in
front OF the party TO the house OF the
murdered family and viewed the mother
and each of the children. Then arose
the question of lynching him on near
by tree but some of the party objected
Jail. On the way they met crowd of
raitmen returning from Pittsburgh, who
had been Informed of the horrible crime,
and they proposed lynching him on the
spot. A man named John Colingwood,
of Rockland, started to a farm house to
get clothesliue for rope. Before he
returned John w. Shugart, Sheriff of
Venango county, and Deputy Ed Pierce,
rode up. They were in pursuit of some
counterfeiters and had heard of the crime
and before the return of Collingwood
Sheriff Shugart and Deputy Pierce dis
mounted and took charge of the Indian
as their prisoner. putting some boys on
their horses. Still the cry of "lynch
him" was heard from a majority of the
bystanders. Shugart was cool and of the
positive makeup that rather deferred the
boisterous crowd. As he hurried on
toward Butler they saw some horsemen
rapidly approaching. 1t turned out to
be Sheriff Jim Campbell, of Butler, who
had been notified of the murder and with
an armed posse was in pursuit of the
prisoner. Mohawk was quickly turned
over to Sheriff Campbell, who landed
him safely in the county jail. The timely
arrival of the Venango sheriff saved Mo-
hawk from being lynched. A number Of
the raftmen returned with the crowd to
the town. The county commissioners
agreed to put guard around the Jail until
Mohawk was tried. This seemed to quiet
the people for short time, but another
uprising occurred in the northern part of
the county by the citizens and another
lyncbing party was organized and in
tended TO take him from the authorities
and hang him. Sheriff Campbell re-
ceived notice and Judge McJunkin, John
Negley and other citizens ordered all en-
frances to the jail barricaded. Mccall, a |
retired army officer took charge of the |