Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-12-27
The Evening Story
How heGuards
Were Killed
By EDWARD c. TUCKER


in Ohio:
Dear Mother Since | wrote You we
have had considerable trouble with
the Indians one morning man
named Boone came In from the south
and said a party Of redskins were
coming UP. burning houses by the way
and numbering The settlers. We at
once set to work to inclose the house
in fort. or course, having little time
we couldn't build much OF a protec-
ton.
All we could do was 70 cut down
the trees within rife shot, take the
trunks Of the saplings and stand them
up In circle. burying one end In the
ground Inside we built rude plat
form, on which man could walk
around the house and keep an eye out
for trouble.
We got the thing furnished such az
it was-before we heard anything q
the Indians Then one tight we
heard shots to the south, lasting about
half an hour then saw red glare TIE
Harbcson family were the only ones
living iii that direction, and we rack
oned they had been attacked. all had
been Killed and their house burned
Pretty soon we saw forms on horse
back in the dark coming to rs. and
we all got ready to defend ourselves.
They came galloping along straight
FOR us We knew Indians didn't come
hat way aud held our FIRE. Then
we heard mans voice call out
sFrlends." and the Harhesons came
lup.
We took them in, and they told
us they had defended their home till
they saw they would be overpowered,
then ran ont the back door and, hid
den BIZ trees, reached the barn and
got away on the horses without the
Indians knowing it, | was mighty
glad to see Elizabeth, who tainted
and fell in my arms rs soon as she
got inside our stoekade.
We didn't see an Indian that night
or next day. but / knew the redskins
were all about lis. They were watching
rs from ambush. | felt pretty sure they
would not attack us openly, for that's
not their way OF fighting. True. we
had only nine men ana two boys
though the women were ready TO do
their part, but the red devils didn't
know how many we had and they
don't like stockades anyway.
on the second night after the Hafbe-
sons came 1t was Jim Hawkins turn to
keep watch. while we all slept with
our rifles ready beside us. He could see
so far on all sides that an Indian
couldn't shoot him without coming
over al open space. for. as you know.
the house is on the top Of hill. What
were orr surprise and horror in the
morning to find .fin's dead body on
the platform behind the stockade. He
I had been shot. No one was in sight.
the only living thing we could see be
| Ing bear about a mile away walking
slowly toward a clump Of trees. He
was Just within range. but We didn't
shoot him. all our powder and ball be
I ing kept for the Indians.
The next night was Thursday, and
John Harbeson insisted on taking the
watch II was awful in the morning to
see him lying dead. tie same as lin
Hawkins Two Of cur men had been
killed leaving only seven. II they
killed a man every night they'd have
us all in n week. What we couldn't
understand was how the savage could
get within range for the moon was
more than half full and every night
was clear 4 sentinel at the fort could
see a long distance.
| We were more terrified at this mode
! OF warfare than any other the Indians
could practice. Something must be
done. / proposed as soon as II was
dark to crawl ont in the direction from
which both men must have been shot
and lie In the bushes to watch. So
about the time the others were going
| to sleep Sam Turner went on watch.
and crawled out, keeping behind low
bushes as far as | thought best and
lay In little hollow where the grass
was long.
About . o'clock In the morning, when
was having TO pinch myself TO keep
swake. saw in the moonlight bear
4
leave the same wood | saw the one
60 into the morning Jim Hawkins was
shot. He walked slowly about. nosing
tue ground as though seeming some
thing. and / noticed he was all the
time getting nearer the fort.
! kept an eve on the creature, but l
could not exactly make ont what he
was doing BY and by be stopped
and sat up on his launches. Then he
stood on his two hind legs. and | saw
he was using his fore legs just as a
man would use his arms.
| The first thing knew the bear stood
| Just like man about 70 shoot. Then
the whole matter of the shooting of
our watchers popped into my head. |
was lying on my stomach with my rifle
In my hand l knew l hadn't much
| time to aim before the bear would
get Turner, SO l fired quick, and the
bear dropped. I concluded I'd killed
him. for aimed for his head