Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-02-11


men with families; also James withou
family at first, living in the fort, per
haps a business manager or acting cap
!. tain. Someone styled him "a might
!. hunter" but his exploits are not told
). | Hence we may regard him the leader o
the scout to the hunting camp.
i 3. Two views may be taken; tn
party set out at once after the hunters
arrival and terrible report, for they Cal
not be conceived OF as passing the for
in the route to Yarmouth; or the part.
had previously gone because of fears TO
the hunters at the camp, since everyone
knew what the disappearance of Taylo
and Farwell meant. Mr.. Holmes tool
the latter view. If correct there wa
delay, for if Snow was killed Thursda.
those men were seized the day before
perhaps two, and if the relief party hac
set out at once it would have reached
the camp before the hunters did OF
Saturday. The tramp through the for
est of above 80 miles would be rapic
movement in one day. The dismayeC
hunters left on Saturday afternoon
probably, and would not reach New
Gloucester till late the next evening oil
Monday morning. Another day took
them to North Yarmouth, where on the
eth their deposition was dated.
4. The persistent Stinchheld story
in one instance tells that he was alert
and daring enough to slip away wher
Snow was shot, and to flee to New
Gloucester. Wholly error. In differ.
ent way Mr. Hamlin had the man taker
to Canada and there escaping, make SC
speedy a return as to give the first in
telligence. He did not seem to notice
that such an adventure would require
weeks or months at the best, and seems
to fall into the error because his alleged
Stinchfeld must return to New Glouces-
ter to send out the burial party. Mr.
Hamlin further says that the saw
ages took Stinchheld-really Butter
field-to Canada, intending to sacrifice
him to avenge their chief. They may
on the way have threatened him by their
vengeful hate or all the prisoners, to
repreSs attempts to escape, but 1t must
be doubted if they had such an inten-
ton, for these raids were mercenary for
the money that prisoners brought. In
their exulting pow-wow at Lake Umba-
cog they could get unbounded sport
over covering captives by such threats
of tomahawk and fire Earlier in the
century there were such hendiSh acts,
seldom in the last wars; also by the
death of Snow they had settled the
score by their judicature, which claimed
man for man, life for a life.
h,,
this tragedy by imagination and facile
tongue got force and piquancy by wordy
contention, threats, and curses between
the chief and the hunter before the
fatal shot. Highly improbable, for it
asserts Canada Indians knowledge Of
English, and delay in assault. The ac-
count by Holmes is simple and natural
glance upon the camp and the men,
wild terrorizing yell, and onrush
like a hungry tiger leaping at man
that were characteristic language; no
time, no use for more. Equally I'M
suited to the case, a fireside story
brings in parley, quarter" or offer OF
goodquarter," that peculiar term Of
old-time warfare, or sea fights, meaning
surrender with fair treatment, or the
pirates cry no quarter death. to the
last. This word is often in Indian
stories, seldom in fact, though few OF
fort or barricaded house.
Z. One account likewise tells that
Shows companion outside the camp first
sighted the sneaking foes, shouted to
Snow, urged surrender as he couldn't
help him. The Stinchheld error again
comes in; the story might fit such a man
as he, but not a young fellow OF II
counselng an old campaigner What
ever Butterheld said or did could only
be known as he told it to Taylor, and as
the latter repeated it to Rawson. Some
incidents therefore existing in traditions
might have been told by Rawson, the
only known source for the town, but
what was not written by Holmes but
passed from mouth to mouth can be
worthy of slight credence. We regret
that more particulars of that terrible
hour could not have been preserved.
8. 1t is surprising that all the varl-
Gus accounts have told of only two men,
not four, in the hunting party. The
other two by hasty retreat dropped out,
leaving not name nor shadow IN any
details or reference. Yet New Glouces-
ter people knew of them and it seems
that some mention would have got lodg-
ment in the stories told in Paris. Hav-
ing no share in the peril they became in
comparison unimportant figures in the
transaction,-and are now only revealed
by their deposition. The fact adds fur
ther evidence how omissions as well as
revamped incidents weaken confidence
in the retold stories of a century.
LOCALITY.
Signs OF a camping place might long
exist; first inhabitants had also other
evidence; two of them, Biscoe and
Bolster, were joined with James Stinch-
field on the part OF New Gloucester in
opening roads from that town in to
Paris; he had positive knowledge.
Water supply alone-two springs are
now shown-would bring the camp with
in the limits of few acres. The grave
when determined, would locate the
camp near.
The desperate affray took place on
The upper slope of Stearns Hill, named
for the original settler, William Stearns,
whose purchase was in 1897, though he
doubtless entered on the land few
years after his coming in 1871. To him
became known the situation of the
grave as then believed forty years after
burial and it has been shown in recent
times by his grandson, 5. Porter
Stearns, Esq, of South Paris. The land
adjacent has been examined by Mr.. C.
| L. Curtis, the present owner, and de-
tailed inspection made by Mr.. Robert 5
Benson, a resident near.
The hillside slopes towards the south
and southeast, with broken surface
alternate elevations and depressions
broad holows and gullies of variou:
depths. The reputed grave is esti
mated to be half mile from the Falls
and slightly south of an east line from
them. 1t lies nearly north from th'
house of Mr.. Curtis, across the road ant
I'D the ascent, and is within eight rod'
OF his north line, but from the neares
point of the road some so rods farthe
up it is thirty rods northwesterly ant
such is the rough activity from th'
level space near the road, it is abou
rs feet higher and perhaps more thai
twice as much above the house Of Mr
Curtis.
| One of the depressions in this broker
pasture land, extending southwark ant
| dropping down from few feet o
depth to twenty-five, comprises within
a rounded ridge several rods in length
upon it is a slight hillock or moun'
I0x6 feet in extent, shaped like turtle
back.