[Joseph Young to Brigham Young]
the shooting of two Indians in this Neighborhood which took place on Saturday Saturday Evening a Little Before sunset May (26, 1849) the circumstances Related By a Number of the Brethren (Being absent Myself) are as follows[:] Some two or three Indians and about as Many Squaws and About the same Number of children Making in all from Eight to ten Persons were in and About this Neighbourhood and had Been for some weeks and as far as I have Learned were Peaceable and harmless[.] they Represented themselves as Pawnee fugatives from the Late senes [sic] of Masacres [sic] of the siou[x]s on that Nation[.] I Believe they had no guns nor Bows with them and were Begging such things as the Brethren saw fit to give them[.] it is said that one of them was an Indian who had helped Brother Egan in get[t]ing his Waggons through some Difficult places on the west Bank of Mosouria River and as a Reward he had given him a writing with his Name at Bot[t]om wishing to Be Kind to him &c[.] how far this is correct I could not say[,] But one thing is certain[:] there had Been no complaints By the people in this Place of the Loss of Property in any<thing> whatever[.] the Indians were camped in a Small wigwam about ten yards from the creek and About 12 Rods from the old Schoolhouse About and about 90 Rods from My house, the Report had of these Indians had gone to Kanesville By some gold Diggers and Being Previously Exitid [excited] By the flying Stories of Indian Outrages they had greatly Exagerated the Number and the Probable intention of the Indians to the People of Kanesvill[e.] you can guess how it took with some[.] It is said that Brother Hyde was consulted on the Matter who told the person who asked his councill he thought it well Enough to Drive or frighten the Indians away[.] consequently Joseph Worthen[,] William Hickman[,] a son of Brother Lamb[,] and a son of Moses Daily[â€"]these four men and some others whose Names I have not Learned[â€"]started for Cartersville[.] Bror Joseph Kelly who lives in thisNeig place and who had Run up to the Ferry on his Return home Rode up just as the Possey (as they called themselves) was Leaving and Being informed of what was going on took the Exitement [sic] they immediately put spurs o their Nags and Rode at the top of there Speed untill they Arrived on the high Bluffs which overlook the Mosquito Bottoms awhere thus far on the Rout[e] Brother Kelly informs me after Look<ing> over the Farms and fields and seeing the Brethren at work on their Different Plantations turns to the company and says Boys it is a Hoax there <are> no Indians here[.] But they Still Proceeded when they got to the Creek near the Bridge they asked Tunis Rappley if there were any Indians in the place on Being told there were a few as I have informer you they went forthwith to the place. here the first one who Accepted them as Brother Kelly States was Joseph Worthen who said PocRochee[.] they [the Indians] Probably thought this was a joke and when this was Repeated several times and did not take the Desired Effect the same <man> commenced Whip[p]ing them & swearing &c when the Indians Perceived there was something serious on hand they Broke in Diferent Directions the greatest part crossed the creek to its north Bank and hid themselves in the tall grass and Willow By this time the Noise and tumult had become so great as to call the Boys & others to see what was going on the Ralying of so many persons had Drove the Indians from the Bushes and taking to their heels one in his flight was Pursued By William Hickman who after he had Run him about half a Mile and striking him with his hic[k]ory at Every Leap of his Horse Drove him into a Lane Run[n]ing through Tho[ma]s Butterfields Farm the Indian it seems in o[r]der to Elude the Pursuit jumped over the Fence and Ran immediately into a pond of Water and Hickman seeing his Victim in the <Prospect> of Escape Brought his Rifle to a Level & shot him Down[.] Brother James who stood & looked on says he thought the Indian was Playing the pos[s]um untill he got up with much Difficulty and hob[b]led off and went to trading Point where it is said he Died of his wounds[.] HickmanRetreated Back and selected another Victim and Run him into the Lane as he did the other But this Indian Did not turn to the Right or Left But Plunged into the mud and Water Direct in the Road When Hickman found the object of his Pursuit too far into the mud and mire to admit of a safe charge of his horse he Drew a Pistol and Discharged its contents into the Body of the Indian[.] this Effect was Mortal[.] Brother Jones who witnessed this shot also saw the Indian Fall and Rise and fall again after some few moment had Elapsed he went to the spot where the Indian was lying the Dim shades of the Evening Twilight had was Brooding over the horizon and the Mud and Water which almost covered his Body and Rendered his wounds invisible[.] Brother Jones spoke to him the indian turned his Eyes towards him and Responded a groan[.] Brother Jones went to his house and ate his supper which he thinks took fifteen Minutes and Returned to the spot to Learn the Fate of the Wounded Man. he had drawn himself into the corner of the Fence his head Relcining [sic] on the second or third Rail from the ground and was Dead[.] Brother Jones and Tho[ma]s Butterfield Buryed him[.] thus I have given you as Briefly as possible the History of this Bloody Fray[.] it Reminds me of the tragical scene at Hauns Mill not as Extensive, But Equally as great an outrage on the principles of Humanity according to its Magnitude <and Every person in this county felt the Blush, for Humanity sake>. . . . it appears that this outrage was unprovoked on the part of the Idians Indians and without councill or Pretext for such cruelty Williamâ€"Hickman is a cold Blooded Murderer and as such he stands Before Every tribunal of Justice in Heaven & on Earth and when the Judge of all the Earth Makes inquisition for Inocent Blood it will Be found Driping from the hands of William Hickman) (Joseph Young)
I concur in in [sic] the above statements James. C. Snow
[Joseph Young to Brigham Young, June 26, 1849, 1â€"3, imgs. 20â€"22, https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE3979926)]
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