Madison County, Indiana - Chapter 69, 1897 (part 2 of 2)

There was a large crowd in attendance, and the pumps on the grounds having given out, Mr. Carter resorted to a decoction of lemonade to quench his thirst, and also had his wife partake of the same. When they left the grounds they went to Greenfield to take supper with some friends, intending to drive home in the evening. They were not long in the house when Mr. Carter complained of feeling very sick, and by the time supper was ready he was too ill to partake thereof. A phj'sician was immediately called, but Mr. Carter continued to grow worse until about midnight, when he died. Carter was well known in the community in which he lived, having been reared on a farm near where he had his home. At the time of his death he was a prominent member of the Methodist church and a superintendent of the Menden .Sunday school. He was also a member of the Odd Fellows. His remains buried on the Sunday following his death. His funeral was attended by a large concourse of people. He left a wife and one child to survive him. Mrs. Carter had taken a small portion of the lemonade, but it did not affect her as it did her husband.

On Sunday morning, March 23, 1890, the barn of Louis Eppard, in Fall Creek township, was burned, with several horses and his grain, hay and farming implements, entailing a loss to the amount of .$2,000, with no insurance.

The barn was supposed to have been fired by an incendiary, but no evidence was obtained that would lead to the apprehension of the guilty party.

Killed By A Train

J. M. Kinnaman, a farmer residing near Pendleton, visited Anderson on the 13th of October, 1884, to attend a Republican 'rally, and had with him his son Claude, a boy about sixteen years of age. After the ceremonies of the day were over young Kinnaman, in company with some friends, went to the Bee Line Railroad station to board a train going out at 12 -.30 at night to his home, and at the crossing of Jackson street, in Anderson, in attempting to get on the train he was accidentally killed. All of his companions succeeded in getting on board, and he in sorrie manner was thrown under the train with fatal results. His absence was not noticed by his friends, who went on their way home unconscious of what had befallen him. His remains were discovered lying beside the railroad track a short distance from where the accident occurred. Dr. B. F. Spann, then Coroner of Madison county, was notified, and had the remains taken to Markts undertaking establishment, where they were prepared for burial. The relatives %vere at once notified. The boy's father arrived in the city early next morning and took charge of his body and removed it to Pendleton, after which it was interred in the Falls Cemetery. The body was frightfully mutilated.

A Horrible Casualty

On the 6th of September, 1890, the last day of the last county fair held on the old fair ground, on West Eighth street, one of the most distressing accidents occurred on the Bee Line Railroad, four miles south-west of Anderson, that hasever taken place in this county, in which Emmet Locke and

John Eastman were instantly killed while crossing the railroad at what is known as the " Gowl Crossing," between Anderson and Pendleton. Locke was a colored man in the employ of the " When " clothing store of Indianapolis, and Eastman was his guest, enjoying a ride home from the fair. The " When" advertising wagon drawn by four horses had started to Pendleton in charge of Emmet Locke. It was the intention to drive from there to Springfield, Ohio, and advertise the " When " firm at the fair.

Before the wagon started for Pendleton John Eastman, a plasterer, who lived at Huntsville. and who had been at Anderson attending the fair, obtained Locke's consent to ride with him to Pendleton. They left Anderson about 3 o'clock. There appears to have been no eye witness to the horrible affair. Locke had evidently driven the horses across the track at the crossing, not being aware of the near approach of the train. It suddenly came upon them, and the horses, becoming frightened, turned around instead of going forward. The wagon had, by this time, got half way across the track, and the engine, which was running along at a lightning speed, struck it before its unfortunate occupants were aware of their danger.

The former was horribly mangled, and his head was completely severed from his body. Eastman's body was picked up on the west side of the track, with a horrible hole in the fore part of his head. He was not mutilated to any extent. Poor Locke's body was in a dozen pieces.

Bloomer was on the train, and after it was stopped it ran back to the scene of the accident, when he jumped off and was horrified at the sight and the thought of what a narrow escape he had made from an awful death.

The remains of the unfortunates were placed on boards and taken to Pendleton and Coroner Armington notified. As there was no witness to the affair his investigation was necessarily brief. He collected the remains of Locke and sewed them together, and they were sent to his friends at Indianapolis. Those of Eastman were turned over to Trustee Cook and buried in the Falls Cemetery.

A Disgraceful Affair

On the night of July 81, 1891, a building occupied by Dr. Frank L. Stone and John C. Manning, of Pendleton, was destroyed by being blown up by dynamite. Luckily no one ^vas in the house at the time and no personal injury resulted. The outrage was supposed to have been perpetrated on account of Mr. Manning, who was deputy Prosecuting Attorney, having made warfare upon the liquor traffic and evil doers to such an extent as to incur the displeasure of that element in the town. This version of the matter is. however, only conjecture, as no one will, perhaps, ever know the real cause of the deed, or who did the unlawful act.

Andrew B. Taylor

Andrew B. Taj'lor was one of the earl\- settlers of Fall Creek township and became one of its leading lights in business, political and church affairs. He was a man of high moral character, shrewd in business, full of energy and enterprise. For many years he was the leading spirit in his locality and the magnet around which all business affairs hung. He was born in Greenbriar county, West Virginia, in 1817, and came to Madison county and located a claim near Pendleton in 1834, having traveled the entire distance on foot, carrying his baggage on his back. In 1839 he returned to Virginia and brought back with him his father's family. In 1847 he was married to Melvina Boston, who yet survives him and resides in the old homestead at Pendleton. He engaged in milling and buying grain, first having run what is known as the Falls Mills and afterwards the First National Mill. In 1859 he owned and operated a flouring mill at Huntsville and carried on buying and selling grain in what was known as the City Mills. In 1867 he bought the Zubelin Warehouse, which he owned and occupied as a grain establishment until the time of his death in September, 1873. He organized the Farmers Bank of Pendleton in 1872, of which he was president and general manager, until his demise. In 1875 he built the Taylor Block and moved his bank into one room, which is now occupied as a banking house by the present owners of that institution. At the time of Mr. Taylor's death he was agitating the question of building a railroad from Noblesville to Newcastle by the way of Pendleton, and had succeeded in creating quite an interest in this undertaking, which, however, died away after his death. The decease of Mr. Taylor was long felt by the fanning community of Pendleton and vicinity, as he was very accommodatiofj to his friends and extended many favors to the farmers of that locality, by way of advancing money upon their growing crops and doing many other good acts which many others in like circumstances would not have done.

His remains were deposited in the Falls Cemetery and were followed to their last resting place by one of the largest funeral processions that was ever seen in that section of the county.

Dr. Joseph Stephenson was for many years a resident of Pendleton, being one of the oldest and most influential farmers in that part of the county, as well as a leading physician. He was born in Warren county, Ohio, in 1819, and died in Pendleton on the 16th of March, 1886. He came to Madison county about the year 1835, and worked on a farm for a time, studying medicine in his leisure moments, attending lectures, and then graduated from the Medical College at Cincinnati in 1850. He then settled in Pendleton in the practice of his profession, where he remained for the rest of his life.

He was married to Josephine Boston, May 1, 1850, who yet survives him and is residing at Pendleton. Doctor Stephenson was very frugal in his habits, although one of the best livers in Madison county, and after giving his children a good education he had quite a large fortune left, which came into their possession after his death. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Cnurch, in which he was very prominent.

De.Vth Oe Andrew K. Rockenfield

Andrew K. Rockenfield, the subject of this sketch was for many years a resident of Fall Creek township, and was prominent in social and business circles. In 1878 he was elected Coroner of Madison count}-, which position he heUl until the time of his death, which took place on the 17th of January, 1879.

He was born in Miamisburg, Ohio, April 1, 18:25, and came to Huntsville, in 1849, with Aaron Mullendore, with whom he learned the trade of tanner and currier. He was marrit d to Miss Celia A. Campbell, the sister of D.

W. Campbell, who died recently in Anderson. She, however, lived but a short time. He was again married on the 28d of December. 18CS, to Miss Deborah \V. Darragh, with whom he lived until the time of his death, and who survives him. JMr. Rockentield was of a very generous disposition and genial in his nature. He had but little disposition to acquire property so long as his wants were supplied. He always ready and willing to share with his friends whatever he had. He was a member of the W'esleyan Church at Pendleton, where his funeral took place under the direction of Rev. J. A. Dobson, of Muncie. His remains were followed to the grave by a large concourse of friends, and were deposited in the Huntsville Cemetery.

The Indian Murders In 1824 The Falls Of Fall Creek Near Pendleton

commonwealth, would be doing historv an injustice. This occurrence took place so long ago that it is impossible for one of the present day to tell the story, in anything like an intelligent manner without drawing almost wholly from what has already been said about it by others who were living here at the time. There are but few now living who, personally, know anything about the details of this bloody affair. Mr.

James Hollingsworth was a resident of the county at that time, but was quite young, and knows but little of the facts outside of what one so young would naturally get from hearing older folks in the neighborhood say about it. The killing took place in Adams township, in the early springtime of 1824. The Indians who were killed were not warlike savages, but a small band of hunters who had pitched their tents, hunting and trapping. The tribe of Indians who had originally lived in Madison county had all left here and gone to reservations set apart for them by the Government. It was, perhaps, not thought to be such an awful thing to kill an Indian, at that time, or, perhaps, this deed would never have been done. The county of Madison had but barely been organized, and law and order had scarcely been established at that time.

Oliver H. Smith, one of Indiana's brightest legal lights, assisted in the trial and made notes of it. At this time, since the actors have all passed off the stage, no better account of this notable event could be given, than to reproduce his account of it, given in his "Early Reminiscences of Indiana" as follows :

At the time of the Indian murders on Fall creek, the country was new and the population scattered here and there in the woods. Gaine was plenty, and the Indian hunting grounds had not been forsaken by several of the tribes. The white settlers felt some alarm at the news of an Indian encampment in the neighborhood, and although they were all friendly, a watchful eye was kept on all of their movements. The county of Madison had just been organized. Pendleton, with a few scattering houses at the Falls, was the seat of the new countv. Anderson, on White river, was a small village. Chesterfield and Huntsville were not then heard of. There were only a few houses between Indanapolis and the Falls, and still fewer in other directions from the capital. Early in the spring of 1824, a hunting party of Seneca Indians, consisting of two men, three squaws, and four children, encamped on the east side of Fall creek, about eight miles above the Falls. The country around their camping ground was a dense, unbroken forest. The principal Indian was Ludlow, and was said to be named for Stephen Ludlow, of Lawrenceburgh. The other man was called Mingo. The Indians commenced their season of hunting and trapping, the men with the guns, and the squaws setting the traps, preparing and cooking the game, and caring for the children - two boys some ten years old, and two girls of more tender years. A week had rolled around, and the success of the Indians had been very fair, with better prospects ahead, as the spring was opening, and raccoons were beginning to leave their holes in the trees in search of frogs that had begun to leave their beds in the muddy bottom of the creeks. Ludlow and his band, wholly unsuspicious of harm, and unconscious of any approaching enemies, were seated around their camp fire, when there approached through the woods, five white men - Harper, Sawyer, Hudson, Bridge, Sr., and Bridge, Jr. Harper was the leader, and stepping up to Ludlow, took him by the hand and told him his party had lost their horses, and wanted Ludlow and Mingo to help find them. The Indians agreed to go in search of the horses. Ludlow took one path, and Mingo another. Harper followed Ludlow, Hudson trailed Mingo, keeping some fifty yards behind. They trailed a short distance from the camp, when Harper shot Ludlow through the body. He fell dead on his face. Hudson on hearing the cracking of the rifle of Harper, immediateh- shot Mingo, the ball entering just below the shoulders and passing clean through his body. Mingo fell dead. The party then met and proceeded to within gunshot of the camp. Sawyer shot one of the squaws through the head. She fell and died without a struggle. Bridge, Sr., shot another squaw, and Bridge, Jr., the other squaw. Both fell dead. Sawyer then fired at the oldest boy, but only wounded him. The other children were shot by some of the party. Harper then led on to the camp.

The three squaws, one boy and two little girls lay dead, but the oldest boy was still living. Sawyer took him bv the legs and knocked his brains out against the end of a log. The camp was then robbed of everything worth carrying away. Harper, the ring leader, left immediately for Ohio and was never taken. Hudson, Sawyer, Bridge, Sr., and Bridge, Jr., were arrested, and when I first saw them thev were confined in a square log jail.

I entered with the Sheriff. The prisoners were all heavily ironed and sitting on the straw on the floor. Hudson was a man of about middle size with a bad look, dark eye and bushy hair, about 85 years of age in appearance. Sawyer was about the same age, rather heavier than Hudson, but there was nothing in his appearance that could have marked him in a crowd, as any other tlian a common farmer. Bridge, Sr., was not much older than Sawyer ; his head was quite gray, lie was above the common height, slender and a little bent while standing. Bridge, Jr., was some 18 years of age, a tall stripling. Bridge, Sr., was the father of Bridge, Jr., and the brother-inlaw of Sawyer.

The news of these Indian murders flew upon the wings of the wind. The settlers became greatly alarmed, fearing the retaliatory vengeance of the tribes and especially of the other tribes of the Senecas. The facts reached Mr. John Johnston at the Indian Agency at Piqua, Ohio. An account of the murders was sent from the Agency to the War Department at Washington City. Colonel Johnston and William Conner visited all the Indian tribes, and assured them that the Government would punish the offenders, and obtained the promises of the chiefs and warriors that they would wait and see what their " Great Father " would do before they took the matter into their own hands. This quieted the fears of the settlers, and preparation was commenced for the trials. A new log building was erected at the north part of Pendleton, with two rooms, one for the Court and the other for the Grand Jury.* The Court room was about twenty by thirty feet with a heavy " puncheon " floor, a platform at one end, three feet high, a bench for the Judges, a plain table for the clerk, in front, a long bench for the counsel, a little pen for the prisoners, a side bench for the witnesses, and a long pole in front, substantially supported, to separate the crowd from the court and bar. A guard by day and night was placed around the jail. The court was composed of Wm. W. Wick, Presiding Judge, Samuel Holliday and Adam Winsell, associates. Judge Wick was young on the bench but with much experience in criminal trials. Ji'dge Holliday was one of the best and most conscientious men I ever knew. Judge W^insell was a blacksmith, and had ironed the prisoners ; he was an honest, rough, frank, illiterate man, without any pretentions to legal knowledge. Moses Cox was the Clerk ; he could barely write his name, and when a candidate for Justice of the Peace at Connersville, he boasted of his superior qualifirations : " I have been sued on every section of the statute and know all about the law, while my competitor has never been sued and knows nothing about the statute." Samuel Cory, the Sheriff, was a fine specimen of a woods' Hoosier, tall and strong boned, with hearty laugh, without fear of man or beast, and witnesses. The county was thus prepared for the trials. In the meantime the Government was not sleeping. Colonel Johnston, the Indian Agent, was directed to attend the trials to see that the witnesses were present and to pay their fees. Gen. James Noble, then a United States Senator, was employed by the Secretary of War to prosecute, with power to fee an assistant. Philip Sweetser, a young son-in-law of the General, -of high promise in his profession, was selected by the General as his assistant ; Calvin Fletcher was the regular prosecuting attorney, then a young man of more than ordinary ability, and a good criminal lawyer. The onlj- inn at Pendleton was a new frame housenear the creek, still standing by the side of the railroad bridge.

The term of court was about being held. The Sunday before the term commenced the lawyers began to arrive, and, as w^as the custom in those days, they were invited out to dine on the Sabbath by the most wealthy citizens, as a favor and compliment, not to the lawyers, but to their hosts. We had a statute in those days imposing a fine of one dollar on each person who should "profanely curse, swear, or damn," and making it the duty of all judges and magistrates to see that the law was enforced upon offenders in their presence. Judge Holliday invited Calvin Fletcher, the Circuit Prosecuting Attorney, and his Indianapolis friend, Daniel B. Wick - the brother of the Judge - to dine with him. The invitation was accepted, of course, there being no previous engagement in the waj-. Dinner was aimounced. Judge Holliday asked a " blessing " at the table - Mr. Fletcher declining. The Judge had killed a fat goose for the extraordinary occasion, which was nicely stuffed with well-seasoned bread and onions, and placed in the center of the table. Mr. Wick, who was not a church member, fixed his eye upon the goose and said, by way of compliment -

" The rules of the court forbid lawyers from going security for anyone," responded the Prosecutor, " but you can go it yourself; just draw the recognizance that ' Daniel B. Wick and Samuel Holliday, Associate Judge of the Madison Circuit Court, acknowledge themselves to be indebted to the State in the penalty of twenty-five dollars each for the appearance of Daniel B. Wick at the next terin of court to answer.' "

The reasonable proposition of Mr. Fletcher was at once accepted by all parties. The recognizance was taken in due form and forfeited at the next term, by the absence of Mr. Wick. Judgment was rendered against Judge Holliday for twenty-five dollars. A petition to the Governor was drawn up and signed by the whole bar; a remittance soon followed.

The trial of Hudson commenced the next day after the Sabbath dinner at Judge Holliday's. A number of distinguished lawyers were in attendance from this State, and several from the State of Ohio. Among the most prominent I name General James Xoble, Philip Sweetzer, Harvey Gregg, Lot Bloomfield, James Rariden, Charles H. Test, Calvin Fletcher, Daniel B. Wick and William R. Morris, of this State ; General Samson Mason and Moses Vance, of Ohio. Judge Wick being temporarily absent in the morning, William R. Morris arose and moved the Associate Judges :

" I ask that these gentlemen be admitted as attorneys and counsellors at this bar ; they are regular practitioners, but have not brought their licenses with them."

Mr. Morris - "I move the court for a writ of habeas corpus, to bring up the prisoners now illegally confined in the jail." Tiiclge Winsell - "For what?" "A writ of habeas corpus." -' What do you want to do with it?" "To bring up the prisoners and have them discharged." "Is there any law for that?" Morris read the statute regulating the writ of habeas corpus. " That act, Mr. Morris, has been repealed long ago." " Your honor is mistaken ; it is a constitutional writ, as old as the Magna Charta itself." " Well, Mr. Morris, to cut the matter short, it would do you no good to bring out the prisoneis. I ironed them myself, and you will never get them irons off until they have been tried, habeas corpus or no habeas corpus." Pecuria "motion overruled." Judge Wick entered and took his seat between the two side judges. "Call the grand jury." All answer to their names and are sworn. Court adjourned for dinner. Court met; the grand jury brought into court an indictment for murder drawn by Mr. Fletcher against Hudson. Counsel on both sides - " Bring the prisoners into court." The Court - " Sheriff, put in the box a jury." Sheriff - " May it please the Court, Dr. Highday just handed me a list of jurors to call on the jury." Judge Wick - "Bring Dr. Highday into Court." " Did your honor wish to see me?" "Dr. Highday, is this your handwriting?" " I presume it is." "Dr. Highday, we have no jail to put you in, the one we have is full ; hear your sentence : It is the judgment of the Court that you be banished from these court grounds till the trials are over. Sheriff, see the judgment of the Court carried strictly into execution."

I digress to give the scene in court, published by General Sampson Mason, in a Springfield, Ohio, paper. " As I entered the court-room the Judge was sitting on a block, paring his toe nails, when the Sheriff entered, out of breath, and informed the Court that he had six jurors tied, and his deputies were running down the others." General Mason, with all his candor, unquestionably drew upon his imagination in this instance.

Hudson, the prisoner, was brought into court by the deputy sheriff and two of the guard. His appearance had greatly changed since I first saw him in the log pen with his comrades in crime. He was now pale, haggard and downcast; and with a faltering voice answered upon his arraignment, "Not guilty." The petit jury were hardy, honest pioneers, vk'earing moccasins and side knives. The evidence occupied but a single day and was positive, closing every door of hope to the prisoner. The Prosecuting Attorney read the statute creating and affixing the punishment to homicide, and plainly stating the substance of the evidence. He was followed for the prisoner in able, eloquent and powerful speeche.= , appealing to the prejudice of the jury against the Indians, relating in glowing colors the early massacres of white men, women and children by the Indians; reading the principal incidents in the history of Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton ; relating their cruelty at the battle of Blue Licks and Bryant's Station, and not forgetting the defeat of Braddock, St. Clair and Harmar. General James Noble closed the argument for the State in one of his forcible speeches, holding up to the jury the bloody clothes of the Indians, and appealing to the justice, patriotism and love of the laws, not forgetting that the safety of the settlers might depend upon the conviction of the prisoners, as the chiefs and warriors expected justice to be done.

The speech of the (jeneral had a marked effect upon the crowd, as well as the jury. Judge Wick charged the jury at some length, laying down the law of homicide in its different degrees and distinctly impressing upon the jury that the law knew no distinction as to nation or color; that the murder of an Indian was equally as criminal in law as the murder of a white man. The jury retired, and the next morning brought into court a verdict of "guilty of murder in the first degree." Motion for a new trial was overruled. The prisoner was brought into court and sentence of death pronounced in the most solemn manner by Judge Wick. The time for the execution was fixed, as is usual, for a distant day. In the meantime Hudson made his escape from the guard one dark night, and hid himself in a hollow log in the woods, where he was found and arrested.

Time rolled on, the fatal day for the execution arrived. Multitudes of people were there. Among them were seen several Senecas, relatives of the murdered Indians. The gallows was erected just above the Falls, on the north side. The people covered the surrounding hills, and at the appointed hour Hudson, by the forfeitureof his life, made the last earthly atonement for his crimes.

Such was the result of the first case on record in America where a white man was hung for killing an Indian. The other cases were continued until the next term of the court, and will be the subject of a distinct sketch.

Trial Of Sawyer

his left, and Samuel Holliday on his right : Moses Cox at the Clerk's desk, Samuel Cory on the Sheriff's platform, and Colonel John Berry, captain of the guard, leaning against the logs. The grand jury was called, sworn and charged, and court adjourned for dinner. In the afternoon the evidence of the main witness was heard. I had prepared the indictments in my office and had them with me. The foreman signed the bills on his knee, and they were all returned into court before adjournment. That night Colonel John Johnston, the Indian Agent, called at my room and offered me $100 on behalf of the United States. I informed him that I was a State officer and could not accept the money, however tempting it might be under the circumstances.

The court met in the morning. We agreed to try Sawyer first for shooting one of the squaws. The prisoner was brought into court by the Sheriff. He appeared so haggard and changed by his long confinement that I scarcely knew him. The court room was crowded. General James Noble, Philip S\veetserand myself for the State ; James Rairden, Lot Bloomfield and William R. Morris for the prisoner. Judge Eggleston - " Sheriff, call the petit jury." Judge Winsell - "Sheriff, call 'Squire Makepeace on the jury, he will be a good juror ; he will not let one of these murderers get away." Judge Eggleston, turning to Judge Winsell - "This will never do. What! the Court pack a jury to try a special case?" The jury was soon impanelled. The evidence was conclusive that the prisoner had shot one of the squaws at the camp with his rifle after the killing of Ludlow and Mingo by Harper and Hudson. The jury were a hardy, heavy-bearded set of men, with side knives in their belts and not a pair of shoes among the whole of them ; all wore moccasins.

Mr. Sweetser opened for the State with a strong matterof-fact speech ; that was his forte. He was followed in able speeches by Mr. Morris and Mr. Rairden for the prisoner. General Noble followed for the prosecution with a powerful speech. The General was one of the strongest and most effective speakers before a jury, or a promiscuous assembly, I have ever heard. The case went to the jury under an able charge from Judge Eggleston, and Court adjourned for dinner.

At the meeting of the Court in the afternoon the jury returned a verdict of "guilty of manslaughter," two years' hard labor in the penitentiary. Mr. Rairden sprang to his feet. " If the Court please, we let judgment go on the verdict and are ready for the case of Sawyer for killing the Indian boy at the camp." "Ready for the State." The same jury was accepted by both sides - being in the box. They were immediately sworn. General Noble opened for the prosecution and was followed by Charles H. Test, William R. Morris and James Rairden, with powerful speeches. The jury were referred to their verdict in the previous case and their judgment warmly eulogized. This was, by arrangement, my case to close. I saw my position, and that the only point I had to meet was to draw the distinction between the two cases, so as to justify the jury in finding a verdict for manslaughter in the one case and of murder in the case before them. In law there was no difference whatever. They were both cold-blooded murders. The calico shirt of the murdered boy, stained with blood, lay upon the table. I was closing a speech of an hour. Stepping forward I took up the bloody shirt, and holding it up to the jury: "Yes, gentlemen of the jury, the cases are very different. You might find the prisoner guilty of only manslaughter in using his rifle on a grown squaw ; that was the act of a man, but this was the act of a demon. Look at this shirt, gentlemen, with the bloody stains upon it; this was. a poor, helpless boy, who was taken by the heels by this fiend in human shape, and his brains knocked out against a log! If the other case was manslaughter is not this murder?" The ej'es of the jury were filled with tears. Judge Eggleston gave a clear and able charge upon the law. The jury, after an absence of only a few minutes, returned a verdict of " murder in the first degree." The prisoner was remanded and Court adjourned.

Trial Of Bridge Scenes At The Execution

The next morning the case of Bridge, Sr., for shooting a little Indian girl at the camp, was called. The prisoner entered with the Sheriff. He was more firm in his step and looked better than Sawyer, though a much older man. A jury was impanelled. The proof was positive. The case was argued by Mr. Morris and Mr. Rairden for the prisoner, and Sweetser and myself for the State. The charge was given by Judge Eggleston, and after a few minutes' absence, the jury returned a verdict of "murder in the first degree." The only remaining case - of the stripling. Bridge, Jr., for the murder of the other Indian boy - came on ne.xt. The trial was more brief, but the result the same - verdict of murder in the first degree, with a recommendation, however, to the Governor for a pardon, in consequence of his youth, in which the Court and bar joined. The trials closed, pro forma motions for new trials were overruled, the prisoners remanded, to be brought up for sentence the next morning, and the Court adjourned.

Morning came and with it a crowded Court House. As I walked from the tavern I saw the guards approaching with Sawyer, Bridge, Sr., and Bridge, Jr., with downcast eyes and tottering steps, in their midst. The prisoners entered the court room and were seated. The Sheriff commanded silence. The prisoners rose, the tears streaming down their faces, and their groans and sighs filling the court room. I fixed my eyes upon Judge Eggleston. I had heard him pronounce sentence of death on Fuller, for the murder of Warren, and upon Fields, for the murder of Murphy. But here was a still more solemn scene. An aged father, his favorite son and his wife's brother - all standing before him to receive sentence of death. The face of the Judge was pale, his lips quivered, his tongue faltered, as he addressed the prisoners. The sentence of death by hanging was pronounced, but the usual utterance, " And may God have mercy on your souls," was left struggling for utterance.

The time for the execution was fixed at a distant day ; but it soon rolled round. The gallows was erected on the north bank of Fall Creek, just above the Falls, at the foot of the rising grounds you may see from the cars. The hour for the execution had come. Thousands surrounded the gallows. A Seneca chief, with his warriors, was posted near the brow of the hill. Sawyer and Bridge, Sr., ascended the scaffold together, were executed in quick succession, and died without a struggle. The vast audience was in tears. The exclamation of the Senecas was interpreted - " We are satisfied." An hour expired. The bodies were taken down and laid in their coffins, when there was seen ascending the scaff'old, Bridge, Jr., the last of the convicts. His step was feeble, requiring the aid of the .Sheriff. The rope was adjusted. He threw his eyes around upon the audience and then down upon the coffins, where lay exposed the bodies of his father and uncle. From that moment his wild gaze too clearly showed that the scene had been too much for his youthful mind. Reason had partially left her throne, and he stood wildly looking at the crowd, apparently unconscious of his position. The last minute had come, when James Brown Ray, the Governor of the

State, announced to the immense assemblage that the convict was pardoned. Never before did an audience more heartily respond, while there was a universal regret that the executive mercy had been deferred to the last moment. Thus ended the only trials where convictions of murder were ever had, followed by the execution of white men, for killing Indians, in the United States."

The Hon. Charles H. Test, in a conversation with one of the authors of this book in 1872, while he was attending court in Anderson, related a little anecdote concerning himself in connection with these trials. He said: "I was a young man at that time and had just been married to the one of my choice, without any visible means of supporting a wife. I had a fair knowledge of the law and trusted to good luck to bring me and mine a just reward for our future support. It so happened that I was acquainted with General Noble, who had charge of the legal side of these cases for the Government, and he was a very good friend of mine. Knowing my need of a start in life, he very generously invited me into the cases, an offer I readily accepted. I took an active part in the trials and won for myself a rather enviable reputation for a young man. After the trials were over and the time came for my pay for services rendered, I was astonished beyond all expression when I was handed a cool $300 in gold and asked for a voucher for it. This was more money than I had e\er had my hands on at one time ; I was almost dumbfounded. I rallied in due time and put it in my old saddle-bags and started for Connersville to see my wife and spring the surprise on her. When I arrived home it was in the night, and my wife had retired. I did not care to disturb her, so I just slipped the money into the bureau drawer, the only piece of furniture we had of any value. In the morning when my wife awoke she did not disturb me. Knowing that I was tired, she let me slumber until she had the morning meal about ready. About the time she intended to call me she had occasion to go to the bureau for something, as we used it also for a cupboard. Upon pulling out the drawer she almost fainted. There she beheld what she had never seen before, |300, all in gold. Her impression must have been that I had committed the crime of robbery, for she immediately flew to my bed-side and demanded an explanation of how I came by so much yellow lucre. I told her of my good fortune, and how I had acquitted myself on the trial of the murderers ; that my services were

SO much appreciated that this pile of yellow metal was my reward. The explanation was more than satisfactory to her and another link was formed in our already happy married life. This was the beginning of my long and successful career as an Indiana lawyer with all its joys and sorrows."

Judge Test grew to prominence at the bar of Indiana. He was one of the ablest advocates that Indiana ever produced. He was judge of the Circuit Court in his district for many years; was also judge of the Superior Court at Indianapolis for one term. He died there a few years ago, leaving behind him an honorable record and a lasting memory.

Bridge, Jr., who was reprieved on the scaffold, was afterwards a resident for many years of Carroll county, living at Camden, where he reared a respectable family. He died at Delphi in June, 1876. One of his sons was for several years a member of the Board of Commissioners of Carroll county.

Fifty years ago Dr. Henry Cook, of Pendleton, exhumed the remains of one of the executed men and articulated the bones. Whether they were the bones of Bridge or Sawyer was not known.

In 1872 John Bridge, who was pardoned on the scaft'old, returned to Pendleton and visited the scene of the execution of his father, and also the spot where he was buried. Bridge at one time lived in Montgomery county, Ohio.