Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 June 1908 — Uncover Large Indian Grave. [ARTICLE]

Uncover Large Indian Grave.

While opening a gravel pit in Jefferson township last week, the workingmen of J; O. O’Connor discovere what is supposed to have been an Indian battle tomb. Excavation was made on a point of land jutting into Rattle Snake Greek, about three miles east of Yeoman, near the Dimmiti school house. Near the surface oi the ground a skeleton was discovered, and, on digging further, seven more were taken from the pit, making eight altogether, all being found indifferent positions,, as if the bodies had been carelessly or hurriedly thrown into the hole and covered with earth. With each skeleton was found the breast bone or plate of a small turtle, each bone containing tbree holes, one near the center and two a. the top, these perforations being situated in a manner which might indicate an attempt to rep> esent a pair oi eyes and a mouth. The holes near the center of the bones were almost perfectly circular while those above were s'ighc ly pointed at the top. The significance of these totems has, as yet, not been ascertained, but the explanation has been Ad vanced that they are the same as that bf Little Turtle, the “One Eyed Prophet” who precipitated the battle of Tippecanoe, in the absence of Tecumseh. ' The spot where the skeletons were discovered is situated in a dense woods, fLiJed with close.growing and thick underbrush. Arrow heads and other Indian bunting and war parar phernalia have been found' in the vicinity which would appear to indicate that a battle, the result of which was the hurriedly constructed grave of the eight warriors, had been waged. Another contention in favor of the pit being a battle tomb is the fact that outside of the totems or amulets, probably worn on the body, nothing in the line of arrow heads, hatchets of the like was discovered with the skeletons these things generally being supposed to have been intered with the bodies of their owners, their absence in this case further indicating a hasty burial. It is stated by old residents of the neighborhood that the place at one time was a favorite hunting ground

(or the various Indian bands and tribes in that section, in which event the spot waa also probaby a bone of contention and strife. No permanent arrangements have been made for the disposition of the remains The as fair would undoubtedly furnish Interesting investigation to any one acquainted with ihe hiatoryof thetribea native to the vicinity and the significance of the little turtle totem —Delphi Journal.