The surviving old settlers differ concerning the date of this particular transaction. Some place it as early as 1859, and others as late as 1861. Samuel Kuykendall, and a young man named Splawn lived on Resley's Creek about six miles west of Dublin in Comanche County and were driving home some oxen. When they reached a point near the present town of Carlton the two were suddenly charged by Indians. Kuykendall rode a pony, and Splawn a mule. The latter was armed, but the former was not. Consequently, when the Indians made the charge, Splawn thought it useless to attempt to run away on the mule, which was exceedingly slow; so he dismounted for the purpose of selling his life as dearly as possible. About the same time Kuykendall's pony bogged in a mud hole when he attempted to jump a bank. The Indians circled shyly around Splawn who had the gun, but soon filled Kuykendall's body with arrows, and murdered him almost instantly. When the savages passed up Splawn, he decided his opportune time to get away had arrived so ran his mule as fast as the animal could go, and successfully escaped. Note: The author personally interviewed Wm. Reed, Geo. White, and others who were living in Comanche and adjoining counties at the time. Also corresponded with A.I. Kuykendall, a nephew of Samuel Kuykendall. The above story is from the book, The West Texas Frontier, by Joseph Carroll McConnell.
The above story is from the book, Indian Depredations in Texas, by J.W. Wilbarger. |
||||
|
||||
