The Marietta Register, April 23, 1886
Such was the startling statement made in all the dwellings and on the streets of the little town of Marietta sixty-five years ago. Some believed it, many doubted it, but all were anxious to know the fact. The unbelieving were referred to as truthful a man as lived on Fifth Street; he said "it was true that he had aided in the work."
To make my story short, Father G., who was the grave-yard sexton, had a flock of sheep which were allowed to roam among the tombs, watched by his three sons. Weary of the monotony of looking after the flock by night, the boys with shovel and hoe determined they would to their minds unsolve the mystery of the great mound.
When darkness had spread over the earth, they began their work on the top of the elevation and almost noiselessly put down a hole six feet deep. The elder was below, arranging for further work, when in a moment the sides began to give way and before he could be rescued the dirt fastened him.
Quick haste was made by one of the frightened boys with the news to his father. Armed with bottle of spirits and a good raw-hide, the old fellow climbed the fence and up the sides of the mound to its summit. With great industry, but more noise, the earth was pitched away and the youngster was relieved from his prison confinement only to feel the rod as soon as he recovered, for thus violating the sacred place and making a town talk at the expense of the family. In the Mound Annual can all this be found, and much more.
Some people say that 1,000 years ago this country was more densely populated than now. I have not time now to give my views on this subject, but I must tell you about one of their burying places. On the top of the hill back of the old Platt place, northeast from the Court House about one mile, from the beginning there has been a heap of earth rising above the surface of the ground about seven feet, thirty-five feet long and at the broadest place about fifteen feet wide. Some have supposed it natural, others have supposed it the work of the Mound Builders.
With the support of the owner of the land, Mr. Adam Brown, on the 20th day of this month (that is Tuesday of this week), Capt. Sayre and myself, with excellent assistants, began the work of discovery. After going down with a hole six feet square for four and one-half feet, we came to a flat rock six feet long and three feet wide and five inches thick, evidently brought from a distance and placed with a purpose where it was. Underneath this we knew was the treasure, perhaps something that would tell us when and by whom all these works were made.
The long stone was with difficulty and great care removed. Underneath it - Oh what a find. We were not sold. You will not be sold if you pay your quarter and see all the interesting things we unearthed, exhibited as they will be on Thursday and Friday evenings of this week at the Presbyterian Fair in the Clarke house on 4th Street.
W.
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The Marietta Register, April 30, 1886:
That Mound Story
Mr. Editor: In the Register of April 23d someone over the signature of "W." tells a great cock and bull story about a live man being dug out of Marietta Mound. He commenced by saying, "such was the startling statement made in all the dwellings and on the streets of the little town of Marietta sixty-five years ago. Some believed it, many doubted it, but all were anxious to know the fact. The unbelieving were referred to as truthful a man as lived on Fifth Street. He said, "it was true that he had aided in the work." To make my story short, Father G., who was the graveyard sexton, had a flock of sheep which were allowed to roam among the tombs, watched over by his three sons . . .
Now, in regard to the above statement, I am prepared to say from personal knowledge, that not one word of the essential points in the same are true. The whole story was a fabrication from beginning to end, put forth as one of the wonderful events that took place in the early days of our pleasant little town.
It so happens that I was well acquainted with "Father G." as referred to above. I am his eldest son and happened to be 15 years old at the time this event should have occurred. My father was sexton at the time and for some years after, but never dug a half dozen graves in the graveyard during his life time. Myself and grandfather, Jimmie Hill, dug nearly all the graves from 1820 to 1825. I was intimately acquainted with all concerned about the Mound Cemetery from my early boyhood days until I was a man grown, and know that there never was a hole of any kind or at any time dug in the summit of the mound in question.
It is true that "Father G." had a large family, that I am the eldest son, that at the time of this event I had one brother who was a boy some 12 years old, the third boy spoken of was dead at the time, the fourth boy happened to be a girl. So that there could not have been more than two boys able to operate at the time. We had sheep at the time that were allowed to run at large, as did others. There was but little or no fence around the cemetery at the time, to prevent our sheep or others from feeding there, and the idea of watching our sheep at night is far fetched and untrue.
My father was a poor mechanic who raised a large family by his industry; he was an honest, industrious and truthful man. His boys wore linsey and went barefoot in the summer, but they were honorable and upright. A raw-hide was an article never used or kept in the family to my knowledge. There was no town talk about the event at the expense of the family.
What he calls "Mound Annual" I confess to be a document that I have never seen, but should like to do so. However, no odds for the Mound Annual, I know that the whole story is false as to the event, not a syllable of it is true.
I do this in self-defense, as I happened to be a live boy at the time of the great event, and thank God that I am alive yet and in good condition, and surrounded by a few old residents that lived in that day to whom I can appeal for my truth and veracity.
William Glines
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