The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-05-07
A stranger In Court.

A lad of Is or - years, was brought
into the police court in Cincinnati on
Tuesday last, whose appearance and his
tory excited attention. He is white
boy. stolen in his infancy, and brought
up among the Flat Head Indians. lie
was Of large build, with almost faxen
colored hair, blue eyes, fair skin, and, in
short, a countenance Enthusiastically An
Clio Saxon in its character; but he spoke
the language imperfectly, and one would
have first concluded that he was Ger
man, who had resided in the country but
two or three years. He had neither
shoes nor stockings upon his feet, and
his pantaloons, which were somewhat
short, disclosed good proportion Of the
leg tattooed most. deliberately with rude
devices. He was at first greatly alarmed
at being detained in custody, and evInced
fear that severe personal injury was to
lie inflicted upon him. lie gazed round
the court room with curious frightened
look, that led the spectators to suppose
he was insane. But his strange conduct
was soon explained. He had been as
saulted in the streets by ruffian, and
was brought in as witness against the
prisoner. He gave his evidence in very
broken English, and was allowed to 60
The Cincinnati Commercial gives the fol-
lowing account OF him:
He knows nothing of his origin, his earlies,
remembrance going no further back than to
the savage companions by whom he was
brought mp. lie had heard. however, tina,
he was captured when an infant by u great
chief whom he called father, and who, he
states, loved anu treated HIM kindly. In
fact he appears to have been rather q pet
with his savage companions, and hence hi.
desire to return amongst them. Three year,
ago white beaver hunter, named Charley
Smith, induced him To leave the tribe. and
he arrived with his trapper friend at st
Louis, where he met with the great show.
man Barnum. who at once pounced upon thu
uncivilized boy, whom he engaged TO give
representations Of Indian customs and man.
ners, such as the war ard other dances. In
this manner lie travelled for some time, ant
then thrown loose upon the world, he hat
eked out an existence in the best manner III
might, living almost always in the rura
districts, with the constant hope of ultimate
Iy reIoining his ancient companions, who's,
habits and modes of life he much prefers Il
the civilization in which he is now compelled
to exist. Three weeks ago he ran away from
farmer in Kentucky. who he alleges hao
tied him up and whipped him until he faint
ed. The bruised marks are yet upon hi
person. He then came TO this city, and YER
flying the old adage Of birds of feather :,
&C., found his way to the domicile of a,
Indian woman, an outcast from the Chime
wa tribe, with whom he has since been 'liv
ing.
Such was his tale. In all probability h
is the offspring of one of the border settler.
whose parents were, perhaps, slaughtered b
the savage warrior who afterwards adopte
him. But it will take many years to er,d
cate his early habits, and reconcile him I
those of his race; in fact, his present Absorb
ing idea is to procure sufficient money
bear him back TO the wild region where ROY
his early companions.