The New Orleans crescent., 1868-03-01
Women and Children Killed, scaIped,
sheekingiy MutiIated and Carried iato
Captivity.
From the San Antonio Hsrald.1

LLANo, LLANo Co., Texas, Feb. IL, 1865
Editors HerGtd-Near sundown on the 5th inst,
there were st IN house of Mr.. John s. Friend, on
the Sandes. in the extreme south part of this
county, Mrs. Friend, two Mrs. Johnsons each
with q child, one near Is months the other near
years old also Miss Townsend, aged L. little
daughter OF Mrs. Caudle. aged s, and Mr.. Friends
little son or years old. The two latter were
playing near the house, when they saw Indians
driving of a horse near by, and gave the alarm.
The women went into the yard. and one of them
got on the fence 10 obtain a better view. Soon an
Indian rode mp and looked into the house through
the door. He saw no white man therein, but four
women and plenty OF plunder-tempting prizes
indeed. The Indian rode back TO his comrades
when they all charged mp, us or thereabout in
number) and rushed into the house. A Mrs. John
son seized gun, when Mrs. Friend, 10 little
scuflie, took it from her and attempted to
shoot an lndan-the one mentioned above.
The savage wrested the gun from her
and presented it at her person. when
the gun out Of his hands. The savage then shot
her with an arrow through the posterlor part Of
the arm. Mrs. Friend then threw fat iron which
struck him On the side of the head. As soon as
the Indian recovered from the effects OF the blow
he shot her again with an arrow. which struck her
near the posterior and lateral edge Of the left
mamm9, glanced around the b0ny walls OF the
chest and came out through the lover and poste-
rior edge of the right mamme, when Mrs. Friend
fell on bed, TO all appearances slain. But the
arrow bad been partly broken near the spike, and
wrapped with thread, aud II still weak At that
point, and II was supposed that this caused the
arrow to miss its intended aim, the heart. From
the time Mrs. Friend fell she fegned death. The
savage (the same sti) soon attempted 70
scalp her. The knife was quite dull aud she
caught it with her right hand, when the Indian
drew II through and cut her fingers. After cutting
her across the back OF the hand three times TO the
bone the savage succeeded in taking three scalps,
two near two inches wide, one of which was four
and the other three inches long, the other near
the size of dollar. The Indian then cut of the
remaining portion Of her hair. and inflicted seve.
raj severe wounds on the unscslped part Of the
head. He then churned the arrow up and down
several times, but Mrs. Friend -manfesting 81
signs Of life, he supposed her dead. That young
female could endure all this internal torture with
out a change Of countenance, the twitchiug Of q
muscle. or utteriDg word, or even gyoan, may
seem impossible TO some. But the factfs Sc Z eVi
dent 10 those acquainted with the Indian charac-
ter. Fer had there been the least sign of lifefef
after be had done his bloody work, he would have,
perhaps, cut her to pieces. l do not believe that
a more heroic case of fortiIude and self-com-
mand by q white female has ever transpired in
this or any other land or age. The Indians hastily
pluDdered the house of its movable contents and
decamped, dragging all the rest of the persons
sboye named along with them Mr.. Friends little
son wsiliDg loudly.
AS soon as all were out OF sight and hearing,
Mrs. Friend arose and walked to the widow john.
sons house, mile and q half distant. But the
widow had gone TO stay all night elsewhere, aud
there was no one at the house and his
wife and child, and perhaps two or three other
children. The man tied up the bloody head with
piece OF cotton cloth, and extracted the arrow,
when be took all the others, leaving Mrs. Friend
entirely alone. and hid himself aud his family in
ihicket for the night. | do not mention this to
cast reproach upon the man, bet that the reader
may form an idea OF the awful night before Mrs.
Friend, for she renamed in that house. and in the
condition described, the whole Of that long night,
with not another soul to administer 10 her th0us-
and wants. The suffering Of that night, mental
and ply steal, who can faihOml
The country around this scence Of murder is
quite spsrsey settled; besides the husband OF
each Of the married women above named, were
absent, and other men were gone from home.
From this cause, and others which have not fully
learned, surgical aid was not procured for Ars.
Friend until twenty-four hours from the time
when wounded. But the wounds seem to be doing
quite well. and she bids fair TO recover, after
long and tedious treatment.
ON the evening after the awful scene, Mr.. Town
send, the father Of the little girl mentioned,
picked up upon the trail on the side Of the Cedar
Mountain, snd in sight Of the Widow Johason's
house, the youngest Of the children taken of. 1t
had been murdered and scalped IN the usual bra.
tai manner. twas not until the morning Of the
9TH, that force was ready TO take the trail.
They responded TO the call as soon As they heard
the awful story. Before sun Up twelve or fifteen
men, siockIsisers aud cowboys, set out on the
trail. They found the other child within fifty
yards OF the spot where the first was found, the
previous evening. Il had been most barbsrously
murdered. and was brought 10 Immediately.
The trail led across Cedar Mountain three or
four miles to place called CANDLES Gap, where
the most horrid scene appeared. The swo Mrs.
Johnsons were found dead. about City yards apart
The intestiDes Of one OF them eaten out by swine
alEo most of the flesh bad been torn OF from the
thighs and face. The other one had been lanced
through the heart, and had seemed to die without
q struggle. She was encieHte One OF the scouts,
an intelligent married man, told me that he did
not doubt but that parturition-the result OF
brutal abuse-was taking place at the time Of her
death. beg pardon II | offend the modestY Of