Idaho semi-weekly world. (Idaho City, Boise County, Idaho Territory) 1867-1868, 1868-03-11
i, NEW SERIES.
4 Truth as Strange as Fiction.

Truth as Strange stI'ioan.., :. Fiction, b'..
i. The following appears in the Oregonjap of
Feb. 25th.a We know the father, of the boy,
and from his own lips have heard his statement
Of the loss Of the lad, and other Incidents con,
| nected with the subject There is no doubt Of
the truth Of what is told, in general way u
There is at present in this city a young boy
named George Henry Sylvester, who hasspent
the most of his life since 1861, among the
Snake, Cheyenne and Sioux Indians. His fa-
tier and family live at the Dalles or in that vi
cinity. In 1861, while crossing the plains
from Illinois to this coast, and while encamped,
on; the Humboldt river, the boy George was
suddenly missing, the parents conjecturing
rightly that the Snake Indians had stolen him..
He has not definite recollection of the cir.
curnstances Of his capture beyond the fact that
the Indians seized and hurried him off, and kept.
him for about two years, treating him as.
well as is in the nature Of an Indian to do.
He was then traded to the Cheyennes for two.
horses, and remained with that tribe as,nears
as he remembers. about year.. when he was
agaihi traded by them to the Sioux for one,
horse. q This occurred some time in 1864 He.
remained with the; Sioux until just before.
Christmas, in 1866, During that time bands
to which he slccessvely belonged, ranged and
hunted the Smoky Hiil,a Arkansas river, Re.
publican Fork. ETC. Thoughina manner accus-
t0ined to Indian life, he often felt q desire to,
escape from them and return among the whites,
but never had an opportunity to do so till the
time above mentioned Being sent out on
horseback to watch band of horses, he con-
Guided tn make IN attempt to get away, and
accordingly started towards Julesburg, riding
for q whole day and night at the utmost posi-.
BILE speed His horse finally dropped down ex-i
haasted and died, when he took his way on.
foot During the trip he had no food except.
the carriOn of IN OK which he found dead, and
a crow which he contrived to kill During the
nightshe was compelled to build fires to keep
around, snarling and barking, and impatient
for their prey. He describes these nights as
most horrible; doubiy so because the fires he
built to keep away the wolves, increased the
danger of his recaptnre BY the Indians, whom
he supposed to be in pursuit. When within,
about fifty miles of Julesburg he encountered
asoltier who took him in custody supp0sings
him to be an Indian girl OF. .bsy, either lost or.
sent as a spy. Being taken to Omaha. a sol,
der was found who could talk the Sioux. Ian
guage,, to whom George related his history.
Col. King then sent him to st. Louis, where
the facts Of his captivity and escape were pub-
lished in the newspapers, with view to the
discovery of hts relatives. An uncle residing
in Illinois read the advertisements, went to-
st. Louis and took the boy home with him, and
informed his father of his recovery Before,
however, his father had been heard FROM.
George got sick and became dissatisfied and
running away went t0 Fort laramie and there,
enlisted in. the I'd u. s. Cavalry. Through.
Senator Co:bett's influence he was soon after
discharged from the service with view to his
return TO his parents However. instead al
his returning home, be ran AWAY again early ius
1867, and went and joined the Sioux under the J.,
of & Spotted Tail" He stayed
with this band three months when he split OFF
from the band with sixteen lodges and twn
hundred Indians, By whom he was chosen rs:
their chief. The. Indians called him g Little.
John" or in their own dialect, "Waseetche."
He pursued bunting and trapping with his tribe,
until the beginning Of winter when he started
with his buffalo robes and furs, TO- what is nomt
TT McPhersou. On the way he fr0ze his hands
and feet badly, and in consequence of this con-
accordingly, made his wny toIhis uncle's. ,whoas
persuaded hin 70 come to his parents in Ore
gon. He arrived here, . passenger by the !,
steamer Ajax, and is now awaiting the opening -
of thesC Columbiar river, togo TO the Dalles.s
George is quite an intelligent. bright boy,at
speaks his native. tongue but brokenly, and has {
evidently been long enough with the Indians to.
acquire their restless and adventurous spirit.
Whethcr his RETURN to- the whites is to be per-
mancnt, is . Little preblematical, Thought tinims
and home. associations may eventually lead hina 4
backato his own proper nature. Much of his.
personal 1experienees and adsenturcst we have
omittedfor want Of noosl.ii haa .as1evo9st p as"
Il III l5 III Ut -T7>PgT III T7sa.2S xbu
, 4 MoDEL RApIcAIe-The, Peoria. Gil )spa,si
pcrs give the; following: s;,eraon,Sa .sI .basub
: saintly Radical, os Galesburg received insq
trust property to the amount Of SIS 900, to be-
held tor three chidren-a Thin was early in the1A
xaf., The parents Of the child rebels
and tc escaps, a cosfscation, AT property and ri
pto.eot their ckild dren. made thstransfer. Tho,
Radical gentleman who received the prepertyoi
was COUSIN BY marriage Of The rebel. SINCE
the tfahsfer tho sreSel psrcHta and. .two.of thssa
children hayesdiel. .aYAc Galesbpsg Radical, Z
iow denies that he ever Fceeiyed tie property, y y
and pronounces the receigt produced, signed =
with his owh name, o.hess, ,forgeryst The mat z
ter IL aboat being tsiedih thp courts 7ef Y EsIla
anYuH q -L-1A - M - Il
aaxs iNr Z, .m.. ~