Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1871-05-17
KoMANoE IN REAL-LIFE.

Yesterday afternoon a mysterious
looking object WAS seen strolling about
the Park, who attracted the undivided
attention of every passer-by. 1t SEEM
ed TO be shadow sort Of fac 8inIile
of a human form in skeleton shape
Upon close investigation it proved to be
an Indian squaw, who had deserted1the
Indian ranks at a terrible risk and sac
rifce, if credeuce may be placed upon
her wild, yet romantic story story
which tells OF fearful privations and
fendish Outrages, which in this age Of
civilization, seem next TO impossible.
1t is horrible narrative, but we fOrbear
comment and give her story as related
by her to one Of the Herald reporters.
Her narrative was exceedingly inco-
herent, and eften seemingly contradie-
tory of itself, but patient questioning by
our reporter in many instances brought
out other facts that explained OF recon-
ciled apparent conflicts Of statement.
Our impression was, during the first part
of the;interview, that the woman was
an escaped luhatic from some asylum,
but we soon had occasion to doubt the
correctness of that opiniUm. But what
ever she is or has been, we found her
story worth listening TO, and in the
hope that it may attract some attention
to her casesIy the proper authO rites,
we give her narrative Of herself and
history for what il is worth, shOrn Of the
incoheTenCy and seeming contradictions
with which il aboUnded when she was
telling il:
My name is Prairie Ward. l was born
in Upper 6andusl1y, Ohio. My fathers
name was Armstrong; WyandOt half
breed. My mother was daughter Of
Russell Bigelow, Chaplain Of the Ohio
Penitentiary. am forty nine years Of
age. Was in Dayton when M'Afee was
hung. My grandfather, Rev. Russell
Bigelow, was with M'Afee Oh the gal
lows. My father kept a tavern at Up
per Sanduskyi about two miles below
the town. was between five and six
years Of age. From Upper Sandusky
my parents moved the same year 1925,
10 Columbus, Kentucky. L was going
home from school there one evening
with three other little girls, when a
band of Indians met us and carried us
off. They were Comanche Indians, and
afterwards learned they were on their
way back from Washington, where they
had been on business for their tribe.
Red Horse, the Chief Of the tribe, was
along. They took us 20 Nebraska. Two
of the little girls that were captured
with us were killed by the Indians about
a month after our captivity, because
they tried 50 often 10 get away, and
made the Indians mad. The Indians
kill prisoners after they try three or four
times to get away. The names of the
girls captured with us were Sarah and
Christena Smith, and Sarah Jane
Moore.
About hundred miles west Of COlum-
bus the Indians captured another girl,
named Rosa Dee, but she managed to
escape. have stayed with the Com
anches ever since was captured.
At I3 years Of age 1 was married TO
David Ward, half breed and lived
with him until I had eleven children. I
was separated from him by the war. He
went into the Southern Army with a
band of COmanches under Price, and died
At Big Blue, seven miles east of Kan
sas City. After Ward died 7 stayed with
the tribe, and so did my children. Red
Horse wanted me to marry an Irishman
by name of Patrick McCorwin. 1 told
him would die first, and he toma-
hawlled my children because I refused.
He then made me eat the ribs of them
and dance in their blood besides.
This happened in sight of San Fran.
cisco, last May. This seems an i'm