Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-12-25
A STRANGE STORY.
A story of Revenge-A Man Steals an
Infant and Takes Him Among the
Indians-IIe Lives there for twenty
six Years.
From the Saginaw Courie

FROM tlc SdgiHdN JbuIltI.
Last evening our reporter interviewed
a gentleman named James Mcdonald,
Who related to us the following strange
story, which we give iuthe language of
the man:
MY earliest recollections of myself
are connected with the man who called
himself John johnson, and the place
where ] was as early AS 1 can remem-
ber was called Flea Greek on the Red
River, about forty miles from the Mis-
sissippi River. | remained here till
[ was, ten years of age, when we re-
moved to Matamoras, Mexico, where |
Lad the privilege of going to school for
three years. The occupation of john
son was that of hunter and trapper,
and | was brought up to follow the
same business. On leaving Mexico he
went and joined the Blackfeet Indians,
and remained as part of their tribe,
for five years, when the war commenc
ed. l left johnson and entered the
Confederate service under Gen. Rogers
as a scout, and after the fight at Cor
inth, where Gen. Rogers was killed, |
deserted and returned to my Indian
friends, and found them at Baton
Rouge. Louisiana, Here | remained
hunting and trapping till the spring OF
1870, passing all the time as the son OF
| the man johnson. at that time John.
son and l left the Indians and starte /
for Salt Lake City, and stayed there
| till the spring, following the above pro-
| fessiOn. Here johnson was taken sick
at Ogden in Utah territory.
He was man then of some six
| ty-tive years of age and was thoroughly
| broken down. He called me to him and
stated he had a secret to impart to me.
| He stated that he had stolen me from
| my friends when | was about fouryears
of age. Ny friends ivemaplace called
Woodville, Sandusky county, O. He
told me l would find my friends here,
and that myname was James Mcdonald.
He stated that he had a spite against
my parents and was determined to have
revenge. Accordingly he made up his
mind to steal NE, and for four days
watched for an opportunity to accom-
! plish his purpose ] was plGyingup and
down by little creek when he seized
me and carried me off into the woods.
During the time l was with him he used
me well and always did SO. We were
always wandering about and never six
months in "a place, except the three
years we stayed III Matamoras. He
gave me little trinket, evidently a
part of lady's earring Of gold,
which he handed to me and
told me to go to the place where he
stated to have found me- and to show it
70 my father, who would at once recog-
nize it. 1 am now ON my way to find
my parents,
The man who gave us the above state
ment is about 80 years of age, light CON-
plexioned. stands ) feet 10 inches,
weighs $50 pounds, and has aslight i'm
pediment in his speech. He can read,
write and cipher with cage. His object
IN allowing this publicity is to cause in
quiry among the people of Woodville,
Sandusky county, Ohio, as to whethet
any one lost child about the yeal
1917. The man is on his way to fad
his friends. and while waiting for she
evening train he told portion off his
story to a gentleman connected with
the railroad company, and he, thinking
| i strange reFGlatfoR submitted it to
| the reporter of the Gourier, who at once
interviewed MIR. Mcdonald, with the
foregoing results.