Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-06-29
A Boys Adventures Among the In
dfnua.

dams.
The Denison tf'exas) News SAYS: On
the evening of the Goth OF May there ar
rived in Sherman, Texas, a lad about if
teen years old, who, from his general APP
pearance and starved look, gave indica-
tons of having suffered terribly from
hunger and cruelty. This boy 8 conduct
and general ferlorn, starved look attract
ed the attention of several gentlemen
who were sitting in front Of the Southern
Hotel, and one of them Intercepted him
in relation to who he was, where from,
etc. The boy at once told his story,
which was reduced to writing, and is as
follows
THE BOYS STORY.
In the spring, two years age, my father
and mother maiden name Miss Johnson)
with her children, six sons, myself in
Guided, named and aged as follows: John
Mcdaniel, aged %; Frank, aged 81;
Charley, aged 49,; Samuel and William,
twins aged l6; and myself, aged l3,
with my sister Maud, aged %, and Sarah,
aged II, started from Arkadelphia, Clarke
county, Arkansas, (my father was keel
boat owner at Arkadelphia, and was in
comfortable circumstances when we
started,) with two wagons, one three
horse team and the other a two-horse
team, with household furniture, clothing
and provisions, to emigrate to Texas.
We travelled by wagon through Washing
ton, Hampstead county, Arkansas, and
| by way Of Fulton; thence through Nc
Kinney county, Texas. When within
five miles east of Jacksboro, Jack eoun-
ty, Texas, was walking ahead of the
wagons, when l called to father, Look
at the Indiansl Here they comet My
father jumped from the wagon, and said,
Right here will die.
Ny father and sister Sarah both had
two six.shooters each, and they fought
desperately. My father killed four In
dams and wounded several others. My
sister Sarah wounded seven Indians.
All were soon killed Of my family.
They were all scalped, the wagons cut to
pieces and burned up, the horses stolen,
and all the provisions, apparel, plumber,
ETC., destroyed. At the commencement
Of the firing / was cut of from the train,
and up my hands and surrendered.
The Indians tied me to the back of a
horse, and in this way was forced to
lay for four days. until they reached
their camp in the Wichita mountains.
was then taken from the horse and bound
with log-chain to plum tree, in front
of the chiefs camp. was kept tied to
this tree for one year; was fed generally
with raw meat, and was at times forced
to eat the parts of entrails of beef and
horses that were killed, and was choked
until / did eat.
After the arrest of Santanta and Big
Tree, | was released from the chain, and
was allowed to wander around the camps,
closely watched / stole 6ve-dollar
gold piece from the pocketbook of the
chief, and bribed one Of his squsws with
that money to get me an old hat, shirt
and pants, and made my escape that
night. ] walked all the way from Wichita
mountains; been one week and half on
the road; have not had anything to eat
until this evening for four days.
The Comanches have five thousand
warriors with them, and have made
treaties with other tribes in this settle.
ment. Where | was confined they had
about fifteen hundred families.
JAMES WILLIAM MCDANIEL.
His general appearance his familiarity
with the habits and conduct of the Co
manehes, his knowledge of their lam
guage, etc., would satisfy anyone that
his story is correct. he was cross ques-
toned by numerous parties, and all pro-
nounced his story true. He is now in
Sherman, Texas.