The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-03-26

ca, 81; Stephen, 10; Johanna, Is;
Catherine, II; Sophia, IL: Julia {;
and Nancy, 5. This vas the party
that started on
THE FATAL JOURNEY
to Colorado. Thay had an orii
nary covered wagon. some proyis-
ions and an OK team. When they
arrived at Smoky Hill river, about
Ii miles south of he track of the
Kansas Pacific, and within 30
miles of IT. Wallace, they eueamp /
cd. They spent tbs night there,
and on the morning of Friday, /
September II, 1874, were up early .
and preparing to resume their
journey.
From this point forward it will
be more interesting 10 hear the
story from CatherIne's own lips,
being introdnce6ko Sc : &Sls. the
| reporter politely asked of them the /
particulars of the attack on them |
at Smoky Hill and the murder of |
their family. Catherine spoke as
follows, the language being hers, |
with few changes:
"Just as the sun WAS rising, and |
while engaged in driving the cat |
tie up the river bank towards the
wagon, 1 heard shots and wells, |
and, running closer, saw my faith |
er fall, shot through the back by
an Indian. I vas terribly frigh- |
tened, but I can never forget the
spectacle that there ensued.
MY BROTHER STEPHEN
was half a mile away hunting up
some stock, and he had q gun with |
him. AS poor father fell mother /
rushed towards him only to re-
ceive q shot from another Indian
who fired at her head, killing her
almost instantly My father was
not killed at once, for he moved |
his arm about as he was scalped |
by one of the party. They also
scalped my mother An old !
squaw picked up our AK and stuck
it in my fathers head, leaving it |
fixed in his skull. During the
time this was going on, one party
rode after Stephen and shot and |
scalped him. My sister, Rebecca,
made a brave defense with an AK,
she knocked down one of the In
dians and would have killed him
if she had not been tomahawked |
from behind. While half insensi-
BILE, and scarcely alive, the Indians
five or six of them-dispoiIed
her person, and after that they
scalped her. They then carried |
her near the wagon, tore off her
clothes, piled them up over her,
with some other things from the
wagon, and while she was still
alive set fire to the pile and
BURNED HER Up.
Here tho broken hearted Girl
broke down, and the reporter
waited some time before she
could proceed. Amid sobs and
tears, and in broken utterances,
she continued IS follows, occasion
ally assisted by Sophia:
"After all were killed but We
five sisters, they gathered around
US to see which one should be put
out of the way, as they said they
could only take tour slOng.
One Indian, who seemed to he al
chief, came up. and looked at DO
hanna and me, suddenly drew up
and shot sisters head off. l was
so frightened that / could not stir
for some time. As soon as they
got everything they wanted they
set fire to the wagon and killed
the cattle; then made Sophia and /
get on horses and tied us on, took
our two little sisters up in front
of them, and started eff as fast as
the horses could go, We travelled
all day, going due south, / should
judge. One squaw tried to save
Rebecca's life, but the Indian she
hit with an AK said he would hare
her scalp, ana so, she was shot.
SIN about a week when encamp-
ed on Wolf creek, the, soldiers
again made the Indians run. II
did not see them, but heard the
guns. All this time / was on
horseback, and q good deal OF the
time very sick; had to ride all the
time, and at night was
OFTEN WHIPPED
and beaten, because l could not
carry as much wood and water as
some of the squaE rs. All this time
l Was undec charge of Long
Back. At times I was nearly froz- |
en-, having nothing but a blanket |
to keep me warm at night. Some
times there would be foot of
snow on the ground, but they made |
me work just as hard. This was
about December 1st- My feet |
were frozen, and the nails of my
right foot all came off. In Janu- |
airy met sister Sophia for short |
time, and she told me we were
better to be killed"
zone Squaw was at times ve:y
kind to me, but all the rest used to |
strike me every chance they had. |
They used to paint me every |
few days. About
MONTH AGO
l was sure the Indians were going |
to surrender, at Stone Calf and |
Eagle Head, with their bands
Joined ours, and all started north.
1 did not see Sophia ali this time,
but knew she was near me, as the
squaw that had been good to me
said, Little sister with Stone
Calf At last Medicine Water
came to my lodge and told me l
was to be given up. Iasked him
to let me see Sophia, and he an
swered, Sister dead / did not
believe him, and one. day Stone
Calf told me she was alive and
well. About two weeks ago I saw .
four horse wagon coming toward
our camp, and as soon as it was
near enough 1 started to run out
and meet it. The Indians would
not let me, but made me go into .
tent. Soon Romeo came to me
and spoke to mein English. tt
was the first time / had heard
it for months. He said II
might go with him and he