The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-04-22
A STRANGE LIFE.
The History Of Benjamin CarutneIs,
Who, as a Sioux Indian, AEAscIsc
the 1elack Hills Thirty Years Ago.

Especial Correspondence OF tno lA1oA -Ooe"A1'I
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, March 81, 1878. S
The biography of the old man has no J
necessary connection with his useiul
knowledge of the Black Hills, but the b
moving incidents Of his life have direct /;
bearing on his entry into and his wander
inps over that lannon's region, and are,
moreover, so
STARTLING AND ROMANTIC
in their nature as to excuse their nara
ton at this place. l present a lengthy
interview. IN narrative form, and re-
corded substantially as uttered, the Ian
guage being changed only for the sake OF
brevity and perspicuity. III
NV name is Benjamin Caruthers; ana l
am now 50 years Of age, though l look
much older. In 1929 my father with his
entire family, consisting of my mother'
four sons, one daughter, and negro man.
moved from Copiah county, MISSISSIPPI |
to the then Mexican territory Oh Iexas' |
He settled west of all other white neigh
borhoods. near the confluence OF the
Brazos and Nevasota Rivers, IN what is
now. am informed, Grimes county. The
county was then an unbroken wilderness,
and no white family lived nearer than
forty miles of us. My father established
A small rancho there in the fall OF lo29,
and we lived without any trouble for near
" wear. In the fall Of 1880, a band OF
Comanches suddenly came upon US, in
the day time, and
MURDERED MY FATHER AND MOTHER,
nv three older brothers and the negro
man. was then fourteen years of age
and had sister one year older. For
%borv
and after burning our house and killing
all the stock in sight, took us with them
in north-westerly direction. The band
that had us captive gradually pursued
their way to the northwest and that
winter we spent near the boundary line
in the Ell Paso district. l had naturally
wild nature, and did not have much
hesitancy in adopting their ways and cos
tune. They required me to dress, ride,
and paint as they did.
MY SISTER JANE
was taken for wife by a chief whose
name was Te-wah- mich-na. or the Flying
Bear. For nearly four years we roame d
along the frontier of Texas, sometimes
making incursions down into Texas or 60
ing on long buffalo hunts in New Mexico.
/ learned to speak the language thor
oughly, as did my sister. She grieved
long time over her fate, but finally, CIV
ing up all hopes of seeing the whites
again. became reconciled and somewhat
attached to Indian life. When last saw
her was in or about 1884, in the spring
She was then mother of two children by
Flying Bear About that time / had {
personal difficulty with young Draw
about the possession Of pony, and IN
moment of rage
KILLED HIM WITH MY TOMAHAwK.
amounted the pony and flew away 70
my life. | went northward into tn
boundless sea of prairie, going at the to-
of my horses speed until darkness over
took me, and my beast fell exhausted.
knew l would be pursued, and my onl
hope was to distance my pursuers. Tn
Indian had killed was a great favorit
and son Of one Of our principal chiefs
slept all night on the prairie, and woke u
next morning and found my pony PEI
fectly fresh, grazing in the tall mosqui'
grass. You may ride an Indian pom
down to-day, and tomorrow he will pitc
with you. Fearing might be overtake
mounted in haste, and hungry M
thirsty, hurried away in norther
course. My hope was to strike son
other tribe Of Indians with whom mig
affiliate. knew if l succeeded in reac
ing the country above what is now Ariz
ma would fall in with the Apaches, wi
then roamed through that district.
had no thought nor desire Of reachi
white settlements. would have evad
them even if had had the chance,
thorough an Indian had l become.
travelled nearly six days without haltil
except to sleep, subsisting upon the &c
Of prairie hens, which found by dilige
search, together with the heavy top Sc
Of . peculiar kind Of grass which or
over that whole country, and which
Comanches called choppa.
After had been out six days l was
SIGHTED BY A BAND OF APACHEs,
who came upon me and made me prison
Ihad slnattering of their language. a
MANY Of them spoke Comanchc we'll. a
I did not have much difficulty in find
protection with them. l spent t
spring and summer with the Apacf
though l was treated something liz
slave. The next fall some of
Apaches made . long trip into the
north, taking me with them. 1t was
this trip that they met band of Sic
and
TWAS TRADED OFF
to the latter tribe for buffalo robes
spoke but little Sioux. but soon acqu
it. They, in short time, put me OF
equal footing with their braves, and
came for all practical purposes reg
Sioux savage. From this began
knowledge Of the Sioux, and subsequ
" of the Black Hills country.
grew to be q successful buffalo h
er, and was favorite upon all such
cursions. was known among then
an Indian name, which signifies
Jumper About 1887 married S
girl, daughter of one Of eur prime
chiefs. The winter Of 1888 about
only measured time by moons and l
lost the course Of the months and VI
re spent At the mouth of the "
Earth River, $50 miles from the B