Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-05-13
Captive Among the Comanches.

A young Texan who was captured by
the Comanche Indians about year ago
gave the following account OF his expert
ences recently to a correspondent OF the
Galveston NeDS:
was trying to get five beef steers
back to the herd early one morning last
May, when / was suddenly surrounded
by about twenty five Comanche Indians,
and taken prisoner. This happened near
sunrise was tied on my horse and
carried some thirty miles that day. AT
night we arrived at sort OF camp,
where we joined fifty more Indians, and
found they had another white man
prisoner. | was not allowed to speak
with this man, but could see from the
blood on his face and clothes that he was
wounded AS soon as the Indians had
kindled q fire and eaten some meat they
began to torture this second prisoner,
though for what reason / have never
learned. They beat him with cartridge
box strap with large buckle on the end
of it, after stripping him of his clothes.
They cut gashes on him with knives.
They sawed off his thumbs with an old
cavalry saber, and mashed his toes be-
tween rock and the butt end of car
bine. After gouging out some of his
teeth with bayonet, and sticking cactus
thorns in his flesh, they poured powder
in his ears and burnt it. All this time
the man did not complain or cry out, as
he probably expected by his fortitude
to induce the Indians to spare his life.
But In this he was mistaken, for they,
finding that he did not complain at all
these tortures. began to cut pieces of
flesh out of his legs and back and eat
them; or at least pretend to eat-I think
they only chewed up the flesh and spit 1t
out. Seeing that all OF this torture did
not make him cry out flor he had
fainted), the chief stepped up with a
sharp knife and cut out one of his eyes,
and put live coal of fire in the socket,
and then put an end to his life with a
knife.
The Indians then had grand dance.
| was led to a small tree. had no water
or anything to eat for thirty-six hours.
The next day about midday the party
moved in northwest course, travelling
about twenty miles; and after this we
moved in northwest course about 300
miles, where we met several large par
ties of Indians, some of whom had been
on raids in Northern Texas. remained
in that section of country with the Co
manches, and was kept employed mostly
herding ponies, and sometimes dressing
deerskins and buffalo hides. My clothes
were all taken away from me few days
after was captured, and / had only
pair of drawers and blanket afterward.
/ often had TO eat raw venison, and buff
falo meat without salt. After 1had been
with the Indians some six months they
ceased to treat me as prisoner, and
was allowed 10 go some distance from
the camp think it was about the 1st
of February left them. ] was herding
ponies, and was allowed to ride one of
the best without saddle. The second
night took my buffalo robe and used it
as a saddle, filed sack with dried meat,
and struck for the settlements, which /
reached toward the last of the month,
/ sold my horse and buffalo robe, and
collected three months pay that was due
me at the time Twas captured; andnow,
with Gods help, shall keep out of the
way of the Indians hereafter.