Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1878-06-08
Especial Correspondence Of the St. Louis
G.o5e-Democrat

Especial Correspondence of the ST. Louis
.s G:oae.Democrat
NEW BRAryFELs, Texas, May 2l.-One OF
the most noted instances of captivity among
the wild, rowing tribes OF the Southwest has
just come TO light, and might wei! serve as
, the ground woTk OF another fresh, racy and
interesting yelow.coyered novel on the "Far
. Southwest" Ned RuBtlinc's widest TO
mances have been lately thrown in the shade
by the real adventures Of
'''''' LEHMAN BooKNEYER,
Who while lad Of IL years, was, in 1870,
( stolei, from his mother and family. residing
in Mason county, on the extreme frontier OF
Texas. AZ tue time the lad was carried
away by the savages, Mason county, situated
v On tho hcadwaters of the Llano river, a
western tributary Of the Colorado, was com,
plcte wilderness, inhabited by the buffalo,
the deer and bear, and the echoes of whose
soiitudes were frequently disturbed by the
whoop.of the savage and the unearihly yell of
the ComaDel,e. Bookmeyer's mother and
father lived IN a frontier hut on the very
verge, if not beyond the circle Of civilization.
1t was located on the rocky banks of pure
and beautiful brook that went babbling by,
S"u "uoSc souuS SiiucIcu ukc tilOSe Oh tnc
golden shores Of romance. 1t was retired
spot. shaded by lofty trees and shu, in by
rocks that rise like eternal walls around the
northern. horizon. Loyal Valley was its
name, and but for the terror OF the wild
beasts that ever threatened, and the stealthy
tread Of the remorseless savage, it might well
have ranked with the Happy Valley in winch
Foamed Rasselas, Prince Of Abyssinia.
n "A WOLF on THE FOLD"
The little family were happy, but a great
grief suddenly befell. One moonlight night
a band OF Apaches, fresh frorn the great
plains to the westward, suddenly swooped
down upon the little hut and its inhabitants.
what happened to Mrs. Bookmeyer is not
positively known, but the savages seized the
little Lehman. and, binding his hands, put
him on one Of their ponie. and carried him
away. Another boy, about the same aye Ms
biTself, was captured, but, while the party
were riding through the shadows and obscur.
ity Of rocky pass, he escaped aud returned
to his friends in the valley. Great was the
grief Of Lebmans mother, who loved him
ienderly, but now mourned him as lost. Her
thoughts for years ran on the unsolved prob.
lem, whether he had been basely murdered.
tortured to death, and his little body allowed
to lie unburied in the lonesome solitudes
Five, six, seven years passed away without
ever hearing Of her boy again. Finally she
CONCLUDED HE WAS DEAD.
One day, however, and it was a joyful one
for her, news was received that Lehman still
lived among the Indians, having now grown
into young man. Mrs. Bootmeyer, still re.
siding in Mason eopny-now settled up by
thrifty emigrants-at once made an ernest
appeal to one Of the most gallant United
States officers in the frontier service, Gen. Nc
Kenxie. He At once had the proper steps
taken. They resulted in the recap,ure Of
Lehman Bookmeyer, and his restoration to
HI. mother and family in Mason county.
II 50 bappened thar on ore occasion Gen.
Mckenzie's troops took 4 lot Of Comanche
bucks prisoners In the lot was Lehpan
Bookmeyer, whom Gen. Mckenzie imme.
liately turned over to his mother, in Loyal
Valley. Her JOY can be better imagined than
described. Alter being; carried of by the
Apache. far into me groat pains through
which flows the Rio Lccos, Lehman's captors
.ol,l him rs ,lave 10 The Comanrhes. The
'""i'is -...trr, 1851