The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-11-13
RESCUED FROM THE INDIANS.

RESCUED FROM THE INDIANS,
story Of the 14elsese OF tho women
and Chiidfen TSken CSftivSe ~ nc
Indians at tho white River Wass.-
cream Indian Woman Proves .
Faithful Friend, and Pleads for the
Prisoner i'm . Council Of WARRIOR
Slow the Prisoners Fared DURING
Their Captivity-Miss Meekerss De
nance Of Chief Douglass OF
The Women CaptlvestTheir Story
OF the Massatfe;
DENVER, Col, October q.
The following special has been re-
ceived by the Denver Tribune from Los
Pinos Agency, October rs, via Del
Norte, Col, 28th:
We this morning have had the best possible
evidence of the success IF General Adams in
captive women atid children who have been in
the hands of the hostile Indians since the
massacre of all the males at the White River
Agency on the 18th of September, on the
arrival in person of the recent captives, who
were Mrs. Meeker, Miss Josephine Meeker
Mrs. Price, and two children of Mrs. Price. They
came into the Agency quite early this morning
ullu WCTC, OI CUuTSc, TCCClNCu Uy inc Few white
people here, representatives Of the people Of
the entire country, with feelings of mingled
joy and gratitude, and sigh of relief at being
released from the terrible bondage which had
enslaved them. Among others who were here
to meet and welcome the captives was Ralph
Meeker, the only living son of Agent Meeker
who, as will be remembered, accompanied
Major Pollock on his Journey to this place
ton with the Major, had not General Adams
taken his departure before Major Pollock, Mr.
Meeker and your correspondent arrived.
will not attempt to describe Il meeting which
was so full of gladness, and ut the same time
by necessity, of sadness-a meeting full of Joy
on the part of the son and brother, of graft.
tude and Thanksgiving on the part of the
mother and sister, and yet full of sorrow in
the recollection of the fate of the husband and
father.
The ladies express themselves as most
thankful for their early deiyerancs , which
Said Mrs. Meeker, in speaking to your CORE
spOndent: :" hardly knew what to expect. AT
times the Indians almost ignored us, and went
our presence at all; again they jecred and
tainted and threatened us; at other times
they were comparatively pleasant. There was
but one who seemed determined to protect us
This was Susan, Johnsons wife, who has
shown herself, from the beginning to the end
of the troubles, woman of fine feeling, and
genuinely humane and kind in her disposition
Ser cer r rena hcr can never yer
ter, and our entire family. She is a good
woman. Yes, as to the threats" said she, be.
ing requested to proceed. we hardly expect.
ed again to see the faces of our friends in a
times were very Respondent indeed. We
hoped, and yet we feared, Mt all times. Some.
times one feeling was in the ascendant, and
the other. We believed we would
be held as hostages, and saw in this hope the
prospect of being surrendered to procure terms
for the Indians when it should come to the
settlement Of terms of peace: and, too, we be-
iieved our friends would do all in their power
to rescue us as soon as possible, but we feared
that the very effort to save us must be the
means of fastening our death. We heard of
the approach OF troops, and we were fear ear
zeal to ayenge the murders committed
by the Indians, and place the Indians in
such close quarters that they would be com.
They would have killed us before leaving us to
be rescued by the soldiers. Then, we never
knew but that some conflict with the soldiers
might cause the death of several Indians, in
which case we were fearful we would fall vic.
Tins to the Indians love of retaliation. We
were always fearful lest some savage ones OF
the tribe would kill us out of the mere desire
for blood, or the mere sport of the thing. In
fact, we thought our lives were subject to the
merest within of the savages. The treatment
which my daughter underwent at the hands OF
Chief Douglass is an illustration of what
than to ali Ths Is she tenor CT
Mrs. Meeker's language, but l do not profess
to give her exact words.
The entire story of the captivity is of inter
est. They were brought to Ouray's house by
Captain Klein, who resides near the Agency
and keeps a stage station, and Major Sherman
and Mr.. Saunders, who are connected with
the Agency, and who accompanied Genera
approached, which was noted by the Indians
they rushed the captives into a secure place
in the brush, where he could not see or heal
them. They were securely guarded while thu
Their camp was on tributary of the Crane
River. Of course the arrival of Genera
Adams was hailed with joy, but five long hours
them deliverance or he would be compelled te
go away and leave them with their hOrrii
captOrs. The council which succeeded Genera
Adams arrival lasted five hours, and was
part of the Indian orators who took part
There were two parties-a peace and wal
faction-and for while, war seemed bound t.
win the day. In the powwow,. Susan, the
sQuaw, who is referred to above, took lead
ing part in the controversy. and she raised hel
voice for peace, and she did good work. Susan
beside being Johnson 8 wife, is sister to the
aons yhe fnas1s she
posed to represent her brother in a measure
Her words were listened to with respect, and
were allowed to have their full weight. Not
outstanding her entreaties and Genera
Adams presentation of the case, it at one
time seemed as if the Indians would refuse alb
sOlutely to surrender their captives. They
were determined to keep and make the most
of them.
Susan was followed by her husband, John
son, who also made a speech advocating the
release of the captives-in fact, made a strong
appeal in favor of the women, setting forth
their great grief and the advantage to the In
dams in this release, which might secure
special consideration for them when it should
come to arranging a treaty. He quoted and
dwelt with emphasis on Ourays advice to the
Northern Utes. 1t was novel attempt, az
may well be imagined, to see squaw address
ing the hardy warriors. Susan has taken first
rank as leader among them. The instance
was the first one on record of sQuaw joining
an important council and taking prOminen,
part in it. As is well known, the Utes make
slaves of the women, and, so far as their cOun
ellis are concerned, impose the same silence or
them that st. Paul did. 1t is supposed that In
this case Susan was listened to because she
was supposed to represent Ouray, and to Ouray
the Indians now look to save them in prOcur
ing peace. AT any rate she obtained hear
ing, and she pleaded well. johnson, her hus
band, an influential Chief, is supposed to have
been brought over by her to the advocating OF
a peace policy, for, as he will be and has been
regarded as in large measure responsible fol
it, now to see him come boldly forward ano
lenient measures convinces one that
resolution is possible even among savages
Notwithstanding their eloquent appeals, how
ever, it is probable that the ladies would moi
his seat and told the Indians that they must
give an affirmative or he would give imme
date orders to the soldiers to pursue theil
own course toward the Indians They ther
promised to release the prisoners uncOndition
ally, with the hope that the General would use
his best efforts to prevent the invasion of the
soldiers for the present.
On the morning of the I'D inst, General
Adams started north to meet the soldiers, and
Mt the same SINE, the captives were permitted
to leave for the south. The Indians seemed
10th to have them depart until assurances hac
been given that Adams would prevent the sol
diers coming in; but none of their objections
were needed, and they marched on, crossing
the GunnisOn and coming up the UncOmpaghrt
till they reached Ourays house last evening
having been two days and one night on the
road.
The history of the prisoners during theil
captivity forms most pathetic chapter
After the killing of Agent Meeker the women
to escape into the brush from the
burning building. Mrs. Meeker was fired ut
with the result of a flesh wound in the hip
four inches in length. Miss Meeker ant
Mrs. Price were called to by Indians
" No shoot white woman; stop; Indian
no n hurt" They were mounted; Mis;
four years old, tied behind her; Mrs. Price
with her infant in her arms, and Mrs. Meeker
who is sixty-fOur years of age, and lame from
her wound. When they struck the camp Al
Mrs. Meeker was dismOunted ani
fell to the ground, unable to move, and the
Indians surrounded her and added to the mis-