The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-11-06
Josephine Meeker's Story Of her Cap
tivity.
IChicago Tribune snecial1

ALAMOSA, SAN LUIS PARK, Colo,
October 29.-Mrs. Meeker, her daughter Jo-
sephine, end Mrs. Price and her two chill
dren have been detained here two DAYS on
account of Mrs. Meeker's illness, caused bv
nervous reaction, after a terrible Journey OF
800 miles on stages and Indian ponies, bare
back and with poor saddles, over mountains
and alkai deserts. During this ordeal she
was only half clad in calico dress and sin.
gle shawl, without blankets, and had only
bare ground TO sleep on in the Indian camps.
The party leave for Denver in day or two,
going thence to their home in Greeley.
MISS JOSEPHINE NIEEKER
was threatened with death, and her escape
was narrow. Her story contains the follow
ing account:
/ The first heard Of any trouble with the
Indians at nay fathers Agency was the firing
at Mr.. Price while he was blowing for Indi-
an crops according to Government instruc-
lions. The Indians had the idea, and said
that as soon as the land was plowed it would
cease to belong to the Utes. Two or three
councils were held, and an Indian woman
Jane, the wife of Panvirts, was the cause OF
the whole trouble.
The trouble seemed settled by two or three
councils, secretly however. The Utes were
I preparing for massacre, for just before
ESkridge left with the Indians a runner was
what | since learned was news OF soldiers
I fighting. Half an hour later 20 armed Indi-
ans came to the Agency from the camp Of
Douglass, and began firing.
THE MASSACRE BEGINS.
was in the kitchen with my mother,
washing dishes. 1t was after noon. | look
ed out of the window and saw the Utes
shooting the boys working on the new build
ing. Mrs. Price was at the door washing
clothes. She rashed in and took Johnnie, the
baby, to fly. We ran into the milk rOOm
which had only one small window, and lock-
ed the door, and hid under a shelf. The FIR
ing went on for several hours at intervals
There was no shouting, no noise, but fire.
quent firing. We staid in the milk-rOOm
until it began to fill with smoke. The sun
was half an hour high. i took Nav Price. 3
Years old, and we all ran to fathers room. II
was not disturbed. We knew the building
would be burned, and ran across Douglass Az
enue to field of sage-bTush beyond plowed
ground. The Utes were so busy stealing an
nuity goods they did not see us at first
About 80 of them, loaded with blankets
were carrying them toward Douglass camp
near the river
We had gone 100 yards when the Utes saw
us. They threw down the blankets and
came running toward us, firing as they came
Bullets whiZzed as thick as grasshOppers
around us. l do not think they intended tC
kill us-Only to brighten us. Motherwas hit
by bullet, which went through her under
clothing, and made flesh wound three inch
es long. As the Indians came nearer they
shouted,
GIVE NO SHOOT; COME TO U.s."
had little girl, and an Indian named Pur-
sumo said for me to go with him. He and
another Ute seized me by the arms and start
ed for the river. An UncOmpahgre Indian
took Mrs. Price and her baby, and moth
er was taken to the headquarters of Doug
lass.
The Indian Pursune took me where his
ponies were standing by the river, and seat
ed me on pile of blankets. Indians were
now on all sides. / could not escape. 1t
was now shutdown. Packing was finished
at dusk, and we started for the wilderness
of the south. l rode horse with saddle,
but no bride. The child was lashed behind
me. Pursune and his assistant rode each
side of me, driving pack mules ahead.
About twenty other Indians were in
the party. Mother came later, riding
bareback behind Douglass, both on one
horse. She was 65 years old, feeble in health,
wounded, and not recovered from broken
thigh caused by fall two years ago. Chief
Douglass gave her neither horse, saddle, nor
blankets. We followed the river, and, on the
other side, Pursune brought me hatful of
water to drink. We trotted along until 8
o'clock, when we halted for half-hour. All
the Indians dismOunted, and blankets were
spread upon the ground, and laid down to
rest, with mother lying not far from me.
Chief Douglass was considerably excited and
made speech to me with many gestures
and great emphasis. He recited his griev-
ances, and explained why the massacre be-
gun. He said ThOrnburgh told the Indians
he was going to arrest the head Chiefs, take
them to FIT. Steele, and put them in a Gala
boOse, perhaps hang them. He said my
father had written all the letters to the Dem
yer papers, and circulated wild reports about
what the Indians would Go, and was re-
sponsible for all the hostility against
the Indians among the whites
West. While Douglass was telling
this he stood in front Of Inc with his gun, and
his anger was dreadful. He said father had
always been writing to Washington. Then
he swOre fearful oath in English, and said
if the soldiers had not come and threatened
the Indians with Fort Steele and the Gala
boose, and threatened to kill other Indians
at White River, the Agent wouldn't have
been mastered. Then the brave Chief,
Douglass, who had eaten at our table that
very day, walked off a few feet, returned, and
placed his loaded gun to my forehead three
times, and asked me if / was going to run
away. l told him was not afraiG Of him
nor of death, and should not run away.
When he found his repeated threats could
HpI lIlHultn all lEC OlllcI luOlduS IlCu
on him and laughed at him, and made so
much fun he sneaked off and went over to
brighten my mother. All hands took drink
around my bed; then they saddled their
horses, and Pursune led my horse to me, and
knelt down on his hands and knees for me to
mount my horse from his back.
JOURNEYING INTO CAPTIVITY.
We urged our horses forward, and jour-
neyed in moonlight through to the Grand
Mountains with the Indians talking in low
tones among themselves. 1t was after mid
night when we made the second halt in a
deep and somber canyon. Mother was not
allowed to come up. Douglass kept her
with him, half a mile down the ravine. Then
the Squaws came, and laughed, and grinned,
and glbbered. When had lain down on the
blanket two sQuaws sang and danced fan
tastically at my feet. Other Indians stood
around, and when the women reached a GER
tain part of their recitative all broke into
laughter. Next day Pursune went to fight
the soldiers, and placed me in charge of his
wife with her three children. That same
day mother came up to see me in company
with little Indian girl. Wednesday, next
day, johnson went over to Jacks camp, and
brought back Mrs. Price and her baby to
live in his camp. He said he had
made it all right with the other UIteS.
We did not do any thing but be around
the various camps and listen to the talk of
the squaws whose husbands were away fight
ing the soldiers. ..r..
Sunday night Jack came, and made big
speech: also johnson. They said more
troOuS were COMING and rpcitpd what orders