The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-11-01
A CAPTIVE'S STORY.
AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW
Miss meeker's Description OF the
Capture, Detention and Release
OF the White River Sur,
vlvors, Etc.

Meeker, MISS Josie Meeker ana hrS
Price, accompanied by Mr.. Ralph
Meeker, arrived on the evening express
from the south last night, and were
driven in a carriage to the Alvord
House, Mr.. W. B. Sperry, proprietor
OF the hotel, who extended the hospital
tiles of the house by telegraph, and hav-
ing received an acceptance, met them
at the depot and saw them comfortably
roomed. A large company of ladies
and gentlemen assembled in the halls of
the hotel, as the agency survivors
passed to their rooms, and disposition
to cheer their arrival was only checked
by the thought Of suffering through
which safety had been reached. A
warm supper, bounteously served, was
partaken of in the dining room by all
except Mrs, Meeker, who drank cup
of tea in her room and then sought her
bed. Miss Meeker and Mrs. Price re-
mained up for some hours and enter
tained large number of callers, most
ly ladies in the hotel, and including
reporter for the Tribune.
The reporter felt some reluctance at
entering the private apartment, having
been informed that Mrs. Meeker had
retired. But upon mentioning the
name of the paper represented the door
was quickly opened and cordial well
come extended.
nf 1xn TIL mill lxa
interested in the description of the at
tire worn by the ladies'.
Miss Josie's costume was the most
striking. Her dress was made Of an In.
dian blanket, plain skirt, and long
jacket waist with tight sleeves. The
blanket stuff was dark brown, the
broad yellow stripes in the goods acting
as border around the bottom of the
dress and the flowing waist. Her feet
were incased in moccassns, and by her
side lay broad white sombrero. Miss
Meeker, though by no means hand
some young Lady, is bright and attract
i've in appearance. She is a blonde, and
naturally of fair complexion, though
now sunburned. Her hair is cut short
to the neck, a sacrifice, she says, made
at the agency some months ago, as it
was an Inconvenience.
Mrs. Price is young lady yet.
Though but twenty-three years of age,
she las been married eleven years. She
is u neutral, naturally bright and act
i've, but just now the death of Ter hus-
band and her terrible experience has
subdued her. Mrs. Price was dressed
in plain wooden dress, which she said
she wore when taken captive. She.
however. exchanged it for blanket"
dress, similar to that worn by Miss
Meeker, and saving it, resumed it
when she reached Alamosa. Mrs. Price
also Wore a sombrero. .
Mrs. Meeker wore, when she arrived.
long wrapper and hood, with which
she was provided at Los Pinos.
The two little children, May and
Johnnie, Wore their agency clothes,
sadly tattered and torn.
The reporter, in conversation with
the ladies, learned that the 'blanket'
suits of Miss Meeker and Mrs. Price
were made by them while in camp on
Grand river. their captors furnishing
the material, thread, needles, etc.
Mrs. Meeker is recovering rapidly
from the severe strain upon her mental
and physical system, and as she said
last evening, is beginning to feel as
though she was safe asd in the hands of
her friends. 1t was not until she was
on the cars yesterday that the old lady
appeared to realize that the horrors
were past, and that she should feel
thankful over deliverance. She was in
dazed and confused condition for
days after her release. Mrs. Meeker
relates one. circumstance which has
not been made public. During her res
idence at the agency she gave great care
to young son of Chief Douglas, pet
ting him, clothing him, and teaching
him to read and write. During her
captivity she was brutally treated by
this ungrateful young savage, who spit
on Eer, ieered at her. and finally one
night, while Mrs. Meeker was asleep,
stole her pockethandkerchief, the only
article except her underclothing the
old lady possessed. Mrs. Meeker is
suffering from a severe cold which has
extended all over her, and she was
rather feverish last evening".
Miss Meeker is quite chatty, SO to
speak, and SO elated over her escape
that her spirits are rather high. When
Questioned as to her experience in gen.
eral, Miss Meeker responded lightly,
'oh, we had an easy enough time Of II
"a better time than the people Of
sreeley; that is. we girls did. The
squaws did not treat US bad, and the
weather was pleasant. But mother
uid not fare so well, because she was
oid' you know. Mrs. Price and I hsd
saddles. but mother had only blankets
1hey were not going to give her stir
,ups, but said they had to. In camI
worked all the time, and so did Mrs
rrice. We baked and sewed, and KEEP
as busy, cheerful and Indifferent as W.
souid. Besides making myself som'
siosnes made a lot of clothes for tn,
yonng Indians. at which they we're wei
pleased. The Indians said we woult
10 Kept there all winter, and SO. whil'
expected that such would not he tb,