The Osceola times., 1879-11-22
.IOSIE's STORY.
4 Tale Of Captivity I'm the Hands Of the Hos
tile Utes, rs told by Miss Jose
phiue Meeker.
Chicago Tribune.


ALAaosa, SAN LUIS PARK, Col, Oct.
a9.-Mrs. Meeker, her daughter, Jose
mime, and Mrs. Price and her two chill
dren have been detained here two days
on account Of Mrs. Meekers illness
caused by nerv ous reaction, after terri.
ble Journey Of 800 miles on stages and
Indian ponies. bareback and with poor
saddles, over mountains and alkali des-
erts. During this ordeal she was only
half-clad in calico dress and n single
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 Meeker WAS threat
ened with death and her escape was
narrow.
The first heard Of any trouble with
the Indians at my fathers agency was
the firing at Mr.. Price while he was
blowing for Indian crops according to
Government instructions. The Indians
had the idea, and said, that as soon as
the land was plowed it would cease 10
belong TO the Utes. Two or three coun-
ellis were held, and an Indian woman,
Jane, the wife of Panvitt, was the cause
of the whole trouble.
The trouble seemed settled by two or
three councils, secretly, however. The
Utes were preparing for a massacre, for
lust before Eskridge left with the In
dams, runner was seen rushing up to
the tent of Douglass with what | since
learned was news of soldiers fighting.
Half an hour later twenty armed lndi-
ans came to the Agency from the camp
of Douglass, and commenced firing.
was in the kitchen with my mot ther
washing dishes. 1t was afternoon. and
looked out of the window, and saw
the Utes shooting the boys working on
the new building. Mrs. Price was at
the door washing clothes. She rushed
In and took Johnnie, the baby, to fly.
We ran into the milk room which had
only one small window, and locked the
door, and hid under shelf. The firing
went OH for several hours at intervals.
There was no shouting, no noise, but
frequent firing. We staid in the milk
room until 1t began to fill with smoke.
The sun was half an hour high. took
May Price, three years old, and we all
ran TO fathers room. II was not dis
turbed. We knew the building would
be burned, and ran across Douglass ave-
nue. TO field of sage brush beyond the
plowed ground. The Utes were so busy
stealing annuity goods they did not see
US at first. About thirty of them, loaded
with blankets, were carrying them to-
ward the river.
We had gone 100 yards when the Utes
saw us. They threw down the blankets
and came running toward MS, firing as
they came Bullets whizzed as thick rs
grssshoppers around us. do not think
they intended to kill us--only to fright
en- us. Mother was hit by bullet,
which went through her undertaking
and made flesh wound three inches
long.
As the Indians came nearer they
shouted, I'VE no shoot; come TO u.s."
had little girl, and an Indian named
pursune said for me 10 go with him. He
and another Ute seized me by the arms
and started toward the river. An I'm
compahgre Indian took Mrs. Price and
her baby, and mother was taken to the
headquarters of Douglass.
The Indian Pursune took me where
his ponies were standing by the river,
and seated me on pile of blankets In
dams were now on all sides. ! could not
escape. II was now sundown. Packing
was finished at dusk, and we started for
the wilderness of the south. | rode n
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 theparty. Mother
came later, riding bareback hehind
Douglass, both on one horse. She was
"a 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 trot-
ted along until o o'clock, when We halt
ed for half.hour. All the Indians dis
mounted, and blankets were spread up
on the ground, and laid down to rest,
with mother laying not far from me.
Chief Douglass was considerably excited
and made speech to me with many a
gesture and great emphasis. lie recited
his grievances, and explained why the
\
told the Indians he was going to arrest
the head Chiefs, take them TO 1T. Steele,
and put them in calsboose, perhaps
hang them. He said my father had
written all the letters to the Denver
papers, AM circulated wild reports about
what the Indians would do, and was re-
sponsible for all the hostility against the
Ind ans among the whites of the West.
While Douglass was telling this he stood
in front of me 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
il the soldiers had not come and threat
ened the Indians with Fort Steele and
the calaboose, and threatened TO kill
other Indians at White River, the agent
wouldn't have been massacred. Then
the brave Chief, Douglass, who had eat
en- at our table that very day, walked of
a few feet, returned, and placed his load
ed gun to my forehead three times, and
asked me IL was going to run away.
told him was not afraid of him nor OF
death, and should not run away. When
he found his repeated threats could moi
frighten me, all the other Indians turned
upon him and lauged at him, and made
30 much fun he sneaked off and want tc
ffighten 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.
We urged our horses forward, and
journeyed in moonlight through TO the
Grand Mountains, with the Indians
talking in low tones among themselves
Il was after midnight when we made the
second halt in a deep somber canon.
Mother was not allowed to come up.
Douglass kept her with him, half mile