Richland beacon., 1880-08-28
THE OSAGE CAPTIVE.

THE OSAGE CAPTIVE.
= Many years ago Charles Hamilton set
tied in the northeastern part Of Missouri
Territory, at point considerably in ad
vance of the line of settlement and from
tier posts. He was widower. with but
one child, a bright-eyed daughter, about
a dozen years Of age, who frequently
visited the nearest settlement, where she
. soon became we'll known aud equally
well loved by the settlers.
During these early days this portion
of Missouri became thckly infested with
horse-thieves. I The headquarters of
hnds were somewhere in the neighbor-
hood, although the most diligent search
failed to trace the criminals to their
hiding place.
1t was long time before they gained
any clew as to the identity of the mis-
creants; but one night, when one Of the
old settlers was returning to his home
late, he was set upon by party of
dozen men, and deprived of the young
mare that he was driving. The old
gentleman had been hunter in his
young days, and kept his eyes and ears
open. The result was the discovery
that the band of horse-thieves was moth
ing less than party Of Usage Indians,
whose main village was about fifty miles
to the northwest.
A few days later an Usage warrior
named KOwah was captured, as he was
hunting in the woods near the settle
ment. He was instantly seized, dis
armed and marched to the village, where
o council was at once called to determine
what should be done with him.
The community were III such state of
evaporation that they were ready to do
anything except to listen to reason.
Many were in favor of shooting him, for
they considered it unquestionable that
the color of his skin decided his guilt
but the more conservative advocated
giving him severe whipping.
Young Marian Hamilton was in the
settlement, and when the young warrior
was publicly cowhided in the village,
she stood by pleading that the cruel
punishment might be stopped. The In
dian turned his dark eyes upon her with
q curious look, but never uttered a
word. He stood the punishment With
The stoicism peculiar to his race, anc
when they had finished he took his gun
and walked as unconcernedly away as if
he was just starting upon some hunting
expedition.
Reaching the edge of the settlement,
he wheeled with the quickness of light
ming, and shot dead the man who had
inflicted the degrading punishment.
As soon as the first shock was over q
half dozen started in pursuit but none
eQualed him in fieetness of foot, and he
speedily disappeared in the woods.
Shortly after this unfortunate occur
renee another discovery was made. The
horse-thieves were not Osages. The old
hunter had naturally fallen into the er-
rOr from the tact that the men who
robbed him were disguised as Indians,
while the only one who spoke word at
ell was half-breed named Wentz, who
belonged to party of outlaws that had
their headquarters somewhere in the re-
ceases of vast swamp score Of miles
10 the west.
But it was too late to remedy the
wrong inflicted by the whites. An In
aiaI ;.e?er forgets nor forgives an iu-
jury, and war lit up the whole frontier.
Many abandoned all to take refuge il
thickly-settled parts but, in spite of TIE
warnings of his friends, Marians fathe'
refused to change his abode, affirming
that, as he had not injured the redskins
they would not iniure him. Terribly
was lie mistaken.