Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-01-10
JOSEPHINE MEEKER.
The story Of Her Capture and Cruel Treat
ment by the Indians

The story 81 Her Capture and Cruel Treat
ment by the Indians
Miss Josephins G. Meeker died o.
pnucmonin saturday ut Washington
/ where she was clerk in the office o.
! the secretary Of the interior. Miss
Meeker IL the daughter of y. G,
Meeker who was tortured aud Killed
by the Indians in 1879. Mr.. Meeker
was the agent at the Ute reservation
and was Killed at the massacre of
White River, his wife and daughter
and Mrs. Price, the only women at
the agency, were taken prisoners. The
history OF Miss Mceker and her COM
panions during their captivity forms u
story Of pathetic interest. After the
killing of Mr.. Meeker, the women at
tempted to escape into the brush while
the Indians were reveling about the
burning buildings OF the agency,
but theywere detected and fired at, Mrs.
Meelxer receivinga flesh wound in the
thigh. Miss Mecker and Mrs. Price
were then called to: Indians no shoot
white woman. stop! Indians no
hurtlr Their captors then mounted
them on ponies. Miss Meeker with
Mrs. Prices four year-old child behind
her, Mrs. Price with her infant in her
arms and Mrs. Meeker, who was then
sixty-four years old, lame from her
wound. When they struck camp at
midnight, Mrs. Meeker was dis
mounted and fell TO the ground unable
to move, and tile Indians surrounded
her and added to her misery by jeering
and haunting "the old white squaw."
The next morning the women were
separated, one being given to each of
three chiefs. The suticrings of the
three unfortunate women during
their captivity were most shock
ing. They were submitted to
various indignities and abuse, and
suffered greatly from neglect On one
occasion Chief Douglas threw down
some blankets and compelled Miss
Meeker to dismOunt, saying that they
were going TO camp. He then said
they We're going TO stab them, and ex-
hibited knives they said they intended
to use for the purpose. He next placed
u musket at Miss Mecker's head and
said Indian going to shoot" But
the courageous girl never tiinched,
and laughed at the burIy savage. He
asked her il she was afraid, and her
ready response, 81 am not afraid of
Indians or DEATH" elected the admit
ration of the Indians. They turned
upon Chief Douglas with derision,
and he SUNK from the presence of the
brave woman Miss Meeker's bravery
and courage no doubt saved the lives
of the three unfortunate women, for
after this they received better
treatment. They were afterward res
cused by Gen. Adams, and comforta-
bly, provided for. Miss Meeker re-
ceived kindness from many admirers,
and as she and her mother were left
without means she was given the
clerkship which she held at her death.
AT the time of her arrival ut Denver
after her rescue from the Indians she
was described as though by no means
u handsome young woman, bright and
attractive in appearance. She was "a
blonde, and naturally of fair complex
ion, though sun-burned. Her hair
was cut short To the neck, and she
was attired in a dress made of yellow
and brown Indian blankets. Upon
her entrance into civilization she zap
idly acquired the arts of society, and
became popular among esaniates, who
held her in high esteem for her admir-
able personal qualities. Chicago