Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1889-01-04
CAPTURED by INDIANS.
The Romantic History of n Mexican GEN
erals Step-Daughter.

INC hOnantic HtStOry OF MeAIchh oeh-
erals Step-Daughter.
Miss Jessie Lacomber, who Is making
a short visit to this city has a romantic
history. She is the step-daughter Of
General Lagreato, retired Mexican
officer, who became a citizen of the
United States many years ago.
Miss Jessie was stolen from her par
ents in 1871 by the Banitto tribe Of
Indians of Northern Idaho. For thir-
teen years her parents were unaware
of her whereabouts, and many times
had given her up for dead. The mat
ter was brought to the attention OF the
United States Government, and a search
began. General Sheridan was the man
selected to look up the case, and after
a protracted investigation, in which
the department at Washington ex-
pended many thousands of dollars, and
during which many lives were lost, she
was rescued August 7, 1884. The guide
whom General Sheridan employed
during his search was the famous Dosh
Kensington, great Indian scout and
frontiersman.
Miss Lacomber is a woman perhaps
twenty-six years Of age, and although
giving no evidence of careful education,
is quite intelligent, and is not in any
wise reticent about relating the history
of her captivity. When she had ar
rived at the age of thirteen, one of the
chiefs of the Banittos decided that he
would make her his wife. She indig-
nantly refused, declaring that she
wished to go back to her parents.
In order to force her to marry the
copper-colored Captain the Indians
resorted to easy methods Of torture,
but, finding it impossible, gradually
increased the dose. AS evidence of
the ordeal which she suff cred, Miss
Lacomber now exhibi is sixteen wounds,
the result of knife gashes on her per-
son. Finding they could not prevail
upon her to comply, the barbarians
forsook their brutal methods and for
the remainder of her stay contented
themselves in keeping a strict watch
upon her movements.
After being rescued Miss Lacomber
went to her home only to find that her
father had been killed by Mexicans
along the Rio Grande for participating
in clearing some renegades from Texas.
Since that time she has busted her.
self in travelling among her friends,
and is now going to Washington to as
certain if she can get some indemnity
at the hands OF the Government.
Kensington, the scout, has history
which, while not as thrilling as his
lady companions contains many points
of interest. He is u typical Westerner.
He was born in Colfax, Col, and his
parents were killed, while he was an
infant, by the Modocs. Dosh was taken
n prisoner and kept until he was ten
Colonel Cheatham and placed in the
Government school at San Francisco,
where he remained four years.
For sixteen years he was in the en-
ploy of the Government, and was with
General Custer just previous to the
battle with Sitting Bull He was sent
with orders to Reno just before the
massacre, and while he was absent the
fight occurred. He started with Gen
eral Grant on his tour around the
world, but was summoned back from
London. He accompanied White Cloud,
Big Bear and Golden Eagle, of the
Umatilla tribe, to arrange for the
transfer of their reservation to the
Government. After this duty was COM
menced he was assigned to duty in the
moonshine districts in Kentucky and
Tennessee Since that time he has
performed various duties for Uncle
Sam. omaha (Neb.) Cor. N. Y. Jour
nal.