The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-29
ROMANCE or AN ABDUCTION.
Strange Adventures of a Man Who Was

Strange Adventures of q Man Who Was
Stolen by the Indians When a Child
There is a barber named Henry Petit
who has rare tale of adventure to tell
concerning himself, OF how he was stolen
when four years old by the Indians, and
how be finallS found his father. Petit
was born in 1888 at the Indian trading post
near Huron. Mich, where his father had
an exchange store and was patronized by
the Indians.
In 1912 Turkey Foot, chief of the Black
Creek Indians, got into a difficulty with
the father of Petit, claiming that he had
given him wildcat" dollar in making
change. This WIS denied by Petit, who
would not take back the money. The In
dian went away mad, and vowing that he
would get even The Indians about this
time sold their lands about Port Huron,
and were being removed TO a reservation
near the present city of Sandusky. This
Indian at once executed plan to get re-
venge on Petit.
The night before Turkey Foot left be
stole the boy in this manner: He found
out that Petit was not at home one night,
and he entered the house about midnight
Walking lightly across the floor he jerked
the sleeping babe from the arms Of the
mother, who awoke In alarm, only TO find
that her baby was gone. A diligent search
failed TO find a trace OF the missing boy
and he was given up as dead. The Indian
took the lad, now four years old, 70 Ohio,
where an old squaw took charge of him.
There was a white man with the tribe
named Timothy Croker, whom the In
dams sent back 70 Port Huron 70 tell Pet
tit that his boy bad died in Canada. Thus
the parents were made to believe that their
boy was dead. The lad lived with the
Indians until eleven years old, when a man
named Howser, of Williamsport, Pa, who
was among these Indians, bought the boy
for a small consideration and took him
back TO his home. The boy there learned
the BARRIERS trade. but as to where the
Indians got him he could not remember
He was sent to school at Republic, o.
where he received n license TO teach he
was there going by the name Of Timothy
Croker. and in 1856 be was married to
Miss Cstharine Eckert, who lived az Del
phi. this state, where he purchased bar
Der shop.
When the war commenced ne enlisted
in the Ninth Indiana infantry While
this regiment was with Sherman Ia the
march % the sea- and ia Alabama.
"Croeksr" was approached by man y no
asked him his name "Croczer" told bin.
and the man denied i, saying that be was
the very counterpart OF Mr Pete8t, AZ
Port Huron, Mich; that be must be the
missing son, long since supposed 20 be
dead. The stranger took the name Of the
town where Croker lived. and told him
that when the war closed proof would -
presented showing that Timothy Croker
was Henry Petit. tbs son Il EAward
Petit.
After the war Croker settled AZ
Westville, near Ia Porte. where be soon
heard from the mysterious person w8o had
told him such . strange sfory y lille IN the
army. THIS WIS soon followed By q tsle-
gram from Edward Petit u PoT& Huron,
MICA, saying. Come 81 once and loae 20
time '-Crccker" went, hardly knowlng
what 20 think would bs the outcome q bis
trip he arrived a. Port Hnrou. AID upou
Stepping from the train be net kis father
face 70 facs-cwo men almost the exzC.
image Of each Other. There cosld u 10
nisiaking the tart thai ore was the father
and the ether TIE soa- The Eap.her lad
died zsany yeAzz b<aOrs---Cor- Indianapolis