The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1893-09-20

PULLED OUT HAIR BY HAIR.
A Curious Story of Jealousy and In
dian Cruelty.

A Curious Story Of Jealousy and In
dian Cruelty.
Oklahoma Letter in the Philadelphia Times.
Living near this town is woman
whose perfectly bald head tells curious
story of jealousy and Indian cruelty. In
1859 Oswald Thurwald, Swedish farm
er, had home in the Territory close to
the Texas border, and his family con-
sisted of his wife, two daughters and a
son. The Indians seemed friendly, pass
ing over the Thurwalds ever when slay-
ing the other settlers about and frequent
ing their place to sell their wares and to
purchase such goods as Thurwald
brought out from the states for barter.
He was rapidly growing rich and had
made his preparations to move to Dali
las, where he intended to extend his
business, when. the tradgedy occurred
that destroyed his home and scattered
his family.
II seems that the chief of the Tonkawa
Indians, who visited that part Of the
country from the south on raiding expe-
ditions, had seen Elsa, the oldest daueht-
er, and fancying her, offered to buy her
Of her father. But Thurwald, though
fond of money, refused, which gave
great offense to the chief. Returning
home, he melted his people against the
Thurwalds, and the following spring
they made an attack on him. He and
his son succeeded in escaping, but the
wife and younger daughter, though they
eluded capture the first few days, We're
overtaken finally. Mrs. Thurwald sank
Under the fatigue Of her hasty flight
through a rugged country and when the
Indians came up with them it was to
find the girl holding her mother in her
arms, the poor woman having just expir-
ed.
The next day the girl herself, tagging
on the march from an arrow wound in
her ankle, was shot in the presence Of
her sister, who had been seized and held
from the moment of the attack till now
She was taken to village and given into
the charge OF the squaws until the men
should have returned from the war trail.
In the meantime the Kickapoos de-
clared war on the Tonkawas and raided
the village, when Elsa Thurwald was
carried of with such of the Indian wom-
en- as were spared as slaves The Ton
kawas on returning found the smoking
remains of the house and started after
the despoilers, overtaking them close to
the Colorado, where an obstinate battle
ensued, but both sides then consented
TO truce. The chief of the Kickapoos,
however stipulated that the white wom-
an should be given him. This was OPP
posed by the Tonkawa chieftain, who
claimed her by right of priority. This
brought on quarrel, which was termi-
mated by hand.to-hand fight between
the rivals, resulting in the chief of the
Tonkawas being killed and the bone of
contention falling to the victor.
He carried her home and conhded her
to the care of his squaw, with the injunc-
ton that il she were injured in any way
the life of the woman would pay for it.
But, fired by jealousy for her successor,
the woman took advantage OF her lords
absence to wreak her vengeance on the
detested object. Binding her to tree,
she deliberately pulled out the unfortu-
nate beauty's hair, thread by thread.
This torture lasted several hours, until
the white woman's head was covered
with blood and she shrieking with agony.
When the chief returned and learned
what had occurred he ordered the witch
burned at the stake. She escaped into
the bush, but was recovered and the
sentence executed. Thurwald had now
died, but his son, hearing of his sister
being in the hands OF the Indians, orga-
nized rescuing party and succeeded in
liberating her, after Is months OF cap
tivity. Her head took weeks to heal,
and it is thought her mind was affected
by her savage treatment, though in 1875
she married farmer in this vicinity.
Her hair has never grown again.