The Indianapolis journal., 1893-10-15
STORY OF INDIAN TORTURE.
Swedish Woman's Hair Deliber-
ately Pulled Out Thread by Thread.
Fort Worth CTexl (.azatfe


Fort Worth CTex) Gazette.
Living near Oklahoma i. t. is woman
whose perfectly bald head tells a curious
story of jealousy and Indian cruelty. In
1850 Oswald Thurwald, a Swedish farmer,
had home in the Territory close to the
Texas border, and his family consisted of
his wife, two daughters and a son. The In
dians seemed friendly, passing over the
Thurwalds. even when Staying the other
settlers about, and frequented their place to
sell their wares and purchase such goods as
Thurwald brought out from the States for
barter. He rapidly growing rich, and
had made his peparations to move to Dali
las. where he intended to extend his busi-
ness. when the tragedy occurred that de-
stroyed his home and scattered his family
1t seems that the chief of the Tonkawa
Indians, who visited that part of the coun-
try from the South on raiding expeditions.
had seen Elsa, the elder daughter, and fam
cying her. offered to buy her of her father
But Thurwald, though fond of money, re-
fused which gave great offense to the chief.
Returning home he melted his people
against the Thurwalds, and the following
spring they made an attack him. He
and his son succeeded in escaping, but the
wife and younger daughter though they
eluded capture the first few days. were
overtaken finally. Mrs. Thurwald sank un-
der the fatigue of her hasty flight through O
rugged country. and when the Indians came
ing the mother in her arms, the poor wom-
an having just expired.
The next day the girl herself, tagging on
the march from arrow wound in her an
kle, was shot in the presence of her sister,
who had been seized and held from the mo-
ment of the attack till now. She was taken
to a village and given into the charge of
the squaws until the men should have re-
turned from the war trail.
In the meantime the Kickapoos declared
the Tonkawas, and raided the viii
lage, when Elsa Thurwald was carried off
with such of the Indian women as. were
spared slaves. The Tonkawas return
ing, found the smoking remains of the
houses, and started after the dsSpoIers,
oyertaking them close to the Colorado.
where an obstinate battle ensued, and both
sides then consented to a truce. The chief
of the Kickapoos, however, stipulated that
the white woman should be given to him.
This was opposed by the Tonkawa chief
tain, who claimed her by right of priority.
This brought on quarrel, which was ter
minated by a hand-to-hand fight between
the rivals, which resulted In the chief of
the Tonkawas being killed and the bone of
contention falling TO the victor
He CARRIED her home and confded her to
the care OF his squaw, with the injunction
that if 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 OBJ
ject. Binding her to a tree, she deliberately
pulled out the unfortunate beauty's hair,
thread by thread. This torture lasted sew
eral 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. organized a rescuing
party and succeeded in liberating her,
after eighteen months Of captivity. Her
head took weeks to heal, and it is thought
her mind was affected by the savage treat
ment, though In 1875 she married farmer
in this vicinity. Her hair has never grown
again.