The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-09
william Matthewson has Some of Colum-
bus' Experlences.

II is not known generally that Colonel
William Mathewson of this city once
played the role of Christopher Columbus
in this, that meeting was organized
against him. 1t would be hard to con-
ceive now that the counties of Kingman.
Sedgwick and Barber We're as trackless
thirty years ago as the ocean was when
Columbus crossed it. Such, however,
was the case.
1t was in 1867 that the big Indian
council was called for Medicine Lodge
and Mr.. Mathewson was detailed TO go
down in the Indian Territory, about
Washita, to gather UP some 800 rebel
iious Indians, who were camped there,
and bring them to the council.
Ii was a long, tedious and desperate
undertaking but Mr.. Mathewson was
equal, in knowledge and daring. TO such
service and when he returned to Wich-
ita. 10 rest few days before going to
Medicine Lodge, ne had with him a
wonderful assortment of living speci-
mems of savagery and poverty. When
he arrived in Wichita which, at that
time was an Indian camp with rev
traggling trappers and traders, he was
met here by party OF surveyors, news
paper Correspondents anu al etsN-, oii "a
whom were going to the big council at
Medicine Lodge Nobody was available
here at that time to convey them and
they asked permission to join MI.
Mathewson's outfit. Permission was
granted. Shortly after leaving Wichita
the smoke from a distant prairle hfe
darkened the sun and the strangers De-
came alarmed. At the end of the first
DAVIS Journey Colonel Smoote. the chief
of engineers, called at Mr.. Mathewson
tent. trailed by the correspondents and
artists. and wanted to know where they
were at
II am like the Indian, said MI.
Mathewson, that said he knew very
we'll where he was at but didh hho"
where his tepee was al.
AT noon the next day the smoke still
obscured the sun, and the colonel and
correspandents and artists again went to
Mr.. Mthewson and wanted TO know
something of their whereabouts. He
told them that he didn't know any way
10 tell them but that on the third night
ne would land them at the Indian coun-
Gil near Medicine Lodge.
They then and there started a reben-
ion. 1t might be called the mutiny or
the correspondents. the artists and the
surveyors. They went off by themselves
~
as the captain OF the outfit and install
in mis- stead an English speaking Mexi-
can who was with the Indians. They
went with proposals to this Mexican and
wanted him TO get the Indians to join in
the mutiny.
"Mathewson has the grub wagon
said the Mexican. land so long as that
is the case they will never desert him
1t was then proposed to take the grub
wagon away from Mathewson. but Col
oneI Ranks OF Lawrence who knew Mr..
Natheyson went and told him a bout the
mutiny.
Mr.. Mathewson in order 10 eliay all
fears made a map of every stream be-
tween Wichita and Medicine Lodge and
he gave this map 10 the mutineers with
marks on every stream where they would
camp whenever a halt was made. II
don't camp at these places on schedule
time" said Mr.. Mathewson, then you
can accuse me of leading you astray-
He did exactly what he said he would
do, but the nutineers stu believed that
ne was guiding them wrongly. Colonel
Smoote even gave him a compass but
Mr.. Marhewson threw il into a wagon
and Travelled along without watching il.
This disregard for the compass made
the mutinesrs hot again. but as the
Mexican refused 10 assume leadership
they could do nothing but nurse their
wrath. The third night came and Mr..
Mathewson ordered the camp to oe made
for the night. This was the night ne had
promised To land them in the military
and council camps a; Medicine Lodge
and when they saw nothing but the
bleak. bald gypsum mills around them
they were so terribly worked up that