The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-26
ABDUCTED BY INDIANS
HOW A THREE-YEAR-OLD BOY WAS
STOLEN THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO.
Remarkable story of the wanderings
Of Albert Smith, and How He Sc
cured Trace of His Family.

TRAVERSE CITY, Micn., Nov. 25.-Al-
bert. the three-year-old son of Lyman
Smith,, Grand Traverse county pioneer.
whose log cabin stood in a little clearing
near the north end of Silver lake, six
miles south Of here. disappeared on the
evening of July %, 1861. The boy had been
playing In the yard near the lake, and no
trace could be found of him. Various the
cries were advanced to explain his disap-
pearance. One was that bears had eaten
him; another that he had been drowned
and still third that he had wandered
away into the woods and been lost. After
thirty-five years the mystery has been
solved. The boy was stolen by Indians
John Pulcipher, a young man living with
his parents a few miles from the Smith
place, was among those who Joined i'm the
search for the lost boy. He employed the
Indians about his farm, and was on friend
ly terms with the redmen. To him. after
several years, they told the secret of the
disappearance of the boy. Their story was
that there was to have been an Indian
rising. An Indian named Whitefoot came
here to sound the war cry He stayed here
for some time. but his mission failed and
In anger he departed, swearing vengeance.
His trail for home skirted the Smith place,
on the border of Silver lake, and as the
warrior passed he abducted the little boy
That the story was true has just been
proved by the return of the abducted boy
now broad-shouldered man of thirty-eight
years.
Early last summer Governor Rich re-
ceived a letter from the West stating that
boy had been stolen by Indians from
northern Michigan early in the sixties. and
asking assistance in finding his parents.
The letter was published In the papers.
Pulcipher read the letter. and this has
led to the return of the boy. Albert Smith
is now with his mother and family at Silver
lolro lie foil tod In
Smiths recollections of his abduction are
very dim. He knows, however, that 1t was
Whitefoot who stole him away: He was
taken to Port Huron. and lived with the In
dians there and at Sarnia until they mi
grated to the Northwest. For fourteen
years the Indians, Chippewas and Cam
adian Sioux, lived a rowing life, with an
occasional foray against the whites and
all these years the young captive lived as
In their wanderings. In 1876 trouble arose
between the whites and the Indians, and,
tired of his wild life. Smith endeavored to
give information to the United States
Gated. His treachery was discovered. He
was tied to a stake and the fire was lighted
about him. and then the Indians were
Obliged to hurry away to avoid the troops;
Smith was badly burned. but was rescued
by a man named John c. James. from New
York who was doing scouting service for
a party of settlers bound for the North
west. James went to Montana and then
70 Colorado. and Smith accompanied him.
In 1878 he started for the mountains from
Denver with his family on a prospecting
tour Eighty miles out of the city the little
caravan was attacked by masked men and
indians. James was killed, and when the
marauders had stolen AL they wanted they
made off with the horses Smith started
for Denver with Jamess four children.
leaving the mother in an improvised camp
near the wagon. Twelve days later. when
a relief party arrived. the mother was dead
Following this episode Smith became a
cowboy. and in his wanderings ran across
an old Indian woman in Winnipeg who
recognized him and told him he had been
stolen by Whitefoot from northern Michi-
gan. and that IL he would write TO Port
Huron he would hear further particulars
smith wrote to Governor Rich. and this
led TO the discovery of his family.