The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-23
BORDER WARFARE.
Exciting Scenes of Indian Life
Recalled
By a Bill introduced by Mr..
Curtis.
A FEARFUL ORDEAL
Was That Which J. S. Friend
Endured.
Wife Scalped and Boy Carried
Into Captivity.
A FEARFUL ORDEAL
From Our speelaI carreaponaant.

From our Special Correspondent.
washington. April 23-An exciting
scene Of border life when settlers lived
in constant danger Of their lives from
hostile Indians is recalled by bill Tor
the relief Of James s. Friend OF 81
Dorado. Kansas. which has just been
reported to the house with favorable
recommendation.
The bin was introduced by Represen-
tative Curtis and carries $500 The
story of Mr. Friends claim involves
many. exciting incidents, the scalplng OF
his wife by Indians, the killing oI ner
companions and a four year $ search TOT
his captive boy
end his wife though horribly mutilated
by the Indians recovered ana hYes,
bearing the fearful scars OF the ofosal
through which she passed
In 1868 Mr.. Friend and his family
We're living on what was called the
Dancer Ranch about 10 miles souln
Of LlanO. Texas His family consisted
Of his wife and two children, Florence
eleven years old and Temple, a boy OF
eight. On February of that year MI
Friend went to Fredericksburg, about
% miles distant to have some mlllns
done Besides his own family, except
ing Florence, who was at Mound City,
there We're at his house on that day
two young married women with IN
FAINT children and a young woman IL
years old
They had all gathered there for com
pany as Mr. Friend did not expect TO
return until the following day
The day passed pleasantly and safe
ly tin about shutdown when the little
boy Temple. came running toward the
house in an excited manner from where
he had been playing. crying, Somebody
IS taking Button"
Button was a pony which was teth-
cred about 200 yards from the house.
The women rushed to the door in great
alarm and saw an Indian unite the pony
and ride off.
The doors Of the house were hurriedly
shut and locked and the occupants
awaited further developments with fear
and trembling. Soon they saw the In
dian who had taken Button return
with fourteen other Indians all mount
ed The Indians rode quickly up to
the house and peeked into the windows
and then one went TO the front door
and tried to get in. 1t was locked OF
course but gave way when several In
dams pushed against it.
Mrs. Friend was standing before the
door with rifle in her hands but be-
fore she could use fl an Indian grab
bed st away from her and threw it
out of the door. Some Indian then shot
her in the side with an arrow and she
fell ia a half faint on the bed which
was near and feigned death.
The Indians then took the other wO-
men out to where the horses were came
back and dragged Mrs. Friend from the
bed and plundered the house To sat
isfV their bloody instincts the Indians
drew a knife acros the back of Mrs
Friends left hand cutting all the lead
ers in it and scalped her. leaving a
wound which has never fully healed
After the Indians had ridden off with
the other women and children Mrs
Friend crawled painfully to a neigh
bOr's house several miles away
The next day Mr. Friend returned to
find his house pluudered and his family
gone. He found his wife at the neigh
boris house nearly dead and heard from
7nT IA
had befalIen them. Seeing that his wife
was we'll cared for as possible Friend
started on the trail of the Indians to
recover If possible the missing His
search was calculated to make him sick
at heart and despair of ever seeing his
children again When he had gone
three miles he found the two infant
children dead with their threats cut.
About FIVE miles further on ne came
across the two mothers Of the babes
with their threats cut and scalped. The
Indians had simply strewed their trail
with dead for a few miles farther en-
Friend came upon the dead body of
Malinda Candle. the young lady. whose
throat mad been cut and her scalp tax
en- Friend followed on for several days
unable to md any further traces of the
numbering Indians. He returned home
then but did not give up tie search for
his boy For four years he searched
for him The tale of his travels would
be too long to tell but finally he re-
covered him in December. 1872, near TT.
Siu having spent four years and 81
SEQ In the search.
The band Of Indians which had cap
tured the boy and killed the women
was composed OF Commences andKtowa
Now Mr. Friend wants the govern
ment to REIN burse him for damages 4
and for the money spent in searching
for his son and i'll medical treatment Of
his wife The bill as has been said. has
been faVorably reported by the house
committee on military affairs The
claim also includes % horses which
were taken by the Indians s2s7 in cur
rency, a Spencer rifle Colts revolver
and household effects
Belva lockwood was attorney for Mr.
Friend before the court of claims and
also appeared before the Indian com
mittee in his behalf