The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-06-20
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
THRILLING STORY or A WoMAk's
CAPTURE AND ESCAPE.

CAPTURE AND ESCAPE.
P1ucIky Mrs. Larimer Was the Hero
inc of an Exciting Adventure with
the BIoodthirsty Sioux In Wyoming
Territory In 1854.
While in Washington one day saw
come out CT the department of Justice
woman of attractive appearance AS
she paused a moment on the step and
looked with bright. observant eyes over
at the White House and along Pennsyl-
vania avenue, she presented picture
of comfortable, placid middle age. One
of the attorneys from the Indian depre-
dation claims department accompanied
her to the door, and after she babe him
goodby he said:
''That woman is Mrs. Sarah L. Lari-
mer of Nebraska, and she is making her
yearly visit to Washington. When at
the capital, she always calls on her
friends in the department of justice.
The files of Indian depreciation claims
contain no more romantic and thrilling
incidents than those which relate the
early life of Mrs. Larimer. Those who
meet her now as woman of the present
day, quite abreast of the times in which
she lives, interested in all public ques-
tions and full Of kindly sympathies, can
scarcely realize that in her youth she
was the heroine of a regular dime
novel story of the plains.
"In 1854 Lieutenant Larimer, who
had just been honorably discharged
from the Union army, left his home in
Kansas. accompanied by his young wife
and little child, to cross the plains for
| the restoration of his health, which had
given out through hard service in the
war. They were in company with sew
eral other travellers and had with them
valuable personal belongings, consist
| ing of several wagons and horses. ex-
pensive clothing, family jewels, COM
plete Photographic outfit and nearly
81, 900 in money. When in Wyoming
territory, they were surprised by band
of Sioux Indians. who murdered three
of the party, wounded two. Lieutenant
Larimer being one of the wounded, and
captured Mrs. Larimer and her child.
The Indians took the woman and child
to their camp. about 20 miles from
the spot where they had attacked the
travellers.
ga day or two after the attack news
came to the Eleventh cavalry, stationed
at Fort Laramie, Wy, that the Sioux
had attacked travellers on the emigrant
road and had carried Mrs. Larimer and
her child into captivity. Lieutenant
Larimer had been found, nearly dead
from arrow wounds and distracted at
the fate which had befallen his wife
and baby The officers of the Eleventh
Immediately moved part Of their com
mand up the Platte river and obtained
| further information as to where the
raid had taken place They were about
to move against the Indians with
force Of two companies when Mrs
Larimer came crawling into camp, car
rying her child in her arms. Their con-
dition was deplorable. She and the child
we're nearly famished AS soon as Mrs.
Larimer was able she gave a detailed
account of the position of the Indians,
their plans and movements, their de-
signs against the command which they
knew would be moving against them,
their numbers and the ambuscades
which they had prepared. Her informa-
ton was SO valuable that the officers
were able to thwart the designs of the
Indians, not only against the pursuing
troops, but against exposed points and
trains that were on the emigrant road.
''The officers found the information
Mrs. Larimer gave as to the position
and movements of the Indians to be ex-
actly as she had said and marveled at
the powers of observation and clearness
of memory which had endured through
the hours of torture she had gone
through The accuracy Of her state
ments was particularly verified by the
fact that one Of the lieutenants and a
few of his men, who had disobeyed or
ders and Followed trail apart from the
command, fell into an ambuscade de-
scribed by Mrs. Larimer and were
killed.
'tMrs. Larimer was never quite clear
as to how many hours she had passed
with the Indians. From the moment of
captivity, when they had started off
with her child and herself in their train,
she had concentrated every faculty on
watching for an opportunity of escape.
She had seen her husband struck down
by arrows. killed, as she supposed; had
seen the wagons fred and her friends
killed and wounded She had read of
the fortunes inflicted by Indians upon
women captives, never imagining that
one day she would be their wretched
victim. She was determined, if posi-
BILE, to get herself and child away from
their clutches and die in some other
way than by their tortures. She had
always been girl of fearless DISPOSE
ton. quick in her movements and very
observant She pretended to be bodily
in a languid and almost immovable
state After hours of waiting and
watching their dances and listening to
their plans for further depredations.
when they had ceased to observe her,
she found chance to slip away beyond
the fires into the dark bush For hours
and hours. through two days and
nights. she struggled on, faint, nearly
uedu' uutll 6n6 Iell exhausted III the
camp of the cavalry.
1T was happy time. of course,
when she found her young husband
alive. All they had in the world was
gone, but after the horrors of their ex-
perience had passed away little and
health was in measure restored they
started out afresh. Mrs. Larimer has
o1xuovo hoon tho h11oix,ooo ~,,onooo,. -
the firm. Her husband never had his
health completely restored. "-Philadel-
phia Times