The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-27
WAS ONCE A CAPTIVE
Otto Weiss Has an Experience
With Greek indians.
IN SAC AND FOX NATION
Was on His Way 10 Wichita
at the Time.

Since the Indian outbreak Of the past
few days many Indian stories have been
coming to the front, but probably very
few Wichita people know that Mr.. Otto
Weiss Of the Halstead Milling company
OF this city was once q captive Of the
Creek Indians in the Territory. Such
was the case, however, and AIr. Weiss
has many interesting things to tell Of
that occurrence. It was during the year
of 1883, during an Indian uprising. and
Mr. Weiss was on his way to Wichita
on horseback when he was captured. Last
night in talking Of the affair 10 q reporter
I for the Eagle, Mr.. Weiss said: Yes,
was once captured by the Creek Indians.
/ That was IN the year 1883 and 1 was on
my way TO this city. I had been over
/ greater portion Of the territory. l had
/ been employed AT the Sacred Heart Mis-
/ sion a short time before that outbreak.
/ and after going back to Mr.. Pierce's
/ farm, decided TO visit my relatives n this
/ city. After forming my plans, I saddled
/ up my horse and, leading another. start
] ed out In my ride over the tran, I found
/ that was between two hostile war par
ties One party was composed of the mi
/ blood Creeks and the other was compos d
Of half breeds and negroes. I passed
through all right, and in hurry, 100,
and that night I camped some miles
away. During the night one OF my horses
was stolen and I started cut the next
morning to find him HAD an idea that
some of the Indians had taken the horse
and I wanted to get him back
We were in the Sac and Fox nation at
that time and I Immediately rode toward
Ike GoodelFs ranch, which was a well
known stopping place in those days I
found some of the people there who had
had charge of the Indians on the reser-
walton. I arrived about night and some
time during the night the officers left for
the reservation. leaving me at the ranch
with a prospect of finding my horse II 1
could The next morning I started out
going toward the Creek reservation. 7
was riding alone, and while in some tim
Der I found that I was surrounded by
about twenty Indians. I had no idea
where they came from. but I did know
that they We're there and that they
wanted me.
Z felt perfectly safe. for ! knew that
had done nothing and only wanted my
horse They held me a captive and 1
wondered what would come next. They
asked me all about my business and
where I was going. At first they acted
very insolent. told them some one had
stolen my horse and that thought that
some OF the Indians had taken it. They
said they would go and see I was a
captive all of the time and a portion II
the party went off I waited with the
others. for there was nothing else to do
After a time the memoirs Of the PAL ~
came back and told me that they d:d not
have my horse, and after q parley they
decided TO give me back the morse WI ch
had been riding and turn me loose. They
gave me the horse all right aGd when
started off one Of the Indians rode by
my side He was a half, breed and we
were bound for the Creek reservation.
While on the way he told me that a rela-
tive of his had stolen the horse and that
he would be at his Stopping place that
night some time. We went there. but be-
fore night the Indian went off. but in
sisted that I should stay, as the man
would come who had the horse.
T was there all alone and did not have
man came and he was little surprised
to see me. He talked awhile and I told
him that I wanted my horse He al first
said that he did not have him. but in
ally said thac he had found him, meaning
that the horse had straye5 away. He
had a Winchester on his right eide and
held a revolver in his eft hand while ia
bed. I got rather nervous and took the
H. l. ~ -. -ssr-
on the other side Of me lie ala nnt Oh
iect to that and then we went To sleep.
In the morning We had the sam old
trouble about the horse. He wts limed
and I was not. After a long parley [
finally got my horse and rode r. was
nightly relieved and Immediately struck
out for Wichita.
when L left home L had little IDEA that
7 would be captured by the Indians or
that 1 would have any trouble with
horse thieves. The Indians could have
killed me and I would not have had any
chance for my life. There was not ans
opportunity for Interference by white
men. for We were many miles from a
house Why they did not lido not know,
but I was not caring about rpeatlag my
experience.
FOUND out Afterwards tiial the man f
who had one Of my horses was one Of the
desperate characters OF the Territory.
do not remember his name now. but he
was killed shortly after that time by
United States marshals while II some act
of crEie"
''verk few people captured by the r.
6'ans get Of a lucky as I did and Z cone
sldsr myself as being very fortunate I
went back into the Terrisory r member
of times after that. but none e my ex-
psrieuces were suythiug Ike this Il vas
complete mystery e ne . know vhere I
those Indians came from when they cap
tured me. but they we're right there ana
they wanted me
1Ir. Weiss knows a great deal about the +
early history n this country. Wuliam +
Teasssin was an uncle q hls and BE
and the maa whom al az the piaiasmen I
knew we're great friends n the early 1
days Mr. Weiss has 2 nFsnber ~ infs-- +
1nE things - ten - the early davs IL
this country. but re Says that The iecss- !
est time in his iste was when RE r.
dams re.sasea hin-
FOR THEIR EXAMINATION