The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-02-06

II mer. OF Nebraska, who Is
" making her annual visit K
Washington. had, many
years ago a thrilling experience with
Indians. For her losses by Indian
depredations and for the valuable In.
formation given 10 United States
troops regarding the plans Of the In
dams. a large sum Of money was
awarded to her later - the Court Of
Claims Her story is as .Ollows:
In 1864 Lieutenant Larimer. who
had just been hon0rably discharged
from the Union Army. left his home
ln Kansas. accompanied By bis girl
wife and baby. 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
several o'her travellers. and had with
them valuable personal belongings.
and nearly $4,000 in money. When in
Wyoming Territory they were sur
prised by a band Of Sioux Indians,
who murdered three Of the party.
wounded two. Lieutenant Larimer be-
Ing one Of the wounded. and captured
Mrs. Larimer and her child. The In
dians took the woman and child 70
their camp. about seventy miles from
the spot where they had attacked the
travellers.
A day or two after he news Of the
attack came TO the Eleventh United
States Cavalry, stationed at Fort
Laramie, Wyo. Lieutenant Larimer
had been found nearly dead from ar
row wounds and distracted at the fate
which had befalIen his wife and baby.
The officers Of the Eleventh immedl-
ately moved part Of their command
up the Platte River and obtained
further information as 10 where the
raid had taken place. They were about
to move against the Indians with a
force Of two companies when Mrs
Larimer came crawling into camp car
rying her child. She and the baby
were nearly famished. As soon as
Mrs. Larimer was able she gave a de-
tailed account Of the position OF the
Indians, their plans and movements,
their designs against the command.
which they knew would be moving
against them. their numbers, and the
ambuscades whicl they had prepared.
Her Information was 50 valuable that
the officers were able to thwart the
designs Of the Indians not only against
the pursuing troops. hut against ex-
posed points and trains that were on
the emigrant road The officers found
the information Mrs Larimer gave as
70 the position and movements Of the
Indians TO be exactly az she had said,
and m. rveled at the powers OF obser-
walton aad clearness Of memory which
had endured Though the hours OF
horror she had undergone. The accur-
acy Of her statements was particularly
verified by the fact that one OF the
lieutenants and n few Of his men who
had disobeyed orders and followed n
trail apart from the command fell
into an ambuscade described by Mrs.
Larimer and were killed.
Mrs. Larimer was never quite clear
as to how many hours she had passed
with the Indians She had read OF the
tortures inflicted by Indians upon
women captives, and was determined
II possible, to get her child and her.
self away from their clutches. and die
In some other way than by their tor
lures. She had always been a girl OF
fearless disposition. quick IN her move
ments and very observant She pre-
tended to be bodily in a languld and
almost immovable state. After hours
Of waiting and watching their dances
and listening to their plans for furtb-
Ct depredations. when they had ceased
10 observe her, she found a chance to
clip away beyond the fires into the
dark bush. Through two days and
nights she Struggled on, faint. near.
y dead, until she fell exhausted into
the cavalry camp.-New York Tribune.