The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-16
Rescued Girl from indians Sc


William Mathewson, of this city. who
lived on the Kansas prairie when the buff
falo roamed the plains and the Indians
traded furs with the few white settlers.
was the hero. Sc years ago. who rescued
a white girl from the Indians.
The affair occurred in the summer Of
1866. A hand of Kiowas had gone from
Kansas 10 Texas. and while there they
captured a white girl who lived in a
sparsely settled section OF the country.
After capturing the girl. the Indians re-
turned to the KiKowa camps IN Kansas.
which were located about so miles south
of the great bend Of the Arkansas river.
where William Mathewson lived. bringing
their prisoner with them. Some Of the
Indians came TO William Mathewson's
ranch and told him about their prisoner.
describing her IS a very pretty girl"
on stormy night. after the girl had
been in captivity about q month. the In
dian guards relaxed their vigilance. not
thinking that she would attempt 10 es-
cane while a storm was approaching.
While the red men were dancing and
holding pow-wows she quietly united
pony which was fastened near her tepee.
and rode off in the darkness. She started
for the north, knowing that there were
white settlements in that direction. for
she had seen the Indians coming from
that direction with blankets. which they
had traded from the pale faces
After she had travelled about y niles.
the storm broke. and the downpoUring
rain washed out the tracks Of their hcrses
feet
The next day the Indians started out in
pm suit of her. ard on the second day
they reached TIE ranch of William Math-
ewson- They did not tell him wha- they
wanted, but he noticed that fhoy acted
strangely and correctly surmise3 that
something was wrong
Camped north OF The great bend OF the
Arkansas vas a bard Of Arapahoes. Who
could only converse with the KI<owas by
means Of the si-nu language ar. Nath-
ewson noticed that the Kicwas went 70
the Arapahoe camp. ard in crder u see
what was going on he hid himself In come
nearly unGeTbr1sh. Tho Indians smoked
the pine Of peace for awhile and th-r be-
gan to converse in The sign Iarriage.
As Nj .Hathcwson understood the sign
language he soon learned that the sartive
girl had ESCAPED ard that the Slowas
were asking The Ararahces 70 Join pa the
search for her
ar. Mathcws-n then quickly fastened
20 his rarCh. ard getting two o. his best
saddle horses. he started OF 20 rescue tho
Girl in order 70 deceive the Indians IS
70 his intentions re rode north. and DIS
appeared behicd some lew blu1s lie
then rode east fer several miles ard tae1
started south lie figured that while the
SRI had started north. the storm vouid
DIVE her 70 TIE east ard that sho vcp.d
be somewhere northeast % tls place
whence she had started.
After riding q short distarce, .Tr. Nat
hHwson met q b41d e. Indians who asked
hin where be was goiug
so. I'm going u hurt buffalo" was the
repiv.
we have sorae sunaloes hers that SO.
can have said tie red usan-
The b1Galoes ars not far 2 way and
7 WI llll some myself said 3fr. -fa.-
hewson.
he Then rode On ard il vas toward
nsshrfsu THAI be legrd Q traE. Tho tr1lf
Led along the bazk q the sTza-sas -irer-
ara 1lsliy eIstrei the river. ard clue
o., ca TIE CHER SIDE. Alr Eatle-zan
followed tNa tan u-tI e-k vhen u
sd 6ovr to rez-- IS ss-a as 1r tToss
he saesle5 he hcrses ar8 sraueI Oh
Ahout roan he saw Tie 81 vr ~ ro !.
sees-E g long flsta1-e st-2 - fr
VIZ ste cav hi-a ceuirg SIC ts11gft
she US rsrs-a1 - ,. lrle-
fsrSed her po1v ~ air Narrsv- se7a
ezale within haI.os ltsfazcs tEFs-