The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-24
FINDS SEQUEL TO
!. SIOUX MASSACRE
THEATRICAL MAN TELLS OF RES
CUE BY sQUAw.
Strange Case of Charles Merrick, Who
Escaped the Lac Qui Parle Slaughter
and Was Adopted by White Family
on the Northwest Frontier
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal
Mankato Mimi, March 24.-Stranger than fc
ton is the story of Charles Merrick, who when
& toddling babe of 2 years, escaped death at
the hands of the Indians by miracle, and,
thought by his relatives to be dead was I'M
known to them turnout all of his life and
passed away not knowing where his relatives
were. and they ignorant of his existence. These
relatives scattered turnout Minnesota, and
they will not know the fact of the escape of
Charles Merrick until they read the story of his
strange
The story told for the first time today by
Ed Andrews, until recently at the head of an
opera company. He learned the story while at
Prince Albert in the Northwest Territory, where,
q short time ago, his company played. Since
retiring from the operate business to live
Quieter life in Oregon. he has taken time to
visit his former home and relatives in this city
and to search for the relatives of Charles Mer
rick, who in the early days resided in this vicn
ity. The tale is weird and has seldom
had its counterpart.
James Stewart, frontiersman and Indian
trader, who for hfty-three years has been en-
ployed by the Hudson Bay Fur company. and
his wife-good Scotch people-reside at Prince
Albert, and it was from them that Andrews re-
ceived the facts here related. When they
learned that he from Mankato and that he
had known the AIerricks they were overjoyed.
Adopted by White Family.
The Stewards at the time of the Sioux mas
sacre in 1862 when q considerable part of Min
dreds Of whites were slain lived at Winnipeg,
then consisting Of few stores and residences,
being little more than a trading post One
evening band Of Sioux that had been driven
the border after the opera tons Of the
troops from Fort Smelling against them, came to
his dwelling for supplies. squaw had a
2year-old white child, which when set down on
the ground to Mrs. Stewart, crying the one
English word which 1t knew mamma" Mrs.
Stewart fed the child and when the Indians
retired 1t Glung to her, sobbing, and had to be
down NV Tho
kind-hearted woman and recalled the Incident
several times during the night, remarking to her
husband that they ought to have kept the oh Id.
In the morning the squaw returned with the
baby, and the latter again ran to Mrs. Stewart
with outstretched arms Mrs. Stewart. as she
had done the evening before, asked the Indian
woman who the chid's parents were and where
its home had been. The only reply was a
shake Of the head and 'dont know Mrs.
Stewart bargained for the child and obtained it
Tor supply of bacon and -four valued at $25.
aren.
Squaw Reveals Identity.
Eight years later the same squaw returned,
liberal reward If she would impart the secret
of the chlds residence and parentage. This
the Indian finally consented to do after receiv-
ing a liberal supply Of bacon and -four She
said that the Indians had massacred the entire
family Of one Charles Merrick at Lac qui Parle,
Atnn., except this child, and that when the
latter had run to her for protection she had
placed it her back and carried it on foot all
the way to Winnipeg. She knew nothing more
about the child than this.
Mr.. Stewart wrote to the postmaster at Lac
Qui Parle, asking about the matter, and the
account of the massacre verified except that
the postmaster said that it had always been
supposed the entire family had been killed. He
did not know Of any relatives that the family
bad. The Stewards were able to learn
more of the boys relatives, and raised him as
their own son, giving him the name of Charles
Merrick Stewart. The young graduated
from the University Of Manitoba and fitted him
self for profession, but his health failed anC
he went to San Francisco, hoping to regain his
strength. He became a stenographer and cour,
reporter, and later died at San Francisco OF
consumption.
Searching for Family.
A few hours before his deathe he wrote
touching letter to Mrs. Stewart, expressing hi:
appreciation of what the family had done fol
him. Mrs. Stewart told Of this with tears
streaming down her face. She had loved thu
boy as one of her own sons.
Investigation by Mr.. Andrews shows that thu
families of Charles and Samuel Merrick in thu
ffties lived at Traverse des Sioux, st
Peter, where they conducted store in larg,
brick building. They were traders. Late
Charles Merrck moved to Lac qui Parle, wher
all the family massacred except the bah.
that the kind hearted squaw protected.
Samuel Merrick resided at Elysan for man.
years, and his son, Rush Merrck, moved t.
Duluth. Where the family now is is no
known to Mr. Andrews, who is anxious to con
vey to them the tidings which the Stewards wer
for y