The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-30
Relates 10 a Boy Whose Parents Were
Slain BY the Redskins.
CARRIED INTO BRITISH COLUMBIA.
Lad Purchased From a SquaW BY
Whites for a Small Quantity Of
Flour and Bacon.
From Fridays Daily.

Ed Andrews has brought from the
far north a strange story, that prove:
that truth is stranger than fiction, anC
that in pathos has few equals in the
annals of the northwest. He learned the
tale while his opera company was show
ing at Prince Albert, 200 to 300 mile:
north of Winnipeg, in the British pos
sessions, last July. He was looking fol-
a Greener rifle, and happened into the
store of Mr.. Stewart, who, on learn
ing that he. came from this vicinity
and was acquainted with family nam
ed Merrick, insisted that he should
visit his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Charles
Stewart.
Mr. Andrews found Mr.. and Mrs
Stewart Sr. to be good old Scotch PEG
ple Mr.. Stewart had for fifty years
been trader in the employ of the
Hudson Bay Fur company, and hao
spent the greater part of his long life
on the frontier. 1t was from their lips
that Mr.. Andrews heard the story that
follows:
In 1862 the Stewart family was locat
ed at Winnipeg, when small hamlet
with a few stores and houses. One even
ing after the Sioux massacre in Mime
sofa, and after portion of the savage
tribe had been driven across the border
into Canada, several Indians came to
the Stewart house and bartered TO,
food. A squaw had a two ear-olo
white child with her, little boy. When
the child was placed on the floor he raj
to Mrs Stewart, calling mama" Mrs
Stewart gave him some bread and but.
ter, and when the Indians departed the
little fellow chung crying to her and
did not want to go. with the Indians
The squaw finally had to tear the child
away. During the night Mrs. Stewart
thought many times of the incident
and told her husband that she thought
that they should have tried to keep the
child.
In the morning the squaw came AGAR
to the house with the child, and the lat
ter as before ran to Mrs. Stewart will
outstretched hands and chung to her
Mrs. Stewart gave it something to eat
and then asked about the home ant
family of the child, the same as sh'
had done the evening before, but The
squaw insisted that she did not know
always replying, with shake of hel
head, "Don't know" Mrs. Stewart bar
tered for the child and it was finally
agreed that she could have it for
quantity of bacon and flour, valued al
about $25. With that the Indians de
parted.
The lad became as one of the Stew
arts own children, loved by it's foster
parents, and growing up with the Other
children of the family. Eight years
after its advent into the family, the
souaw that had brought it with her ap-
peared again, begging for food. She
recognized the boy and called attention
to him. Mrs. Stewart again questioned
her as to the lads parents, but the In
dian woman was very reticent. Final
ly Mrs. Stewart told her that she was
convinced that she knew, and asked hel
what she would take to tell all that
she knew about the child. The squaw
after some hesitation: Indicated hel
terms, which was a quantity of bacor
and flour, and then said that the chile
had belonged to the family of Charles
Merrick of Lac qui Parle, Minn Dur
ing the Sioux uprising the entire fam
lily had been massacred, except this lit
tie child, which had run to the squaW
for protection, and she had taken it witt
her, carrying it upon her back on foot
all the way to Winnipeg. This was al
that she knew about the child's rel
atives
Mr. Stewart wrote to the postmastel
of Lac qui Parle and the latter verified
the story, except that he said that HI
had understood that the entire family
had been killed. He knew nothing Of
any other members of the family. There
was no other way for the Stewards t.
try to locate the relatives of the boy
so further attempts along this line were
dropped, and the boy grew up as one
of the family. He was treated thu
same as the other children of the family
and was given good education. HI
graduated from the university of Mani
toba, it being intended that he should
follow a profession. However, his health
was poor, and he went to San Francis
co IN the hope of benefting it. He tool