The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-07-11
Theatrical Man Tells Of Rescue Bu
SquaW
STRANGE CASE OF CHARLES MERRICk
WHO ESCAPED THE MASSACRE
AND WAS ADOPTED BY A
WHITE FAMILY.

Stranger than fiction is the story of
Charles Merrick who, when toddling
babe of years, escaped death at the
hands of the Indians as by a miracle
and thought to be dead by relatives,
was unknown to them throughout all
of his life and passed away not know
ing where his relatives were, and they
ignorant Of his existence. These rela-
tives are scattered throughout Mime
sofa, and they will not know the fact
of the escape of Charles Merrick until
they read the story Of his strange
case.
The story was told for the first time
by Ed Andrews, until recently at the
head of an opera company. He learn
ed the story while at Prince Albert in
the Northwest Territory, where,
short time ago, his company played.
Since retiring from the operate bust
ness to live a 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
Merrick, who in the early days re-
sided in this vicinity. The tale is a
weird one and has seldom had its
counterpart.
frOntjprSn01n
Indian trader. who far SO years has
been employed by the Hudson Bay
Fur company, and his wife-goOd
Scotch people, reside at Prince AL
bert, and it was from them that An
drews received the facts here related.
When they learned that he was from
Mankato and that he had known the
Merricks they were overjoyed.
Adopted by White Family.
The Stewards at the time of the
Sioux massacre in 1852, when a con-
siderable part of Minnesota was de-
vastated by the savages and hundreds
peg, then consisting of a few stores
and residences, being little more than
a trading post. One evening band
of Sioux that had been driven across
the border after the operations of the
troops from Fort Smelling against
them, came to his dwelling for sup
plies. A squaw had 2-year-old
white child, which when set down on
the ground ran to Mrs. Stewart, cry
ing the one English word which 1T
knew, mamma" Mrs. Stewart fed
the child, and when the Indians re-
tired it chung to her, sobbing, and
had to be torn away by the squaW
Mrs Stewart was kind-hearted
woman and recalled the incident sew
eral times during the night, remarklng
to her husband that they ought to
have kept the child. In the morning
the suuaw turned with the baby, and
the latter again ran to Mrs. Stewart
with outstretched arms. Mrs. Sew
art, as she had done the evening De-
fore asked the Indian woman who the
child's parents We're and where its
home had been. The only reply was
a shake of the head and don't know.
Mrs. Stewart bargained for the child
and obtained it for supply OF bacon
and flour valued at $25. She brought
the lad I'D as one of her own chill
dren.
Sauaw Reveals Identity.
Eight wears later the same sQuaw |
returned, begging for food, and Mrs.
Stewart offered her a liberal reward
Il she would impart the secret Of the
,hild's residence and parentage. This
the Indian finally consented to DO,
after receiving a liberal supply OF
bacon and flour. She said that the |
Indians had massacred the entire
family of one Charles Merrick at Lac |
1ui Parle, except this child, and that
when the latter had run to her Tor
protection she had placed it on 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 posthnas-
Ter at Lac oui Parle, asking about the |
matter and the account of the mas
sacre was verified, except that the
postmaster said that it had always |
been supposed the entire family mao |
been killed. He did not know OF any |
relatives that the family had. Inc |
Stewards were never able to learn
more of the boys relatives, and raised |
him as their own son, giving him the |
name of Charles Merrick Stewart. Inc
Young man graduated from the Uni
yersity of Manitoba and fitted him. |
self for a profession. but his health