Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-20
|ONbN INDIAN CAPTIVE
RAN AWAY FROM HOME IN DEN
MARK AND CARRIED OFF aY
sAvAGEs.
LIVED EIGHT YEARS
AMONG THE RED MEN
Frank johnson, Of Des Moines, Has
Had Experience EcIipsins Those of
Wild Western Romance Heroes
Took PIeasuns in Savage Pastimes-
Was Thought to Have Been Dead.


Des Moines. June 20.-Taken into
captivity at the age Of years by
tribe Of Winnebago Indians, after ne
had run away from his home in Den
mark, then to live the crude life Of the
savage until he was 16 years old-this
was the extraordinary boyhood expert
ence of Frank Johnson, Of this city.
While he has delivered lectures upon
his adventures about the world and
with the Indians, Mr.. johnson Is pre-
pairing a manuscript which will be the
complete story of his Indian life.
Taylor county, wisconsin. was where
Mr.. Johnson lived with the Indians
from 1856 to 1864. He was adopted by
the medicine men Of the tribe after ne
was taken and lived as an honored son
Of the Indians. The knowledge OF the
savages which he gained. along with
their brutal practices and barbarous
customs, form an interesting story.
A Stowaway at z.
When a boy of years Johnson ran
away from his home in Astrup, north
ern Denmark. The boy started out in
search Of his lifelong playmate, Paul
Johannsen. The parents of the latter
had emigrated to America and settled
at La Crosse, Wis. Little Frank was
inconsolable after his young friend
sailed away. Each day the boy sought
the harbor and looked at the big ships
as they set out for America
Finally he decided to try to reach
La Crosse and his friend. He slipped
into ship and after being discovered
when the vessel was out to sea, was
cruelty treated. The stowaway finally
reached America. After wandering
about the country for months, the lad
finally reached La Crosse.
Here he found that the boy whom
he had journeyed SO far to visit had
gone into the deep woods with lum-
Der crew. 1t was arranged that Frank
should return to his home in the old
country the following spring. His par
ents were notified. They consented that
he could remain in America until then.
Along with several countrynen the
boy set out for the big woods to join
the lumbermen. They had hardly left
La Crosse when a band of Wfnne-
bagoes, on the warpath, attacked. the
party and scalped all but the white boy
Frank. They took him to their vii
lage Of some hundreds Of tepees.
Made Medicine Mans Son.
"A council was held and it was de-
cided to make him the son Of the medi-
cine man. who had no child. Accord
ingly. after q great feast, Frank was
adopted by the medicine man. His
body was dyed red to resemble the
color Of the savage. and his hair was
made red that he might be liked by tho
great spirit.
The boy readily picked up the saw
age tactics and mastered the Lam
guage. He was made a brave after be-
ing in the village a few months. The
ceremony thru which the young saw
ages passed to become brave was cruel
in the extreme, he said. The boys
were scared on the naked flesh with
a flaming brand. If they cried out
they were thrown out Of the tribe and
seldom returned.
Took Delight in Orgies.
But the white boy, whom the red
skins had made one of their number,
passed the cruel ordeal without
whimper. In everything he won the
praise OF the stoica1 Indians and rap
Idly acquired their knowledge.
Many times the braves would return
from battle with dozens of scalps
dangling at their belts. Then would
ensue a war dance lasting some times
for days. And the little white boy, far
away from people Of his race and kin,
took delight in these savage pastfmes.
The parents Of the boy thought he
was dead. After he ran away, a body
thought his was found and buried. The
letter from tho Johannsen. family told
them he was we'll Then came a sec
ond letter saying the Indians had killed
him. This time he was given UP for
dead by all who knew him.
For eight years the boy lived with
the savages. Then, by a treaty made
between the Indians and the whites,
he was turned over to the palefaces. In
the treaty, for a consideration, the
savages promised to let go all the cap
tives they had taken from the settlers
and allowed to live. The Winnebagoes
had no one but Frank and turned him
over.
Surprises His Parents.
He was taken to La Crosse, where
the people remembered how he had set
cut with the massacred party. The
settlers gazed upon him in awe and
wonder, for he rese1nbled an Indian In
appearance and manners.
Once again a white man, he soon
picked up the language Of the Ameri-
can. The Indians had given him some
means when he left them. and he de-
cided to go back to the old country to
his parents.
He surprised them by walking In one
day, and at first they could not believe
the evidence Of their eyes. He re-
NAMED in that country some time, but
moved to the United States with his
father and mother. Mr.. Johnson has
lived in Des Moines seven years.
Mr.. johnson will go to Wisconsin
this summer and look over again the
remains Of the Indian village where
he once lived.