The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1911-11-23
OUT OF THE
SAVAGE STATE
BY DAVID WALTER CHURCH
Copyright By American Press AsSo-
citation. 1911.

NINAA tue nuG y mrliId WaN uio-yfT
cred 70. say. half q century ago there
were repeated cases Of white children
being carried away BY Indians and
brought up IN the tribe Those that
we're raised by red men were boys At
any rate. ! never read OF a girl having
received such treatment Doubtless
any girl falling into their bands was
killed Sayages are not OFerburdeDed
. with respect for the value Of women.
Some forty years ago / was a young
lieutenant IN the -fh q. g. cavalry.
and ny principal business about that
dime was lighting Indians In one OF
our skirmishes with the Sioux we cap
iurcd one Of the white boys who had
been brought up as an Indian. He
was a handsome little fellow, tall and
straight. about fourteen years old. and
bis originally white skin from having
been exposed had turned brown. he
could speak only the Sioux language;
could not remember any life but that
Of an Indian, any father or mother Or
other relative. When captured be was
lighting ike a little devil
The colonel turned him over 10 me
70 see II / could discover his Identity.
I questioned the Indians who had been
captured with the boy. but they knew
nofhing OF bis antecedents. since they
had captured him from another tribe
when be was about four years old
then questioned the boy himself
/ through an interpreter-an found that
be had once been shown the clothes In
which be had been captured and some
trinkefs that were taken from those
10 whom be had belonged These were
q pockeibook. gold watch and chain
and various other things the boy could
not remember They had been kept
By an old squaw, who received them
AZ the boys second capture from an
other squaw. to whom they had been
given By the chief OF the tribe who had
taken the baby from his parents.
Having reported this 10 the colonel.
be directed me 10 ride under a dag OF
truce 70 the main body OF the Sioux.
secure the articles and hiring them
back n possible. He authorized me- 70
ray $50 for them. n necessary. I went
70 the Sioux camp. purchased the ar
ticles for a song and brought them
back with me.
Besides the watch and the pocket
book was q iintype o. a baby. and
resemblance could be traced between
{ and the boy There were also some
ace and q bunch OF keys 90 a silver
ring examined ibe contents Of the
pocketbook Il was q long leather one
such rs Il used 10 carry unfolded bills.
II there had been any bills In Il they
we're not there when | looked into Il.
There were papers the use OF which
were very plain 10 me. but would
mean nothing to an Indian. For In
stance. there was a deed TO a lot IN
he county OF Cook. state OF Illinois
There were draft on a bank In San
Francisco and two little books that
recognized as savings bank books.
] reported the ind to the colonel. {
md be forwarded my report to Wash.
ngtou. After long period. during
which we kepl the boy much against
his will-at Fort c. Is which we re.
turned after The campaign. the colo
1el received AZ order 70 deigll some
,nr 10 take the boy - the places inul.
.nfed by the deed and the savings bank
looks. with a view 70 learning who be
vas. The coionei gave me the Job.
Looking % the map OF illinois. 1
discovered that Cook county was the
tie OF ChicnFo One o. the bank
looks indicated an account IN bank
L Peoria and another 10 Quincy. both
b the same state
set on 10 company with the boy.
rho br this time had learned little
English. and on reaching Chicago
ound the lot IN question 10 be IN the
cart 81 the city The deed was 10
he name o. Edgar Kyle. This also
sas the name on the savings bank
ooks and the draft on San Francisco.
he draft was for 5000. the accounts
} the savings banks amounted to an
grrerate OF S0.143. and the lot In Chi
Ego had within a few years become
'orth about 100000.
Pursuing my investigations. discov-
red that Edgar Kyle sons twelve or
eirieen years before had eoiIsrated or Ct
larted IN q plains schooner for Cali n,
,rnia with hIs wife and baby. but had
ever been heard from after leaving q
10 Missouri river d
I felt vory sure that they bad been 10
murdered by Indians. their baby car
ed on. that I now had him under my
ire. and he was doubtless heir % OF
cry good property. But I saw very h,
tile hope Of his possessing T.
On bis baby clothing were the initial N
tiers n. K..r and on this evidence -
collected the draft and the amounts
the savings banks for him. with
lis a. starter succeeded IN having a.
Ie court Of chnncery appoint guard
n for him. and proceedings were BE- a,el
IN to secure the lot, which had been Of
lught IN under a foreclosure Of a ~
ortrage for $780, A Jaw In the III
rcclosure was discovered which en- ~,
lied young Kyle's guardian to recover a.
g property for him BY paying the az
orteage with interest q.
Meanwhile Kyle was being educated ee'