The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-05-17
MRS. mary R s.scAM|DT
TOLD THRILLING STORY
Relates Her Capture BY indians;
Old Settlers Meet.


early settlers of Minnesota, most of
them members of the Minnesota Ter
Iritoral Pioneers association, were
thrilled Saturday by paper on
early Indian experiences by Mrs.
Mary Schwandt Schmidt, 6O9 Ran
dolph street, who was a prisoner
among the Indians for seven months.
The paper was read for Mrs.
Schmidt by Mrs. Eli Southworth.
Mrs. Schmidt being seated on the
stage. The occasion was the annual
meeting of the association.
Mrs. Schmidt's paper told of the
Indian uprising of August, 1862 She
was only child at the time, and
when word of the uprising came,
she climbed into wagon with some
friends and tried to escape over
the prairie. ....
Mistaken For White Men.
eve had gone about a mile and
hail." said Mrs. Schmidt, when
We saw a body of men coming, about
eight miles from New Ulm. We
thought at first they were white
men, but as they got closer we saw
there were more than fifty Indians,
naked and in their war paint, boot
ing, yelling and blowing horns. We
! jumped and ran, but the Indians be-
gan shooting, killing some of the
men Immediately. .....z...
| MARY Anderson, my companion,
was shot through the abdomen and
my skirt was shot full of holes"
! Mrs. Schmidt told how she and
two companions, one wounded, were
four days. Later, after Miss Ander-
son died, Mrs.. Schmidt was saved
by friendly squaw who adopted
her as daughter t-.
, In Captivity Seven Months.
| After seven months, during which
she. narrowly escaped death many
times, she was rescued by General
Sibley's army and brought to st.
Paul. .,...-.. .r,..
Many of the pioneers present were
acquainted with Indians and soldiers
mentioned in Mrs. Schmidt's paper.
and some had gone through similar
experiences. ~. .--et-sss......
| The meeting at the old capitol was
in the nature of homecoming for
many of the old settlers. A few
came from outside of the state, one
man coming all the way from Cali
fornia --..s.
Before the meeting George Hay
card, secretary of the association,
showed number of pictures OF pio-
neers presented during the last few
days. Among these was picture OF
the police department in 1874, the
only living members of which are
Captain John Clark, Tom kenaley,
John King and Captain Charles Roll
leau. The picture was presented by
Captain Clark. Another picture was
| of N. P. Langford. .,.
/ Larpenteur Could Not Be Present.
A. L.. Larpenteur, one of the best
! known of the pioneers and the old
est resident of st. Paul, sent a note
and a bunch of flowers. expressing
his regrets that illness prevented him
from attending. Mr.. Larpenteur Will
be ninety years old next Thursday.
Among the "old boys present who
took an active part in the meeting
were Judge l.. w. Collins, Mime
apolis; T. j. Carney, eighty years
old, Minneapolis, who was shot by
an Indian near Clearwater in 1868;
H.. Webster, eightyfour years OLD.
Clearwater; Captain John Clark
Thomas Kenaley. General Bishop
and many others.
A meeting of the Womans Plo-
neer club was held during the morn
| ing and Mrs. Harriet Godfrey oil
Minneapolis elected president. "A
dinner was served to the pioneers
at 1890.
John A. Stees, st. Paul. was elect
/ ed president of the association.
Other officers chosen were: FIRST
Vice President, Major J. M. Bowler.
Minneapolis; second vice president,
M. d. Reed, Hastings; secretary
George Ii. Hazard, ST. Paul, re-
elected; treasurer, w. ID. Hale, MIN