The daily progressive-miner., 1916-01-10
THRILLING STORY
 OF REALP PIONEER FATHER MURDERED
AS TOLD BY MRS. MARY PERRY FROST NOW VISITING HERE
 WITH HER DAUGHTERS
On Trip Across Plains When Wards Party Was
 Massacred

It is safe to say that only very few residents of Ketchikan arc a. ware of the fact that we have a dis tinguished visitor in our midst. A pioneer among the pioneers of the western frontiers. Mrs. Mary Perry Frost, mother of Mrs. F. J. Hunt and Mrs. A. w. Morgan.-@very body's friends-is now in Ketchi- kan and has consented to tell tie readers of the Miner her experience. It will be told in two installments. The story was told years ago and appeared in a publication in the state of Wash lGgton, of which the following is a copy:
 How many times 1 have longed to put my story of the hardships, Ia9uo!d Jo s9Iqnoql pue suoneA!Id life in print, but l have never be- fore attempted it. 1 came here when l was little girl but 9 years old. In the month of April, 1854, my father, Walter c. Perry, started with his family, consisting of wife and four children, from Garden Grove, Apanoose county, Ia., where lie had a good farm and was con- sidered a well-to-do farmer in those days for this far western country, but he was destined never to reach here.
 After having travelled three or four months, We came to where the In- dians had burned the grass along the emigrant road in order to stave the stock belonging to the emi- grants. We were with a large train under the command of Captain J. P. Coats, and when confronted by this situation, he thought it best to divide up into smaller squads, which course was adopted. The first train to start was called the Ward train, as it was composed of sev- cral families of Wards, all related, and it included all the reatives, ex- cept one woman, who was with the middle train.
 The captain gave orders for none to go beyond the burned district, or a place known in the guide books as Jeffries' cutoff. 1 will state here that We had guide books that had been published by some pathfinder, or trapper, describing every camp watering places and all cutoffs and the names of creeks, etc. Each train had some of these books,
 In cutting up the large train we brought up the rear with four wag- ons, consisting of four men with families and two young men aged 1G and g years. The men were Mr' Kirkland and family, nclud- ing enc young man, William Kirk land, and his son-in law, MT. Cox and far fly; my uncle, George Lake, wife and two sons, young men; my father, Walter G. Perry, and his family; c. c. Thompson, young man, then about 20 years of age, and my fathers teamster, Empson Cantrell, a young man aged 19 years or whereabouts.
 Our last camping place where we were to all meet alive was at q creek, designated in the guide book as "White Horse creek. 1 think it is in Idaho, and think it was then ahout the last of August, perhaps later. Starting on our journey the next morning We had travelled perhaps an hour when we discov- cred in the distance to our left, Indians coming up out of a can yon in great numbers, the foremost ones being on foot, and who looked to be unarmed. They were followed by mounted Indians, armed with guns in sheaths made of deer skins. At this time young lady, daughter of MT. Kirkland of our party, was riding on horseback, ahead and a. part from the rest of the train. Her horse took fright at sight of the Indians, and becoming unmanage- able, she dismounted and tried to hold the horse by the reins, but it jerked away from her. The Indians then surrounded and captured the horse, but Miss Kirkland made her way on foot to the train unharmed. After capturing the horse the In- dians advanced on the train, and coming up squarely in front of the OK teams, held out their arms and stopped them, but appeared friendly and shook hands with the members of our party and asked for whiskey, but were told that We had none. Thereupon they began to talk of trading with some of our party and while my father was talking of trading a pistol for a pony they opened fire on us, shooting my father, my uncle, Mir. Lake and the young man Empson Canterell, my fathers teamster.
 MT. Kirkland then called to his son