Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1919-10-03
WHITE MOTHER FINDS SON
Babe Was Stolen from Crib
"a Years Ago.


nance still lived in the forests
and the hills, a 6-months-old
baby was stolen from his crib
beside his mothers's bed in a
little log cabin in the mountains,
says the San Francisco Chron-
icle.
A few weeks ago Mrs. Erick
E. Denley of the Oakland apart
ments, Oakland, CAL, found her
boy at Lapwai Ferry, Idaho. He
was living on an Indian reserva-
ton as Howard Wilson, adopted
son of a squaw man and an old
Indian woman, both now dead,
and lawful members of the tribe
of NeZ Perez.
A soldier from Idaho came to
the Preside last January and re-
lated at a party in Oakland a
strange traditional /story of a
white baby that had been stolen
from a cabin near military
reservation one June night in
1896. Mrs. Denley heard of the
story and at the end of the trai.
to which it led her she found her
son. Her husband died II years
ago after Is years vain search
for their son.
Will Sell Indian Lands.
AS soon as Howard Wilson can
sell the lands and the cattle left
to him by the Indian woman who
mothered him for years, he will
go to his mothers home in Oak
land and become Robert Denley,
a man of the cities.
Mrs. Denley was born in Yer
mont and her mother died when
the daughter was l year old.
Her father went to Idaho to seek
wealth in the mines. Years after
when the girl was Is, he became
seriously i'll.
The daughter and the son of
her fathers partner were called
to the bedside, and there they
were married. A year or so later
Robert Denley was born.
That day in June, 1896, young
husband was forced to go to
near by settlement for supplies.
His wife laughed at his fears for
her safety. But while the
mother slept the baby was stolen
from his crib that night.
Howard Wilson, who will be
Robert Denley, has heard from
the Nez Perez Indians the story
of his life.
A white man and two white
woman appeared among the In
dams at Lapwai in June, 1895,
and asked tie Indians to care for
a baby boy. The Indians re-
fused and the white persons
went away, leaving the infant
on a pier.
The young Indian mother took
the baby for her own. When the
Indians went away on a hunting
trip the child was left with white
persons and when the Indians re-
turned the baby again was miss
ing.
1t developed that Wilson, a
squaw man, had a COW he didn't
want. He did want the white
baby. The trade was made, and
as Howard Wilson the boy grew
up.
Adopted by Nez Perces.
The squaw man died and How
ard Wilson was adopted in tt
the Nez Perez tribe. The adop
ton entitled the tribe to draw
government rations for him
When the old woman died thu
boy received all her property
and built over her grave tomb
stone such as never was seen be
fore at the Indian cemetery al
Lapwai Ferry.
Mrs. Denley took up the cas-
with government agents at tn
reservation. They traced the
story of the lost white boy anC
found it was her son. They toll
the young man about it. H
was doubtful, for he didn't knov
what a white mother would b
like.
The night of July IL Mrs
Denley met her boy. Soon h
will be living with her, for he i
convinced that she is his mothe
and that it is better for him t
live as a white man than as al
Indian.
TO VOTE BONDS.