Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-09-12
The First Murder caused by AIchoboIic
Drink.
AN INDIAN LEGEND,

a few years alter the determination of the Iro.
! quols from the peninsula which is formed bv the
the three lakes, Huron, Erie, and Ontario. free
| uninterrupted intercourse existed between the
French OF Montreal and the Oibways of Lake
Superior, which brought into the Indians pos
session implements of steel, and that bane of HE
civilized world, "ire water
The people haG already commenced to inhabit
the Islands along the river St. Marie, when a
quantity OF liquor was landed at point near
Grand De Tour between St. Marie and Macka-
nav. The Indians from the upper lakes, as
they encamped, began to use this liquor quite
freely, in order to see its curious effects upon
them.
Among these were two families who had v-
ed and hunted the moose together. who had from
childhood roamed the wide forest without one
word of difference between them.
They also wished to experiment with the new
drink, which, when some drank, would cause
them to enter into curious antics, others sang
war songs, others were jovial, while few chal-
lenged the spectators TO combat with their weap-
onS Of war.
During this experimenting, the two intimate
friends had quarrel, which resulted in the death
OF one OF them. The murderer seeing what he
had done, fled to the woods, to spot near which
they had lived, and there concealed himself The
deed was soon known all over the village As
the murderer had fled, it was agreed by mutual
consent, and III accordance with their law of re-
taaton, that the brother of the murderer should
be executed IN the guilty ones stead. The eve
ming was to be the time of the execution, and or
derS were given that two fires should be built a.
bout % feet apart. A post was placed between
the fires, on which he was to rest himself.
The victim prepared himself by deliberately
painting himself with various colors When
the evening came, there were twelve warriors,
with bows we'll strung, and good arrows, who
were to fire at the prisoner. The people with
eager curiosity looked on. 1t was announced
that all was ready. The victim walked calmly
from his lodge to The place where he was soon to
represent his brother. The warriors were arran-
ged at the distance of thirty steps, and the inno-
cent man stood at his post, where his brother
should have stood.
"Don't shoot me till give YOU the signal"
said he, as he waved his hand toward heaven
His breast was painted black, with the exception
OF a white spot about the size of dollar in lis
centre, which was the spot to which the arrows
should be aimed.
The warriors and the victim were ready. The
fire blazed, and amid the stiffness of the evening
the prisoner was heard singing the death wall:
''Nc-bah balrmoo-say kcezhc-goon-a
Ne &C chog We sha-wod.'
Before the last stanza was snug, and as his
voice became weak, he turned to the crowd.
where he thought his brother might be lurking,
and said-"lla, hey then continued" Broth
err, am ready to be killed in your stead Twill
not dshonor the clan belong to by endeavoring
to shun this fate. If you can endure the idea
that hereafter the nation will look upon us as
race of towards, live but would choose to die
in your stead" As he finished the last lines of
the death song his brother ran from the woods to
his side and said-"l am not coward ran
to tine woods to ge. sober, that | might not be kill
cd like dog. | can soon be ready, aud You
shall see how 4 brave can die" He then step
ped aside and backened his breast, breaking the
ashes, he formed white spot in the centre Of his
breast Then leaning his back against the post
he began his death song. As its last dolofu
note died far away in the forest glen, he lifted
both hands, and barred his breast to the warriors
Twelve arrows pierced it, and he fell, the second
Indian victim to incompetence.
NoTE.-This tradition story was related to me
by Ncgah-be-an, in the year 1884, while we
camped near DrumWood's Island on our way up
the Sautt st. Marie. 1t was my purpose some
time since to have published volume of Indian
stories, and trust that shall be able to do so in a
Short time CoPray'S American Indian.