American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1855-11-10
AN INDIAN EXECUTION In MICHIGAN.


The Clinton county mich. Erpress
publishes the following and vouch es for
its authenticity. 1t is certainly a curi.
ous history:
In different parts Of central Michigan
there are two tribes of Indians, tho o..
towas and Chipewas. They are friend
" to each other, and duliug tho hunt
ing season, frequently cncamp near each
other. In tho ial! of 1853, a party of
one Tribe built their cabins on the banks
of Maple river, and party of the other
Tribe about eighty in number, cucamped
in what is now the town Of Dallas. 1t
is unnecessary To speak of their lives in
these camps-suffco it to say that the
days were spent in hunting, and The
nights in drinking " fire water" and car
ousing. In one of tho rcvels at the
camp on Maple river, an Indian, mad.
dened by liquor, killed his sqnaw and
to conceal the deed threw her body on
the fire.
Recovering from the stupor Of the
rcvel, he saw the signs Of his guilt be.
fore him, aid fearing tho wrath of his
Tube, he fed toward The other cncamp-
mcnt.
His absence was n0ticed--,hc char
red remains of the poor squaw were
found and the cry for blood was raised.
The avengers were soon upon his track
they pursued him to the oncampment
of their neighbors-ho. was found. ap.
! pretended, and in SOLEMN council doom
/ nI n tho lnn,I ,,,h;,l, -, -. 1 I
Indian code, is reserved for those ONLY
who shed the blood of,heir kin. 1t was
slow tOrturimg and cruel death. A
hatchet was put in the vicrim's hands,
he was led To large log that was hol-
low and made To assist in fixing it for
his coffin. This was done by eating
into 1t some distance on the top, in two
! places about the length off man apart, !,
then slabbing off, and digging tho hol-
low larger. SO as TO admit his body
| This done he was taken back and tied
fast to tree. They then smoked and
drank Of tho fire water" and when C.
vening came, thoy kindIed largo fires a.
round him at some distance nfl, but so
they would shine full upon him. And
now commences the orgies-the drink
To inioxicaton-they danced and sang
! IN their wild Indian manner, chanting
the dirge Of the rtcreant brave. The
arrow was fitted to the bow string, and
ever and anon with lis shrill twang it
sent a missile into the quiveling flesh of
the homicide; and to heighten his mis-
cry they cut of his ears aud nose.
Alternately drinking, dancing. beat
ing their rude drums and shooting their
arrows into the victim the night passed.
The next day was speut in sleeping
and eating. the victim mcanwhilc, still
| bound to the tree. What his reflections
were we of couiso cannot tell, but he
bore his punishment as a warrior should.
When night was closed around, il
brought the cXCcUtioucrs to their work
again. The scene Of the first night was
rccnacred, aud SO it was the next NIGHT
and the next, aud The next and SO on
for week. Seven long and weary
days did he stand there tortured with
the most cruel torture, before his proud
head dropped upon his breast, and his
spirit left tho c'aycy tenement Er the
hunting grounds of the Great Spirit. -
And when il did they took the BODY,
wrapped it in a new clean blanket and
placed it in the log coffin lie had helped
TO hollow.
They put his hunting knife ty bis
side that he ght havo something to de.
tend himself on his way, his whskcy
bottle that he might cheer his spirits
with draught now and then, and his
tobacco aud pipe that he might smoke.
Then they put on tho cover, drove down
stakes each side of tho log, and filled
up between them with logs and brush.
The murdered squaw was avenged. The
| camp was broken up. and tho old still.
ness and qriet once moro reigncd over
tho forest spot where was consuma,ed
this signal act of fretributive justice.
Our informant has visited tho SPOT or.
ten since then; tho log is still there
with lis cover on and beneath nav
still DO seen tho skeleton of the victim.
Let no Che-mo ke-mum call this n
deed Of hal barity. 1t was an act or
simple justice; there was double
murder it is true; bat the pale face who
sold the fire water that crazed tho poor
victim and caused him to shed the blood
OF his squaw has them To answer for in
the day Of final reckoning.
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In Ercmpiury iSlaic..--1t j. said that
the jails in Vermont, where the Pro.