Kenosha tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1855, 1855-01-04
January l, 1855.

j. A. BUTTS,
January l, 1855.
FraiIty of Human Testimony---The
Child of Two Mothers.
1t will be recollected that three years
ago next month great excitement oc-
CURED in Winnebago County, in this
State, in relation to child, boy of six
or seven years old, found among the Me-
nominee Indians, and claimed by Alvin
Partridge.
The last Oshkosh Democrat says the
child has been delivered up to the Indi-
ans, Mr.. Partridge having become salts
fed, after having it in his possession near
ly three years, that it is not his.
The circumstances in brief are these
In the spring of 1850, Mr.. Alvin Par
fridge, at that time Of the Town of Vim
land, Winnebago County, went one morn
ing to a Sugar Camp of his, some five or
six miles from his house, into the timber,
into the edge of what is now Utagamie
County, and took his wife, and his son,
boy of four years, with him. After
they had been busy about the camp lit
tie while, building the fires, filling up the
kettles, &C., the boy was missed. The
parents did not know how long it was
since he had been seen, but it seemed to
them only a moment.
They Immediately commenced search,
rousing the neighbors for miles around.
The search continued for several days,
and part IF the time as many as two thou
sand persons were engaged in it.
The child was not found, and the i'm
preston got abroad that it had been sto-
len by the Indians, especially as Mr.. Par
fridge had had some difficulty with one
of the bands strolling through the coun-
try.
Nearly two years thereafter, a band OF
Indians were encamped in Waupacca
County, in the vicinity of a white settle
ment. OF this band, one little boy went
round among the white inhabitants beg
ging food, and attracted attention by his
intelligence, his light color, and especial
ly by the i'll treatment he received from
the Indian woman he called his mother
The surmise was started, and became
general that he was a white child, and
was wrought up to fury on the child's
one day saying he was not an Indian
child, but white child, or as he called it
smoke-man's child" referring to the
known prevalence of tobacco smoking
by the whites.
The child was taken to Partridge's
house, kept there over night, and return
ed the next day to the Indians, Partridge
and his wife both disclaiming it. A
brother, Mr.. Frederick Partridge, who
had gone for the child the monet he
heard of the circumstance, and brought
it to Aivin's house, was absent when it
was taken back, and as soon as he re-
turned, he was so sure his brother had
disowned his own child, that he imme-
diately went in pursuit again, but it was
hidden from him by the Indians.
Then writ of hdbeGs corpus was SUI
ed out from Commissioner E. L. Buttrick,
and an officer dispatched, who brought
the child, with its Indian claimants and
friends to the court.
Intense excitement followed. The
whole County was convulsed with it. A
trial was had before the Commissioner,
which lasted seven days. Large num-
bers Of the Indians, and all the Indian
traders of the country were in attend
ance' The largest house in the place,
one OF the churches, was densely crowd
ed the whole time.
The Indians and Indian traders all
swore positively that they knew the
child, and had known it from its birth
having seen it repeatedly every year.
The Partridges, and hosts of their
peighbors, swore just as positively that
they knew it to Se Partridge's child
that they were familiarity acquainted with
1t, and recognized it.
After the trial, the child was placed in
the hands of Partridge, under bail to
obey the order of the Court, and the
Commissioner postponed the decision.
At the end of two weeks, he decided in
favor of the Indians, and the sheriff was
dispatched for the child 1t was placed
In the sheriff S possession, but the neigh
bors rallied and took it away from him.
The child was henolandestinciy taken
TO Ohio, to the friends of Mr.. Partridge /;
and it has remained in the custody of Mr..
Partridge and his friends, ever since till
now.
Nine-tenths ef public opinion was ad-
verse to the decision of the Commissioner.
The whole white community, out of the
City, and nearly all it, sympathized with
Mr.. Partridge Eary one who attended