The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-04-24
THE INDIANS IN OREGON AND WASHINGTON
''- " TERRITORIES.

As effort has been made to create the impression that
the white people in Oregon and Washington Territories
the of all the difficulty with the Indians we pub
lsh the following statement of the conduct Of the Sno-
quame tribe of the powerful residing on the
waters Puget Sound and who from their proximity to-
and communication with the settlements would be
exposed to imposition than the hostile Indians who
reside at greater distance, and have little or no commu-
nicadon with the vhes The action of the chief of this
tribe Patkai-nan, is strongly marked from the fact
that in ls49 two of his brothers were hung by the
sentence Of judicial tribunal for the murder of white
man near Fort Nisqualy.
On the breaking out Of the Indian difficulties on Puget
Sound Rakainan offered the services OF himself and his
warriors against the hostile Indians White river These
were subsequently, accepted and the 9th of February
he started up the Sno-quame river with sixty warriors
accompanied by NJ T. Simmons the Indian agent On the
9Th he started with bis warriors for the Sno.qual-me
Falls and returned the 9Th bringing with him prs-
oaers seven men, with women and children The
seven men then tried by jury Of twelve Indians and
all but three acquitted Of having taken any part in the hos
tile operations, or these three proved only to
have been engaged in the attack Seattle and his life
spared on condition that he would act as guide to the
gagged every attack and massacre and were unanimous
" sentenced 10 death Upon the decision being announced
Patkatnan made the following speech:
Bad men, why have you been at war with the whites
What have the Bostons done you that you wish to kin
them and burn and steal their property Have the Bostons
ever killed any good Indians, ever killed any Of your
women and chidren Have they taken of
property, or shown bad heart towards you Have they
not always been friends and the friends Of all good In
dsh' Yes they have, and always will be, long as we
are good, and do not kill them steal their property
Ny poor wicked friends, you not remember that be-
'oe The white man came had only FISH, clans roots and
lew potatoes to eat7 We had warm blankets or rood
clothing Do not the Bostons give the Indians work Do
not they give our women and children work With the
boston dollars do not get such articles we wantwam
blankets clothing, and food, such the Bostons have
when we 60 to the Boston house. say that we have
oo or That we have clothing do they not give TO us
Ihen, why should the Indian want to Kill them You do
friends7
"My friends, Il you will kill go,tor, do m, t,u ,o;r
women and children They have done Won no harm The
hosons never kill Indian and children thew
XII each Others women and children Men sgb moi .o.in,
women am at war with all bad Indians but not with
'"eu women and ny party who will punish ron and
all other bad Indians, but not your wives and children
have sick heart, so has Mr. Simmops and Al. tho Roc
IONS tor What you have done White river You killed
women and children who did you no harm You Killed our
Lieut. Slaughter who was your and our friend
was very wicked. You once were our friends and your
end' were our friends For what you have done Won are
no more our friends, and must now die"
Al the conclusion of this speech Mr. Simmons requested
that the prisoners might DO sent to Fort seilacoom for
u'aL The Indians refused saying they might escape
The prisoners then confessed their guilt and upon being
asked what death they preferred chose to be hung They
were then executed and their heads cut OF and sent Ia
BostOns -Americans.