The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-07-13

SIX PEOPLE MURDERED AND EATEN.

From the Red River Nor -Wester.
Detailed accounts of case of cannibalism,
far SURPRISING in atrocity that recently no.
ticed in these columns, have lately been re-
ceived. The victims in this instance were
six in number-a Saulteaux Indian and his
wife and four children-and the cannibal,
one of the youngest members of the family
A rumor of this fearful tragedy was current
in the Settlement some time since but the
story was too revolving to obtain general
credence. Incredible as it may appear,
however, the tale has been confirmed by too
many to leave any doubt as to its correct
ness. The most reliable version we have
been able to collect is as follows About
the beginning of March, Saulteaux named
Ke-wa-kie-sick, who was wintering near
Lac des Roseaux, went short distance
south of" Dawson's track" to hunt moose.
On his way he noticed in the snow the trail
of Indians who appeared to have been catch>
ing rabbits and while following along to
visit them, he was startled by finding an
Indian women lying dead near the track.
Her remains were SO horribly mutilated as
to lead him at once to suspect case of can
nibalism. To all appearance she had been
sitting sharing rabbits, when she was killed
by being shot through the back of the head.
The skin of her arms and also of her legs,
from the knee downwards, had subsequently,
been torn off by the murderer to be de.
voured! A short distance further on, the
hunter saw boy named Sha-way-goniash,
sitting by little fire. He was about ten
or twelve years of age, and had been cook
ing something which had the appearance of
human flesh. After q brief conversation,
the hunter became convinced that the young
wretch before him was the cannibal, and
would at once have tomahawked him, but
forbore lest in that event he himself should
be accused of the cannibalism.
Leaving the boy at the fire, therefore,
Ke>wa-kie-sick proceeded to tent close by,
and here still more frightful scene met his
gaze. Inside, lay the bodies of an elderly
Indian and four of his children-all of whom
had been murdered! The father had evil
IDENTIFY been shot while sitting in the tent
and it is supposed that he must have been
the first victim. From the appearance of
the snow, struggle would seem to have
taken place between the murderer and one
of his brothers. Portions of some of the
bodies were cut away, and from their de-
cayed appearance the hunter concluded that
the murders had been perpetrated several
days previously, and that in the meantime
the boy had been living on the flesh!
That boy so young should thus be able
to butcher so many people, can only be &C.
counted for by the superstitous dread with
which the Indians regard "Windigoo,"
or man-eater. 1t is said that they are per-
fectly powerless when cannibal approaches
them, and that they rarely make an effort to
defend themselves.
In the present case, the murderer could
not have been urged to the commission of
his crime by starvation, for there were rab>
bits enough in the tent. When the atrocity
became noised among the tribes in the
neighborhood, Sha-way- gonaish was hunted
from place to place like wild beast; and
at length, being found skulkipg in camp
at the Lake of the Woods, with the inten.
ton, it was conjectured, of furnishing him.
self with some more victims, he was chased
into the woods and shot by his uncle!
SINCE the adjournment of the Massachu.