Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-03-02

Seneca John was BY them notified Of the
decision ofthe Council. Thh intelligence
was received without The least naniiestion
Of any emotion, as calmly as he would Te-
ceive an invitation to dinner, and be said 70
the Messenger---"it is well, tonight | shall
stay with my good friend Hard Hickory,
(who was also minor chief and member OF
the CounciD will sleep on tho porch At
the door of his house. AT day break tho
following morning the executioners found
him asleep at the spot designated. Upon
being aroused he greeted them with these
words: "Ohl brothers you have come,
strike sure" The tomahawk descended
upon his head, not fatally. He exhorted
them to strike quick and reproyed them
for their awkwardness, and continued 70
talk ill repeated blows rendered him sense
less. Thus fell Seneca John, one of natures
noblemen.
What education, what training, what in
terna principle learned him 70 look with
such calmness, the King Of Terrors in the
face, and thus complacenlly to stand and
SEQ his earthly house of this tabernacle
hacked down BY fellow men. must leave
others to tell, It's past my comprehension.
But vouch for the truth of the essential
facts narrated as to Seneca John, for per-
sonaIly knew him, and all the other men or
Indians engaged in this horrible tragedy.
BEES.
There is a singular tradition about the
advent of the Honey Bee, and the herb
called Plantain, into the wilderness of tho
northwest. Previous to the time of Mrs.
Whittaker's captivity, the honey bee and
the plantain were unknown to the Indians.
While she and her brother George, who
was also captive, were yet children, ard
were menial servants TO the Wyandot tribe,
we're boeing corn in an Indian field, they
discovered swarm of Bees in a tree near
by. They remembered something Of Bees
at home, and conjectured what they were.
The idea Of white people was instantly sug-
gested, and they talked with one another as
to whether this might not be sign that
white people would come soon. Their dis
covery was communicated to the Indians,
who flocked to the tree in great numbers to
see the wonderful insects. The suggestion
was made by George and Elizabeth, that
Bees belonged to white people and stayed
with them, and that probably this was a
sign that the pale faces were coming, and
would bye-and-bye have the country. None
of the tribes had ever seen the insect before,
and their supersticious minds were effected
to such degree that, with the Wyandots
especially, it became a settled conviction
that the Indians would be driven out and
the whites would take their country. Hence
forth this tribe, yielding to what they con-
sidered inevitable fate, felt and said it was
useless to contend against the pale faces,
and became peaceful people. 1t is true
) they Joined the other tribes TO fight against
Wayne, but they refused to join the expe-
dition until confederation of all the other
tribes of the northwest plainly told them
that if they did duot send out warriors fight
Wayne, they unitedly would exterminate
j the Wyandots. There was no other way tt
$ save themselves, and they did send the bes
e of their men to be slaughtered by Mad An
thony at the battle of the Fallen Timbers.
ITO be Continued