The Shasta courier., 1865-01-21
An Indian Love Tale.

In General Scott's account of his expert
ences in the Black Hawk war, occurs the
following romantic episode:
The summons for the conferences was now
given to all the tribes and obayed. and the
grand councils Of war for the settlement of
tie treaties commenced. While these were
pending, iemand came up, from judge OF
| | nois, sixty miles below, for an Indian
murderer, his name unknown, bu. who had
been distinctly traced to the camp of the
great body of Sacs and Foxes whom the chiefs
had contrived to hold in neutrality during
the recent hostiities-inflneace mainly by
Keokuk-not hereditary chief, and only "a
principal brace or warrior. the sense bearer.
orator and treasurer OF the confederacy. The
demand was communicated to this remarka-
bic man. AfteTa little musing, the panfal
truth of the story seemed to flash upon him.
With capdor he stated the grounds of his
fears. A young brace of some twenty years
ofage, the son of distinguished chief, had
lang sought to marry handsome young
squaw, the daughter of another famous chief:
but the maiden repulsed the lover. applying
to him the most opprobrious epithet-squar
he never having taken scalp, killed II
=
emy OF his arms, horses or wife. Hence she
said her lover was not brare, but a woman.
Her sympathies were, moreover, with Black
Hawk-her only brother having ran of. with
that reckless chief. All these particulars
were not yet known to the wise treasurer :
for he had only been surprised at.the change
Of conduct in the belle sourdge. who had 50
suddenly married her lover Keokuk. in
f,,, ba
great care had been to save his people from
destructive war, and entire spoliation, with
which Black Hawks conduct had caused
them to be threatened
The next day he called at headquarters and
whispered that his fears had proved pro-
phetic; that the happy bridegroom had, for
the good of the confederacy, confessed him !,
self to be the guilty party, and was at hand; !;
but begged the General to repeat, in full
council, the demand, etc. This was accord;
ingly done, and as soon as General Scott,s
peroration i demand the murderer !-wse
interpreted. the young Apollo stood up and
said-I an the man With violent stamA
and voice Scott called out-the guard! 4
sergeant, with dozen grenaders. rushed in,
seized the offender. and carried him off.
When the blacksmith began to place ana
rivet irons upon him he struggled furieusly.
1t took several of the guard to h1id him down.
He said he did not come forward to be ironed;
he did not wish to be tried. that be preferred
to be shot at once. He was sent down to the
Illinois court, then in session put on his
trial. and, notwithstanding the strong circum.
s:antial evidence, and that it was proven he
had acknowledged the killing in hand to
band fight, a tricky lawyer, well provided
with the means of bribing, no doubt, by the
chiefs of the confeieracy, obtained from the
jury verdict of not guilty.
The acquitted had yet to pass another
ardeal-one of fire and water. A swift
horse, half way between the court and the
Mississippi IA few hundred yards of, had
been provided for the occasion but frontier
men always have their rifles in hand, and
their horses ready. The lawyer hastened his
client out of court. and gained for him good
start. Fly, young nun, or your dear
bought Helen will soon be widow |" In
minute. followed by some whizzing shots, he
was in the saddle. In another. g horse and
rider" were plunged into the great father
cf waters,'' swimming side by side. Now
came up furiously dozen mounted riaemen.
who threw away their lead at the too distant
game. The last news of the romantic Sac
represented him as the happy father OF
thriving family of young barbarians," by
more than a "Dacian mother"-@all lar
beyond the Mississippi.