The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-06
An INDIAN TRAGEDY.
Romantie History of the Explsits and Charac-
ter OF a Famous Chippewa Warrior Chez
His Death by Assn ssinati0u.

Romantie History of the ExpIsits and Charac-
ter OF a Famous Chippewa Warrior CHIEF
His Death by ASSN estimation.
From the st. Paul Mimi Press, June SOl
announcing the fact that Hole Day. the famous
head chief OF the Mississippi Chippewas, as he as
sassnaed by three Of the paner hama ~ rhn
pewas. We have since received the following par
tcnlars OF the manner OF his DEATH
On Saturday last, between two and three O'Clock in
the afternoon, three Chippewas, called Leech Lake
or Pillager Indians called at his house and asked
where he was his women replied that he had gone
to Grow Wing The Indians appropriated three Of
his guns and went TO Gull river, a short distance
above Grow Wing. They saw him and another In
on knoll by the roadside.
As the buggy passed them and went down the
slope they fired at the back Of the foe they feared to
face, all their charges taking effect in their victim
The other Indian sprang out of the buggy and fed
when these Indians dragged Hole-inthe- Day to the
ground and TO make sure work stabbed him in sew
era places They then took the horse and buggy and
made their escape.
The dead body OF the murdered chief was first dis
covered by Mr. Charles A. Rulree who Is now ut the
Chippewa Agency.
We are not appraised of the motives which induced
this assassination OF Hoe-inthe-Day, but 1t may per-
haps be attributed to an old jealousy Of Hoe-in-the
Day which the Pillagers have especially entertained
the head chief of the Mississippi band of Chip
pewas-a pretension which they by no
for the that they
royalty as belonging more legtimately to their own
chief. HOle.in- the Day was regarded by them as
pdruenu-a kind of usurper-but his pretensOns
have always been supported with much bOldness
and he has won such pre-eminence q warrior
that they have not heretofore dared openly to con-
test his position. No doubt this old jealousy has
been famed by recent circumstances. HOe-in-the
Day has been accustomed to play conspicuous part
in all treaty negotiations with the Mississippi Chip
pewas, and from long practice had become cunning
and INSCRIPTIONS intrguer, skilled in all the mystic
in the recent treaties for reservations made with
that tribe, and probably some discomfort Of the PHI
layers, ON this account, may have nstigated the as
sault-th0ugh for that matter H0le-inthe-Day has
had private quarrels enough on his hands any day
for many years to have killed a hundred other men.
Ho!ein the Day in respects one of the most
extraordinary characters in Indian history.
There was something almost romantic in his reck-
less daring on the war path. He was the Chippewa
Cid, or CGur de Lion, from the CLEAN OF whose bat
tleaxe whole armies Of Saracen Sioux fed az before
an irresistible fate. His exploits would Ill book.
His father, OF the same name was great warrior,
who had conquered the chieshp OF his tribe by his
bravery in combat and his wisdom in council. The
old chief Hole in-theDay was killed in the spring OF
1S47, while crossing Flat river In Red river cart
Young HOle-in-the-Day, then known as "The
Boy"-he was about nineteen years OF age-was not
slow in assuming the position his father had held
BY his bravery in war he soon gained all and more
than his fathers influence over his tribe, and
tanned all his pretensiOns to leadership.
The following Incidents are interesting as showing
the first steps In the public life OF the young Indian
chief and the peculiar arts by which he acquired his
In June is47, young Hole-in the. Day, who then
lived in an Indian village near watab, above Sank
settlers came down to Pigs Eye, to get medal be-
longing to his deceased father.
ON their way down they met man sent up oy the
not come down, as the Sioux were highly excited in
consequence of one OF their chiefs having Just been
murdered by Chippewa. Hole-in-the Day was told
that he had better turn back. He replied that he
would not go to Fort Smelling where the Sioux were,
but would come down and stay at the house OF half
breed friend, and go back in the morning. His
friend went to Mendoza and stayed over night and
next morning went to the fort, where, to his sur
ho lyNIo- lint hal In
front OF the main entrance. He asked him why he
was there, and told him that his life was in great
danger. He replied, my father walked here. and
The Sioux chiefs held council at the agency just
outside the fort to see what was to be done in conse
quence OF the murder. Most OF the officers attended,
and Hoein-the Day insisted on being present to hear
what was said.
soon after this he came down alone crossed to the
Little Crows village shot Sioux and went home
alone In broad daylight.
His first appearance in public was at Fond du Lac,
Wis. in July, lS47 At that time the upper country
OF the Mississippi extending TO Lake superior, was
owned by the Chippewas OF Lake Superior and the
Chppewas Of the Mississippi. The Chippewas OF
Lake Superior were represented In force The Chip
pewas OF the Mississippi, headed by Hole-nthe-Day,
owing to the great distance they had to travel had
but a small delegation In attendance Hole-in-the-
Day was late In reaching the council ground.
Prior to his coming several talks were held with
the Indians. In which they admitted that they had
allowed Holen-the-Days father to take the lead In
their councils but said that were he then alive they
would make him take back seat; that his son was
q mere boy and were he there he would have nothing
to say, consequently II was useless TO walt for him.
The commissioners, who were our fellow citizen Mr..
Henry NJ. Rice and Isaac A. Verplanck, OF Buf1al0
however, thought differently and waited. After the
ARRIVAL OF Holen- the Day the council was formally
opened. The commissioners stated their business
and requested a reply from the Indians. Hoe-in-
theDay was led up TO the stand by TWO OF MS braves
and said:-
to purchase belongs to me. II was once my IA
thers He took from the Sioux. He by his bravery,
made himself the head chief OF the Chippewa nation
I nm a IN than father for
brave as he was and on my mothers side | am the
hereditary head chief OF the nation The land you
want belongs TO me. II say SELL our great father
win have II. II say not sell, he will do without 1t.
Those Indians that you see behind me have nothing
TO this speech all the Indians present gave hearty
and audible assent The change In the face OF things
at the appearance Of Holein-the-Day showed his
bravery and commanding influence, but was also
somewhat amusing. Here were powerful chiefs OF
all the Chippewa tribes, some OF them seventy or
eighty years old who before his coming spoke sneer-
ingly OF him as q boy who could have no voice In the
council, saying there was no use In waiting for him,
but when before him became his most submlssiye
and obedient subjects; and this In treaty In which
million OF acres OF land was ceded.
The terms OF the treaty were concluded between
the commissioners and young Hole-inthe-Day alone.
The latter, AFTER this DONE withdrew, and sent
word to the chiefs OF the Mississippi and Lake Supe
rior bands TO go and sign II. Alter nad been duly
and warriors and witnessed by the interpreters and
other persons present, Mechanically, who had not
been present az 'these little formaties" called upon
the commissioners with two OF his attendant chiefs,
and had appended 20 the treaty the following
II approve OF this treaty and consent to the same.
August 3. 1s47, Fond du Lac.
HOLE-INTHE-DAY, his X mark"
He inherited the traits OF his father, who was
noble generous and brave, but treacherous well.
His father once entertained several chiefs, and the
same night, while they were sleeping In hrs lodge,
murdered them. Young Hoe-in.the Day was jealous
OF young half.breed 2 man Of education on a
the Day and remarked about fine pistol the latter
possessed. The chief replied, would you like TO
ace II ~ and handed II toward the half-breed, when
IL went OF and killed him. 10 Is believed that the
shooting was not purely accidental.
Hole.in.th Day made treaty In 1854 In which the
Indian country was divided between the Chippewas
of Lake superior and the Chippewas OF Mississippi.
Since then his influence mas been principally among
many other treaties, and his influence In Indian
affairs was prominent
he made his influence In negotiations tell TO his
own personal advantage, and he managed IL IL said,
TO exior very considerable sums the price OF his