The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-09-09
Tragedy Of Indian Life.

Cooper's condensed, but is said to be {
record of facts gathered by gentleman
who is collecting material for history o.
the Upper Mississippi valley: oa
A party Of thirty Winnebapoes came
down from the scalp dance, at which the
river in the north, and encamped on
French's Island. in the Mississippi river
lust above the st. Paul Railroad depot al
La Crosse.
The band was under the control Of a
well known chief the Winnebagoes nam.
ed Waukee-se-hoong-er-er, or Snake CHIEF
who had two wives, Se-es-ka and Hence
kee. Se-es-ka was about thirty years oil
age, graceful in appearance, with pleasant
look and an interesting face. With whites
she was favorite, while with the Winnie
bagoes she was looked upon very kindly
indeed, adored with all the ardor Of Indian
feryor. Snake Chief was a Noted warrior
of the Winnebagoes, and was very much
liked by his tribe. He was powerful
and brawny fellow, and when sober was
peaceful and good-natured /; when drunk he
was ugly and disagreeable. One of his
favorite pastimes, when in this condition,
was beating his wives.
On Friday last, Snake Chief returned to
his wigwam drunk. Se-es-ka was in the
| wigwan, and the chief commenced beating
her over the head and shoulders. Driven
by desperation, and unable longer to stand
his brutality, she drew her knife and stab
bed the chief twice, the blade penetrating
the heart Of the warrior, who died instant
ly while the first notes of the death song
were on his lips. The affair ct once crea-
ted q sensation among the Winnebagoes,
who did not know how to act. They loved
their chief, and they loved their chieftain' g
wife. 1t is q well, known Regulation"
among the Indians that when man is slain
relative must avenge his death by taking
the life of the slayer. Se-es-ka knew this.
Some OF the Winnebagoes urged her to fly,
but she would not.
With true Indian resignation she folded
her blanket about her and sat down in her
wigwam, facing the door, and awaited her
avenger. 1t was believed by many. that
He-nee-kee, the younger and favorite wife,
would be the ayenger, but she seems to
have had no such intention. She mourned
the loss of her husband, but took no steps
further than to send runner 40 the
Trempelelu, where Snake Chiefs relatives
were, to notify them ofwhat had taken
place. Meanwhile Se-es-ka sat in her cab
in chanting the death song, stoically in
different to what was going on about her,
and only talking when questions, were
asked her.
On Sunday morning an Indian from
Trempelau made his appearance in camp.
He was known as Chan mo; mega, and had
- &uo1,oloI srpskL o,,k LII =. L :
learned the death of Snake Chief. Enter
ing the camp without word, he walked
solemnly to the place where the body of
Snake Chief lay, took long look at it, and
then turned sullenly away. Nobody spoke
to him, yet all watched with interest his
movements. Deliberately loading his gun
with buckshot, he uninterruptedly walked
deliberately to the wigwam where Se-as-ka
sat, she having remained there since the
murder, took one look at the woman, who
loudly chanted the death song. Not a
muscle of the woman's face moved to de-
note that she labored under any excitement,
but she sat there quietly and calmly her
eyes moving upward, and her voice, as the
uncouth song escaped her lips, steady and
firm. She knew that the ayenger was be-
fore her--that in another moment her spirit
would leave the frail tenement of clay and
seek that of the chief who had gone before
her yet no look or sign indicated that she
feared the fate. Such is Indian stoicism
and indifference.
The eyes of the two did not meet. In
the face Of Chan-no-ne-ga there was look
Of mingled hate and revenge. Deliberate
" he raised his musket to mis- shoulder
deliberately he aimed at the woman's head,
coolly he fired. The report rang out
through the Indian camn-the smoke
cleared away-Se-es-ka still sat there
her blanket about her-her arms folded
but one side of the head was. blown COM
pletely away-her spirit had fed, and the
code of Indian justice was satisfied Wau-
ke-se-hoong-er-er was avenged.
The murderer, with just a look to satisfy
him that his work had been well done,
shouldered his musked and walked deliber
ately out of camp. Nobody spoke TO him !
nobody offered any interference, and step
ping into his canoe he padded to the
shore and disappeared in the woods, leav
ing the Winnebagoes stupefed.
Mr.. SEYMOUR CoNF1DNEr OF Hrs OwN
ELEcTIoN.---I can communicate to your
readers the gratifying intelligence that on
Wednesday last, Gov. Seymour, in con-
versation held ct Utica with member of
the State Committee, expressed his entire