The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-12-31
FROM GOLD sETTLrR."

EDITOR JoURNAL.-Inmy prsvious mar
rative, alluded to Haduta, Sioux In
dian, for whose arrest I held warrant. A
party of German immigrants passing up the
Minnesota not far from Fort Smelling were
met by small band of Sioux, and without
warning or provocation Haduta shot and
killed woman of the party, the same ball
passing through the cheek and out tho tip
end Of the nose Of one of the men, While
in'pursuit of the Wild man, Mckenzie
(now residing in Minneapolis), acting ~
my Deputy, rode with me to Shakopee, then
an Indian village occupied by Little Grow
and his band. We arrived there at night
and after locating the wigwam of Haduta
we proceeded to surround it, only to find
that he had been forewarned and had fled to
parts unknown. Believing he had gone to
some village of his tribe further up the
river, we took passage on the Time and
Tide, as before related. On our return our
Indian, among others, came to the river to
see the passing steamer. The Captain ran
the bow of the boat ashore, and Mckenzie,
Capt. Dadd and myself gave chase, but in
attempting to flank our game We soon found
ourselves waist deep in marsh, and con-
sequently further pursuit was postponed.
Not long afterwards most of the Indians of
the Valley assembled at Fort Smelling to
have talk with the Governor and COM
mandant of the Fort. This time my efforts
to arrest Haduta were more successful,
and he was soon adorned with the jewelry
worn by refractory soldiers-ball, chain, etc.
and rode with me to the St. Paul block
house Jail, escorted by company of oaval-
~ commanded by Lieut.. McGruder. The
escort was deemed necessary on account
of the threats of the large force of Indians.
After trial and conviction, . warrant was
placed in my hands for his execution. A
g.llows was erected on the prairie above
St. Paul, and all was in readiness when IN
order was issued to stay proceedings and =
new trial was granted, which resulted -
before, and my successor; A. NJ. FFidley,
ESQ.,, had to do the honors. This was the
only instance of the trial and execution OF
any of the aborigines that ever heard OF
in tho Territory, Haduta was a hearty eater
and good smoker. His fat and healthy con-
dition, his defiant attitude when led out to
be hung, reminded me of what Bryant or
some other of our American poets says:
"Chained in the market place he stood,
A man of giant frame;
Amid the gathering multitude
All shrank to hear his name,
Strong of limb his dark eye upon the ground,
And silently they gazed on him a. on = lion
bound"
1t was the usual custom to arrest these
savage murderers and keep them in confne-
ment at Fort Smelling, supplied with plen-
ty of rations, tobacco and cards, then turn
them loose upon society. During Cover
nor Germans administration, I arrested
three Winnebagos at the mouth Of Rum
river and lodged them at Fort Smelling,
where they were fattened and provided with
a gun and blanket each and then Get at
liberty. At the outlet of Coon Greek, on
the old Government road, stood log cabin,
used as tavern for many years. At the
time referred to it was occupied by = man
by the name of Berry, who with his wife
and children slept "up the ladder" ~ there
were no stairs to "sleep up" His father,
who had passed through the war of the
Revolution and had attained the ripe old
age Of ninety years, slept down the ladder"
The Winnebagos referred to broke into the
house and killed the old gentleman by
throwing glass and crockerywere At him,
cutting his head in \ shocking manner.
One of the Indians, in attempting to ascend
the ladder, was cut in the forehead by the
younger Berry, who defended his family
with grass scythe. This circumstance
enabled me to identify the Indian and to
secure the murderers, whose arrest and
confinement have spoken of. I have refer
red to these cases only as specimens of
the administration of justice towards ''our
Indian relations" in the early settlement
of the State.
Not being able to reach the date of the
settlement of St. Cloud in this narrative, I
will refer to one OF two incidents of civil
administration.
In the winter of 1852 warrant was il
sued for the arrest Of Mr.. Edgar Folsom,
then, as now, highly esteemed citizen.
Mr.. Folsom was engaged in the Rum river
pineries. I started with horse and sleigh
and plenty of blankets, robes and provis-
ions. When I had reached the oak OPEN
ings in the neighborhood of where now
stands the thriving town of Anoka, the
thermometer not being able to indicate the
degrees Of cold as we'll as my pedal extrem-
tiles, got out Of the sleigh and was run
ming behind to keep up the necessary cir
culatiou, when my horse tripped his foot
against a brush and being frightened
left the road and went through the oak
openings At ! rate Of speed which, under
more favorable circumstances, would
have greatly admired. I followed in the
trail until overcome with fatigue and hun
ger, and then sat down on log and ats
q lunch I had in my pocket. In the mean
time my horse had made = circuit Of
q marsh and returned to where was locat-
ed. In my attempt to stop his passage, the
sleigh had collided with an oak tree and
was battered into more pieces than Rip Van
Wrinkle found his gun, and was quite ~